Road Service, a First Aid Kit, AND a new battery !
Driven solo from Cairns to Darwin (September) and back (in January) in 4 days, and another trip helping a mate move from Brissie to Darwin in 3. The solo trips were only done during daylight, and you would see the dead critters that had been cleaned up by the road trains during the night. The Brissie - Darwin trip involved some driving after dusk - and before dawn (not my idea) - and we never failed to have something cross our path..... fortunately not too close.
The solo trip to Darwin was a doddle, but the trip back was "interesting".... I ended up leaving Darwin driving according to the temp gauge and not the speedo (old carby petrol 4WD) - well it was January ! While doing the "daily" at Renner Springs Roadhouse (the pool was OK then) I had the bonnet come off the hold open rod and split me open on the back of the scone. The "Grey Nomads" camped nearby couldn't even OPEN the First Aid Kit I handed them - let alone find a bandage ! I opened up the FAK and they got the bandage out of the packet - then had to apply it myself ! The option of going to Tennant Creek Hospital for stitches didn't appeal to me (160 k's, and several Pale Ales), so went to bed (swag) with a sore head, but nothing a few more Pale Ales at the Roadhouse didn't fix. Early next morning it was time to tackle the challenging left corner..... (Three Ways).
Driving into Cloncurry late the next day I was hearing a helluva racket from the top end. Rolled into the RACQ servo in Cloncurry and checked the oil - bone dry (turns out I had probably dropped a ring on the end of the first day, and as there was no noticeable oil loss at Renner Springs). No real choice but to nurse it closer to the Coast where recovery would be getting cheaper as I got towards Townsville (and that WAS the advice of the RACQ bloke too).
I kept the speed, revs and temp down over the next two days, then ended up dropping a cell on the (12 month old) battery refuelling at the BP at Innisfail..... Fortunately there was a SuperCrapAuto up the road, so 10 minutes later....
Made it all the way to the outskirts of Cairns (just past the Hambo Hotel) before she dropped the piston altogether..... Only 20 k's on the RACQ flat bed truck "home" then !
With me also I had fuel, water, oil, spares (hoses / clamps, alternator, belt), tools, UHF radio.... and PLENTY of CD's.....