all good advice, but as a newbie with no or little experience detecting, i feel maybe if i could go out with someone on a weekend and watch and learn that way i could fathom what it would take to invest in a good detector. I have camped in the bush before and have many skills, it's only i don't have any camping gear or 4x4 or van, you might say fresh as, but a quick learner. I have looked at some of the tours, big money outlay, and you still have to have your own gear,food,water and sleeping arrangements. If i was to go on a tour it would have to be all included food,water,sleeping and hire and lessons of a detector, i don't know if i have the full on passion but i am intrigued enough to be honest to the point as to inquire, i can be persistant aswell otherwise maybe go with someone that can show and maybe teach and share the costs of the trip or pay someone one on one for training with their detector on a gold trip, that way they makes some money aswell as share of costs what's your thoughts on this