📅 17th to 19th December 2025 📍Border Village, Australia

Christmas on the Long Road West

The day in Canberra began with a practical stop for the ID. Buzz: a tyre check at JAX Tyres, Giti Tire’s distribution partner in Australia, to prepare properly for the long crossing of the Nullarbor Plain. Before tackling this legendary stretch, we decided to replace the two front tyres for the first time – a small investment in safety ahead of thousands of almost ruler-straight kilometres. Around midday, there was just enough time for a brief visit to Beate Grzeski, the German Ambassador to Australia, who had graciously received us once before on a previous trip.

Out on the road, one detail kept bringing a smile to the face: Santa Claus figures popping up again and again along the way. Australians are clearly big fans of Christmas, and during this time of year both Santas and the mighty road trains become constant companions when driving west. The Australian summer put on its finest show, with endlessly drawn-out sunrises and sunsets casting long shadows over roads that seem to go on forever, broken only by charging stops on the way to Perth.

In Port Augusta, a road sign captured the sheer scale of the continent in a single glance: one arrow pointing north to Darwin, the other west to Perth. The distances are so vast that, in European terms, it would be like standing in Frankfurt and seeing one sign aimed at Moscow and another at Lisbon. On a nearby wall, a beautiful mural featuring a classic VW T2 bus illustrated just how strong the bond is between Australians and the Volkswagen brand – an image of shared journeys, wide horizons and the freedom of the open road.

Next stop: Perth!