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Sydney 1-2NOV01 I arrived in Sydney yesterday afternoon late and caught the bus for Kingscross. This is the tenderloin of Sydney with plenty of colorful nightpeople crawling the streets. A couple of the choice backpackers were booked, so I took all three bunks in a 3 bunk room and slept peacefully. This morning I began my quest for the perfect touring motorcycle. I'm still hoping for a Goldwing, but they are rare and expensive here. It seems I'm more likely to find a ST1000 or a BMW. I remain dedicated to the task and hopeful of the outcome. 3NOV01 After much shopping and calling, I tracked down a gold Goldwing. It's a 1988, it has a cassette player and it cost too much. But, I love it. I bought it from Trevor and Margaret at Stoney Creek Motorcycles. They are throwing in some riding gear and will be completing the final servicing on Monday. Bexley North is a suburb of Sydney so I plan to leave from there heading south along coastal highway number 1 through Wollongong. I'm smiling broadly and humming "Born To Be Wild". I've booked a room at the world famous Bondi Beach. It's the same price as the Kings's Cross room but with a nicer view and much nicer surroundings. Today, on the way back from buying the cycle, I took advantage of the Day Tripper Fare ($12 US for a days ride on all the trains, buses, and ferries in Sydney). I rode the ferry from the Circular Quay to Manley Beach. You know the view of the Sydney Opera House with the Harbour Bridge in the background? It must have been taken from that ferry. I enjoyed a cup of long black (expresso with water added) and watched the seagulls float by. Travel euphoria has returned. I expect to spend a few days in Sydney seeing the sights and getting comfortable with my Goldwing which I shall name Midas. 4-5NOV01 Yesterday I picked up Katrin at the Sydney airport and today we visited Stoney Creek Motorcycles in North Bexley to get kitted out. We got jackets, helmets, gloves, and a "kangaroo whistler". The whistler makes a sound beyond the range of human hearing and is supposed to keep stray kangaroos from jumping into your track. I gave Midas a test drive and was very pleased with the handling of such a substantial motorcycle. Trevor is replacing the front tyre and checking the brake pads and tomorrow I'll spend a few hours getting comfortable with the handling before adding the weight of passenger and luggage. "Get your motor running, head out on the highway". On Wednesday, we're going north toward Byron Bay. More itinerary details as they develop. Life is sweet. 6-15NOV01 After a few hours of practice Katrin and I headed for a caravan park near Botany Bay. While I was checking in we were "acosted" by George and Murray, two of the nicest blokes you would ever want to meet. I turns out that George owned a Goldwing, too. So he brought over a six pack of VB to the caravan and we talked about motorcycling. He showed me some tricks for handling the big cycle and invited us to stay with him at his house in Wangi Wangi. The next morning we made our tense exit of Sydney. Miles and miles of freeway, a long tunnel under the harbour, and more miles of suburban roads with plenty of traffic. There was one very nice scenic stretch complete with the smell of eucalyptus. I was very relieved when we finally found a campsite at a caravan park. It rained on our tents during the night and I had visions of traveling in the rain, but by the time we hit the road the sun was shining. After only a few hours of traveling we arrived in Wangi Wangi. We cycled out the Wangi Point Nature Reserve to see the koalas and kangaroos described in Lonely Planet but the manager of the park said we were about eleven years too late. George said that Wangi Wangi was such a small town that almost everyone knew him and true to his word the park manager said, Yih, Georgie lives in the first brick house on the right down by the bowlin' club." George was the perfect host. He wined us and dined us and provided a great parking place for Midas. We hoped that if we left the two Goldwings together in the dark they might breed. And sure enough, a day or two later a 900 cc cycle turned up. I was very excited until I found out it was Murray's cycle. I was not happy with the communication system I got with Midas. It bypassed the original one and lost some great features. George was able to remember the name of a local man who made hook ups for the original and so we called him up and made arrangements to pick up the comm systems. After a few hours of tedious twiddling I was able to fit them to the helmets. Now we had music and intercoms integrated with the original system. On Saturday night, George cooked up a tasty Australian barbie: lambchops, chicken, fresh veggies from the garden. George went out for the night to celebrate the birthday of an old flame. We watched TV and got a good night's sleep. The next day we drove to Newcastle to see the