Another trip to Melbourne just completed, this time for my son’s wedding. As a reluctant flyer, someone who would quite happily never set foot on a plane again, the long-haul journey was as arduous as ever. This was made worse as I treated myself to business class last time. I am well suited to unlimited champagne, food on demand and of course lots of space. The very word ‘economy’ already sets the tone, and they certainly have economised on space. Cathay Pacific out, Qatar Airways back and a paucity of legroom for the taller flyer with both.

I write this still suffering from jet lag, a condition that I always questioned its very existence. I was away for over three weeks and never properly adjusted to Australian time, frequently waking around 4am, which makes for a very long day. And it’s no better now I am back home.

With places to visit, and always unhappy not to be driving even on holiday, I had organised something suitable for my stay. Suzuki’s Australian Press Office are just as accommodating as their UK counterparts, so a new Vitara was made available to me.

I covered 500kms or thereabouts and enjoyed my time behind the wheel. The 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine is still offered in Australia and with an automatic gearbox, it made for relaxed motoring. The Press Office was launching a new car during my stay – the Fronx. Based on the Baleno, it’s a small crossover built in India. It’s not coming to the UK I gather, and sadly despite a few hints, I didn’t get a launch invite!

Much of my down time in the UK is spent looking on Autotrader and the like for cars I might want to buy, and I know from past experience that cars down under are much cheaper than in the UK. Fancy a new Landcruiser in the UK? Expect to pay the best part of £80,000. Pop along to your nearest Aussie Toyota outlet, hand over $78,490 and drive away. The current exchange rate puts this at a modest £38,100, or less than half price.

Even allowing for the fact this is a lower spec model than we get here, it’s a great buy and a top spec variant is only $110,606. You get the idea.

A container to the UK costs around £7,000 and should take two cars, so maybe there’s a business model in the making. It would solve the problem with a replacement for my now 20-year-old Landcruiser, without breaking the bank.

More comparisons show half price Havals, modestly priced MGs, and the cheapest new car on sale is the Kia Picanto, from less than £11,000. Why buy secondhand?

What else can I report from my travels? The standard of motorway driving is even worse than in the UK, something I thought impossible. Lane discipline is completely non-existent, with drivers just picking a lane and remaining in it regardless of traffic conditions. And long road trains have scant regards to speed limits and are permitted in the outside lane of motorways. Rather disconcerting as they rush on by, only to slow to a crawl for the next incline.

Parking is usually free everywhere, but even in central Melbourne a day in a multi-story car park costs around £10, not much more than the fee to drop someone off at Manchester Airport!



I can also report a plague of potholes is not exclusive to the UK, with some fairly deep craters even on the motorways. I was pleased that the Vitara had a spare wheel and tyre just in case.

However, what I have missed are the scenic and challenging driving roads that I am lucky to enjoy right outside my back door. With so much space, driving in Australia is generally quite dull. Even the Great Ocean Road, with its wonderful views and occasionally challenging corners, is usually so full of tourist traffic as to make the driving more of a chore. Better enjoyed from the passenger seat.

In the meantime, perhaps I should crowdfund for my next business class ticket or with the promise of the new Fronx to test, I wonder if I can claim the cost of the ticket on expenses?