Imagine you want to drive back home after a Christmas visit.

There are two roads: one leads over 1000 kilometers, which is also how you came here.

The alternative is almost five times as long, it leads through the middle of the Australian outback on partly unpaved roads.

Of course you want to take the first road, sure.

But it's closed after a flood.

What do you do?

Chris English's wife approached the misery pragmatically.

She got on the plane to get back to work on time after her vacation.

Her husband didn't come with him: He drives the 4770 kilometers from Broome to Kununurra in northern Australia, for which Google Maps predicts a driving time of 64 hours.

"He's the only one crazy enough for this trip," his son Craig told The Guardian.

The 64-year-old, who is a nature boy anyway, just wants to bring his car home.

Craig shares his father's curious journey with the world on Twitter.

Although his account has few followers, more than 900,000 people have already seen his initial post, which included a screenshot of the itinerary.

Every day he shares the photos and videos that his father sends him when he has reception on the road.

He sleeps on the roof of the Nissan

So the trip started on Monday.

Armed with a camping stove, folding chair and sleeping bag, and his wife's permission, English got behind the wheel of his Nissan Patrol – a suitable vehicle for the route, after all.

He seems to be on the move quickly: by Tuesday he had already covered 1700 kilometers, as a photo of his meter shows.

Craig writes shortly after, "He made it to Laverton, but he doesn't stop because it's still some daylight, not at all because he's insane."

Craig English reports that his father sleeps on the roof of his Nissan at night – surrounded by wild animals.

Photos show camels on red sand.

But he also observes storms.

So far everything has gone well, but the family doesn't seem to expect anything else.

"My mum is fine, not worried," writes Craig.

The whole family is happy about the participation in the trip.

He added to the Guardian: "If he goes missing, the whole country will be looking for him."

Chris English has already used the attention to refer to the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

The organization ensures medical care for people in sparsely populated areas of Australia.

He is happy if everyone who reads donates even one dollar.

Faster than expected

The family actually assumed that Chris English would arrive in Kununurra by Monday at the latest.

According to Craig, on Thursday he had already made it past Alice Springs to near Pamayu and covered more than 3600 kilometers.

He's sleeping in a hotel now.

"I wouldn't be surprised if at the pace he was in Kununurra tomorrow," writes Craig.

The Australian estimates fuel costs for the trip will be around $1,000.

Craig's parents actually wanted to save on travel expenses during their Christmas visit: Because the ticket was cheaper, they flew from Broome to Perth in south-western Australia instead of Kununurra - and traveled the 1000 kilometers to the nearest airport by car.

On the way back, the natural disaster intervened.

Earlier in the year, the Fitzroy River, which runs between Broome and Kununurra, reached an all-time high.

The cause was probably the offshoots of Cyclone Ellie, which brought extreme rainfall to the country.

Some towns were completely flooded, and numerous residents had to be evacuated.