American Auto Show. Acres of Mustangs, Corvettes, hot rods and American classic cars were on display. One of George's mates, Mark had a great '29 Ford (?) chopped and dropped, red hot rod. We took a ride around the grounds...fun! After a peaceful evening of making tape copies of cds for the trip we said our goodbyes to George. The next morning (Monday) we set out north. The weather was good and the road was nice. At Beauladelah, I decided to take the scenic route to Forster. We took a small bush safari when I didn't quite make a sharp turn. Nothing seriously damaged except my confidence. I've told Katrin that I can't continue to have a rider and all the extra challenge that presents. And after the visit to the ditch on Highway 6 between Beuladelah and Forster, she is looking for alternative ways of seeing Australia. I'm going to stay here for a few days and apply superglue and duct tape to Midas and sit in the hot spa tub for a few hours a day. When Midas and I are shiny and new again I plan to proceed north to Byron Bay. Katrin has purchased an ancient yellow Volvo named Tweety and she is leaving today to head north. I hope we cross paths in the future. 15-28NOV01 It has been a long time since I have been able to find a place to edit my website and many miles have passed under the wheels of Midas. I finally found a computer shop in Hervey Bay several hundred kilometers north of Forster. On the day I left Forster and travelled to Coff's Harbour. I stayed at the Hooey Mooey Backpacker Motel on the beach. This was a lively place with free boogie boards and loud music. Tweety and Katrin were parked next door to the room I was assigned. I stayed two nights and gave boogie boarding a try. The weather was a bit dodgy so it was with some trepidation that I mounted Midas and moved on. I backtracked Highway and took a side trip to Dorrigo Rainforest. This involved a trip up a winding mountain road in the rain...imagine, rain in a rainforest. There were several places along the road where the road narrowed to one lane and I had to wait at a traffic light to proceed. Along the way I stopped at a petrol station for a fill and to get out of the rain. I was talking to Maree, operator of Auntie Myrtle's Spice Factory. When I told her I was going to the Rainforest Centre, she asked me to deliver some brochures. She and her husband, Dave make essential oils from myrtle trees and the gas station had some of their product so I bought it. When I arrived at the Centre, it was so cloudy that the view from the skywalk was only 10 to 20 metres. It was interesting to see a rainforest from the top and the display did have sunny day pictures of the spectacular view. I noticed on the map in front of the building a "shortcut" to Grafton, my planned destination for the evening. I proceeded down the road in a light mist. The road became more winding and narrower. Then the road turned to gravel. I had to lower my speed to around 10 miles per hour. Then I saw a sign that struck fear into my novice motorcycle rider's mind---road construction. For several miles, the road was red clay---wet red clay. I slowed to 5 mph. Then, the capper. A truck coming the opposite way splashed me with a quart or two of liquid mud. Boy, was I having a great time! Well, I did see wild kangaroos, a lyre bird, and several lorikeets in a beautiful rainforest. Finally the mud road ended, then the gravel turned to asphalt, then the road gradually widened. But by now the shortcut had added three tense hours to my trip. Up ahead, I saw the lights of the Nymboida Coach Inn. I decided to see if I could get a room. I was shocked to find the rooms were $129 per night. The bartender volunteered to call ahead to another place to see if they had a more modest room. Then Ray, who was sitting at the pub bar said, I know a place where it's pretty basic, but it's priced right. I asked where and he said if I didn't mind sleeping on a mattress on the floor, I could stay at his place for free. In the morning he said we could check the Nymboida River below his house for platypus. I was thrilled. Not only could I stop riding for the day, but I could have a few beers at the pub. Turns out that Ray had owned one of the first Goldwings imported into Australia. We enjoyed a few drinks and then he cooked dinner at his place. Ray is a mystic and has a complex but simple philosophy which we discussed at length. He recommended a book called Lila by Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) which I will have to track down. The next morning I took Ray's picture by the river. I'm sure if you look closely one of the ripples is a platypus. I headed for Byron Bay with the sun shining and a full stomach. In Byron Bay I stayed at a backpacker called The Arts Factory. A very busy place, there were approximately 350 guests but I pitched my tent in a quiet section away from the main building. Tweety was in the parking lot and Katrin was in the campground section. The