Apr
10
2016
Michael and Marie's 110
Some more visiting travellers, this time in a TDi300 Defender. These guys bought this Defender in Brisbane a number of years ago and drove it back to France. After a couple of years back in France re-fitting out the Defender, they have shipped it back to Australia to explore for a year.
They had some excellent stories about their drive back to France from Australia, especially going through Pakistan and Iran.
![](http://daviddeere.net.au/dnnd2/Portals/0/Images/Blog2016/P4110001.jpg)
It's been very nicely built (by Michael) and extremely functional. He even built the roll cage, and re-sprayed the whole vehicle.
![](/dnnd2/Portals/0/Images/Blog2016/P4110005.jpg)
We had to do a bit of fabrication work to his back door as the locking mechanism had rattled apart on the corrugations on the way to Adelaide. An hour later we'd made a new heavier-duty backing plate for the lock and re-built the innards to get a working item again.
There's a full size bed in the back that folds up into a seat during the day. And a lift up "tented hatch" on the roof to make things more spacious inside.
We offered them a nice warm bed inside but they declined and slept out in their vehicle, so it must be super comfortable!
![](/dnnd2/Portals/0/Images/Blog2016/P4110006.jpg)
They have left Adelaide and are headed up through the centre of Australia, through the Simpson Desert and the Anne Beadle Highway.
![](/dnnd2/Portals/0/Images/Blog2016/P4110007.jpg)
They are welcome back here any time, especially as they can cook like champions!
![](/dnnd2/Portals/0/Images/Blog2016/P4110002.jpg)