campground was very laid back and the air smelled like 1967and people practiced the didgeridoo. On Wednesday night there was an Aboriginal culture show. I altered my conscious with deep breathing and a pint of Bundaberg rum and enjoyed the show in at least four dimensions. After the show, I sat on Midas and listened to selected cassettes. I slept well. The next day I moved to another backpacker in Byron Bay. Next to this backpacker was a massage place with flotation tanks. After an hour of floating weightlessly in a dark chamber a massage was particularly relaxing. The next day I headed to the Gold Coast. After three sweltering hours in stop and go traffic I came to yet another road construction delay. There was a caravan park there so I turned in and stayed the night. The next morning I chatted with Lee and Terri of Plymouth, England. They were touring by car and tent. I headed for Brisbane. I stayed at Brisbane Backpacker's resort on Vulture Street. It was a challenge to find the place because sections of Vulture street are one way, but I prevailed. I booked into a dorm room and met Jason and John. Both were 19 (Brentley's age) and the dorm room was covered with a thin layer of dirty clothes, empty beer bottles, and newspapers. They offered me a beer and I soon felt right at home. Both were extreme cricket fans and after a few hours of watching I began to understand a little about it. They were both from Christchurch, New Zealand and the other team was Australia. The game was being played in Hobart, Tasmania. Despite a substantial Australian lead, the game was called a draw because of rain. It only took two days to achieve this result. I met two interesting people there, Chieka from Tokyo and Winston from Perth. Chieka was in Australia to learn English. We enjoyed two walks, one on Boundary Street and one from central Brisbane via the Botanical Garden across the foot bridge and through the University back to the hostel. Chieka was a graphic designer and I asked her to describe a typical day. It was very interesting. Winston came to Australia from the Phillipines many years ago and he had an interesting perspective on life and travel, similar in many ways to mine. Talking is great entertainment for a traveler. One of the main reasons for staying in Brisbane was to get my cruise control fixed. The cycle shop took a look at it but didn't have the part that was most likely the problem. At $339 for just the part, I'm not sure that I wouldn't rather buy a rubber ball and squeeze it until my grip improves. I booked a room in Hervery Bay and the next day headed north. I was able to determine the precise range on Midas...215 miles on one tank of gas. I did this by shrewdly waiting for the low gasoline warning light to come on. I was surprised when Midas began sputtering only 1 kilometer short of the place where I had planned to get petrol. The road had not shoulder so I slowed to a crawl before pulling off. After only a few minutes, Bob of Maryborough pulled over to see if I needed help. He helped me move Midas a few meters off the road and then gave me a ride to the petrol station. It was less than a kilometer but out of sight over two hills. I bought some gas and Bob gave me a lift back to Midas. It started right up. I arrived in Hervey Bay and after a brief search found the Palace Backpacker and checked into a dorm room. When I introduced myself to one of my roomies I was surprised when she introduced herself as Merle. She is from Holland and pronounces her name the same as mine. It is the name of a blackbird and her parent's chose it because the bird nested outside her nursery. Today I booked a three day visit to Fraser Island which will leave on Friday. Then I found an internet cafe with Frontpage loaded. It feels good to get all the details down in the journal before I forget them. 29NOV-3DEC01 I spent a few comfortable days at the Palace Backpacker...nice room with a veranda with a slice of ocean view. I washed clothes, ate pizza and watched movies. I was the only 3 day customer so I rebooked for the two day trip. We left early Saturday morning for the island. Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island. There were 10 passengers, Mick the guide and Dean the driver. In the group were Claire and Penny from London, Roland and Simone from Switzerland, Stacy and Colleen from Toronto, and Kayoko and Masako from Japan. Our 4wd bus made a spectacular entry onto the ferry getting on just as the ferry left the dock. When we arrived on the island, we took a shortcut to Lake McKenzie. The water is fresh and cool and the sandy beach is pure white. While I was napping under the tree, I was visited by a black and yellow monitor about two feet long. We headed to our beach cabin for lunch and then drove 100km up the beach to Indian Head (so called by Captain Cook who spotted aboriginals there). The group hiked to the top of the head and we peered into the surf and saw manta rays, large turtles and sharks. On the way back we stopped at Eli Creek. I walked up the creek and jumped in. The cool, fresh water floated me about 800 meters to the beach. Back on the air-conditioned bus for a restful trip listening to golden oldies as we cruised down the beach. Dinner was a classic Aussie barbie: steak, potatoes, salad with beer. After dinner Claire, Penny, Stacy and Colleen and I went to the karaoke bar for an exciting evening. We sang "Mustang Sally" and "Hotel California". Penny overcame her crowd phobia and did a duet with Claire. It was fun. Sunday morning we headed for Lake Wabi. Hiking into the lake over a shimmering, hot giant sand dune, we saw another clear fresh water lake. We spent a pleasant morning and hiked out for lunch. After lunch we dropped off Masako and Kayoko at a campsite. They planed to stay on Fraser Island for two weeks. Then we visited Central Station and took a walk along a beautiful clear sandy-bottomed creek that ran through the rain forest. We drove across the island and caught the ferry back to Hervey Bay. I dusted off Midas (I parked in the the Fraser Island Experience shed) and drove back to the Palace. Today I'm heading north to Kelly's Beach Resort in Bedara. After a few days I'll continue to Airlie Beach. Time is passing so quickly. I can't believe it is December already. Tropical days with "Jingle Bells" on the radio are hard to reconcile. I checked the weather in Oregon and I will dedicate myself to reconciling Christmas in the tropics. 3-7DEC01 It gets hotter and hotter as I travel north. I had two delightful days at Kelly's Beach Resort in Bedara. Because the hot water heater was broken, I shared an air-conditioned beach bungalow with only one couple the first night and the second night I had the place to myself. After a few months on the road, a little solitude feels good. I swam in the pool, bubbled in the spa and snorkelled on a nearby beach. The first night I went to the Mon Repos Sea Turtle Sanctuary. I joined 70 other people to watch a loggerhead turtle lay eggs on the beach. It was a very interesting experience. I headed north to Yeppoon Beach near Rockhampton. I spent a sweltering night in a backpacker with no air-conditioning and no fan. I did meet a few blokes in the bar and after a few pints I slept well anyhow. Yesterday I made a long run (approximately 350 miles) to Airlie Beach. I was becoming concerned about where I would fuel up Midas when I spotted a petrol station. As a bonus they served a great mexi-burger. I bought a half a bag of ice and drank gallons of water. The heat of the sun and the air flowing past my body on the motorcycle make it almost impossible to drink too much. I pulled into Airlie Beach late afternoon and got a room at the Koala Resort. I booked my dive cruise on the "Romance" and leave this afternoon for two nights and 3 days of cruising the Whitsundays and diving the Great Barrier Reef. I'm excited. MV Romance 8-11DEC01 Late in the afternoon everyone began to gather for the cruise. First we went to the dive school to get our equipment and I parked Midas for a few days. After a quick trip to the bottle shop and a pleasant dinner with John and Isabelle we headed for the dock. Here are the people who made this trip so much fun:
We loaded our gear aboard and right after sunset we were underway. We cruised on engine power for about three hours and anchored in a sheltered inlet. The air conditioner was broken so the Captain let anyone who wished sleep on the deck. It was very nice on the deck; cool with a spectacular view of the stars. The next morning we motored around the island and anchored off Whitehaven Beach. With fine, brilliant white sand and turquoise water, this is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. We bush walked to a lookout point and took it all in. Although our boat was first, it was not long before several other boats joined us and soon the beach was alive with people having fun. After a few hours we boarded and went to a sheltered diving location. Because the wind was from the north many of the usual dive locations were not suitable. I snorkelled on a fringing reef with an amazing variety of hard corals. We had lunch and took another dive in the afternoon. That evening we anchored off Hook Island Resort. Most of us went ashore and listened to the juke box or played beach volleyball. While we were there the tide went out so Ryan had to pull the launch half way to the boat. The next morning we headed for the Great Barrier Reef and with full sails we were making almost 11 knots. We arrived at the next dive site about three hours later. The coral and the sea life was even more impressive than the first dive site. There I saw staghorn coral in endless variety of color and shape. Reef fish were plentiful. "Skip" showed me an anemone with clown fish. That evening when we turned on the mast lights large fish gathered. Nell threw a few scraps over the side and the results were spectacular. Fish over a meter long swirled in the water trying for a bite. When I finished my barbecued ribs I pitched the bone in. What a show! After dinner we played "kiss the little pink pig". I won't spoil the game for you but I will advise you not the sit to the left of Manu. A game of ping pong (without table, paddles or balls) had us all rocking with laughter. The next morning we had a quick dive and then spent a five hour trip back to the harbor. We saluted the other ReefDive ship as we went by. Some of the crew had to go right out again, but the rest of us gathered at Magnums for a few beers and some fun. There were more games but most of us did not excel. Karl and Maria however must have set a new world record. It only took them 31 seconds to crawl into a large cloth tube, exchange tops, and emerge from the opposite end. A world class performance. As the evening went on the crowd dwindled as people caught buses. A few beers and a little beach volleyball and we adjourned to the air conditioned night club. The music was great when the DJs were working. But when the Funky Love Tank returned the volume was so high that my ears began to ring. After a few days with a group of people it is hard to say goodbye. I'm just happy that I collected a lot of pictures. Now I'm heading further north into the heat looking or more diving adventures. 12-24DEC01 Heading north from Airlie Beach the terrain began to change. The land became greener and a few mountains appeared to the west. When I arrived in Cairns I made sure that the hostel was air conditioned. The Esplanade in Cairns was a perfect example of a tourist currency vacuum. Souvenirs, phone cards, fast food, offers to book reef tours were everywhere. I finally settled on a dive boat called the MV Kangaroo Explorer II. I took the PADI advanced open water diver course. Three days, two nights and 11 dives later I added a new level to my certification. The dive boat made it easy to dive and except for one stormy period which caused the cancellation of the second night dive, things went well. Brad was my instructor and Jakob and Frederic were frequent buddies. David and Miranda were in the class and excelled at reading the dive wheel. We took a deep dive 30M and a multilevel dive and a night dive. After finishing the study questions, I was free to dive my heart out. The Great Barrier Reef is beautiful beyond description. I have seen coral as pretty, sea life as plentiful but never as consistently in every direction I looked. I saw sea turtles, sharks, rays, and reef fish of all sorts. The water was clear and the coral breathtaking. I stayed in Cairns the night after the dive and the next morning early I called Mike. Terry Barker, a business friend back in Corvallis, suggested that I contact his brother in law when I was in Cairns. I'm very glad that I did because I had a great day. I was having a cuppa and waiting for the internet cafe to open when I called Mike on my mobile. He said to hurry on up so I could catch the boat. The ride was great. Up a curving mountain road into the cool rainforest surrounding Kuranda. I met Mike and we headed over to the riverboat tour. The tour guide, Brian, talked with knowledge and passion about the rainforest. The boat was a great way to see things. Mike was showing Valerie, a local resident, and her visitors around so after the boat ride I was fortunate enough to be invited for "leftovers" at Valerie's beautiful tropical home. The curry and other goodies were some of the best food I've had in weeks. After a grateful thankyou, Mike and I departed for his house in the forest. I learned from Mike that he had been one of the early residents in Kuranda. Thirty years ago he came from California when Kuranda was at the end of a dirt road. A community of like minds was established and soon the 400 new age residents had political control. A decision was made to emphasize day tourism and it has been carried out with zeal. There are only a few places to stay overnight in Kuranda. I was fortunate because Brian, yes, the same person who guided the riverboat tour, had a spare bed at his place. We cooked up an impromptu dinner and sat on the veranda at Brian's place and enjoyed a wonderful far ranging conversation. Judy, who lived in the cabin between, Mike and Brian joined us. Brian's knowledge of Queensland fauna, flora, and history is encyclopaedic. He speaks in complete paragraphs. Philosophy was discussed and the world sorted out, and a route mapped. Despite a gracious invitation to stay awhile, I felt a sense of urgency about heading south. "The wet" is imminent and roads can stay closed for weeks. So I bid farewell to Kuranda and Mike and headed into the Outback. The next night I stayed at the National Hotel of Mt. Malloy. Rachel, the bar wench, had the evening off and so we had dinner and a few glasses of red wine on the veranda. Rachel was bar wenching after a period as a wrangler at a nearby resort island. I enjoy staying at the small pub hotels as they are mostly a family operation with counter meals and a schooner of beer close at hand. The next morning I departed early and had a cool and curvy drive as far as Windy Hill. On Windy Hill there were a few dozen air powered generators. These turbines turn slowly and make a very peaceful sight. I pulled off the road for a longer view. When I tried to reverse, Midas stalled and would not start again. I sat down and tried to figure out a solution. I checked the fuses and all the standard stuff to no avail. Then I noticed a farmhouse and barn, mostly down hill from my current position. I coasted down the the farmhouse and knocked on the door. Lynnette answered and when I asked If I could borrow a battery charger she said yes. While the battery was charging, we talked about cattle and farming. The location was beautiful, green and rolling hills with a superb view. After a few hours of conversation and a few litres of ice water, the motorcycle started right up. I found a room in Ravenshoe (ravens hoe not raven shoe) and waited patiently for the shops to open on Monday morning. The first shop sent me to the auto electric shop. Kevin sent me to a motorcycle shop saying, " I don't work on bike mate". The motor cycle shop was closed so I returned to Kevin and said the Goldwing was more like a two wheeled car than a bike, would he give it a go. He agreed and we found the battery and the alternator. He took off the alternator and discovered the brushes were shot. He found some brushes, replaced them and bingo, I was on the road again. Fortune was smiling on me. It only cost $48 and took a few hours. If I had gone anywhere else, it is not likely that I would have found someone knowledgeable enough to fix the alternator. I shudder to think what a replacement might have costed. The Outback I took off down the road toward Charter Towers. And what a road. Long stretches were one paved lane flanked by dirt shoulders. When two passing cars meet they each pull over and leave only one set of wheels on the pavement. However, when you meet a road train (as many as three trailers and up to 50 metres long) it is prudent to pull completely off the road. I only met three, but it kept me very alert. I stayed the night at The Bluewater Springs Roadhouse. I didn't find any bluewater or any springs but I enjoyed an evening with Pete and Michelle discussing crops around Kuranda. Motorcycling in the Outback is a fine experience. It may be hot, but the scenery is great. Sort of reminds me of West Texas. The occasional cow, emu or kangaroo breaks the monotony of the road. Passing road trains gives the adrenaline a boost. Midas has a great sound system. I can listen to cassette tapes or tune in local radio stations. Listening to the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) is an experience. Commercial free, the programming varies from world affairs to beekeeping. I bought a Best of the Doors tape and a show tunes tape. So, as I cruise down the road I sing "LA Woman" or "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" at the top of my lungs. What a rush. When I arrived at Mt. Isa, I searched out the local hostel. Before I could check in, Ian, who works as a mechanic in the local copper and lead mine, had invited me to his place for a beer. Seems he has a Goldwing. We had a nice chat and then I headed back to the hostel to check in and take a swim. A word about water. I can't get enough. I must be drinking 6 or 8 litres a day. Water, water, water. Beer is a good substitute and frozen beverages and popsicles are great. Today (Christmas Eve) is my 55th birthday. I'm happy to be doing what I want to be doing. This trip around Australia is something I've always wanted to do and sometimes I just stop for a moment and marvel at being here. I'll probably hang around Mt. Isa for Christmas Day and head west to Tennant Creek on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). The hostel is planning a barbie for the guests tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to ring up my family for holiday greetings. Season's Greetings to all!
25-28DEC01 Christmas Day in the Outback. Mt. Isa is pretty quiet. I found a take away and had a Texas burger (hold the beetroot) for lunch. I lolled away the afternoon in the pool. The Kim family, owners of the Traveler's Haven Hostel, invited all of the guests to join their family for Christmas Barbie. We had steaks, sausages, salads, and Christmas pudding with vanilla ice cream. Watching their young son and daughter run around the yard added a nice family feel to what could have been a homesick day. I figured out the best time to call home was very early in the morning of the 26th. That would make it early afternoon in the US. I was able to talk to my family in Oregon, my father in Texas, and my sister in Kansas City. Then I took off across the vast emptiness of the Outback. I stopped at a very small settlement called Barkly Homestead and pitched my tent (rooms were $75). I had a very pleasant view of a spectacular sundown while I downed a few XXXX Gold Lagers. Yesterday I covered almost 600k and arrived in Alice Springs a little after 6pm. The trip was not without incident. I misread my odometer and ran out of gas (again). After a half hour or so a Harley pulled over and the driver had a 10L can of gas. He didn't have very far to the next station so Benjamine agreed to sell me the petrol I needed. Benjamine is from Victoria, BC, Canada and has been working in Australian and saving his money for a motorcycle trip around Australia. So far, my luck continues. I think I'm going to hang around Alice Springs until the morning of January 1. I'll drive to Uluru and spend the night so I can watch sunrise on the rock. In the meantime, I'm going to try to find some glue to reattach all the plastic doodads that keep falling off Midas. 29DEC01-01JAN02 I had a few restful days in Alice Springs. I washed my clothes and I washed Midas. I took a side trip the West MacDonnells where I swam in the Ellery Creek Big Hole. I hiked up to the Standley Chasm and saw the Simpson Gorge. The ride was on a hot but cloudy day. The red bluffs are beautful. I spent the afternoon at "The Lord of the Rings". The moviemakers did a great job weaving New Zealand's" exotic scenery with the special effects to give the viewer a sense on another world and another time. I went to Red Centre Dreaming, a classy dinner on real linen with more than one course, and an Aboriginal Culture Show. Excellent didgeridoo playing I applied for a 3 month visa extension on line and received an electronic extension in only 3 days. Amazing. I met Barnabus, an Aboriginal man, while waiting for Burger King(know as Hungry Jacks) to open. He was interested in my Goldwing so I offered him a ride. We went to visit his mother (he has 4) and then we stopped at a supermarket. Then I drove him to his home. The taught me an aboriginal word, "Yadah". It's an exclamation that means, "yipee", or "allright". I think he enjoyed the ride. 02-07JAN02 As I approached Uluru (aka Ayer's Rock) I wondered if I would experience some special revelation, some spiritual awakening. Well, it is a very nice rock. It is very big and very red and very impressive. It was not until I got up close and drove Midas around the rock right at sundown that I was affected. My poetic license has expired so I'll just say that there was a strong "presence". So strong presence that I actually got up at dawn the next morning to take a look. Then I motored of to see the Olgas (a formation of rocks similar but more rounded and less famous). That afternoon I was going to see the sunset again but it rained. Yes, rain in the so called red centre of Australia (which is really very green right now). The next morning I got up before dawn again and drove down to the base of the rock where people who climb the rock start. There I met Myra, one of the guest I had chatted with at the hostel in Alice. We set off on the 9KM trip around the base. There are pools of water, caves, drawings. There were special areas for men, special areas for women and one place that must have been the singles bar. It was definitely worth getting up early. After the walk I returned to my tent packed up and headed south. I rode a long way to a roadhouse in Marla. There I talked with a young Japanese guy who was traveling on a Yamaha 250. He had been across Australia twice and planned to travel over 32,000 KM. He has worn out 3 chains. The seat was about 8 inches wide. I was impressed. After a peaceful night in Marla I headed for Coober Pedy (a corruption of aboriginal for white man in a hole). I'm sure they were referring to all the opal mines. There are white mounds of soil everywhere. I thought it would be fun to stay in an underground motel. When I found an underground campsite for only $12 including a tour of the opal mine in which the campsite was located, I couldn't resist. There is only one problem with camping in a mine. Every sound is magnified. The zipper on my tent sounded like thunder and I could hear the stomach rumbles of my next door neighbor. No telling what they heard. The next morning I toured the Old Mine and saw actual opals in the wall and opalized sea shells and other cool stuff. Then I headed south again stopping in Port Augusta for a luxurious night in the Budget Motel. My own TV with 2 channels, a shower and an air conditioner. What comfort. After breakfast I was getting ready to jump on Midas and ride on when a young Aboriginal boy came up and began to admire my motorcycle. I let him sit on Midas and listen to the music in my helmet. Pretty soon his whole family crowded around. I took their picture. I hope Glendon remembers the morning he met Midas. As I traveled toward Adelaide I began to see wheat fields. The gently rolling hills reminded me of parts of Oregon and Washington where wheat is grown under irrigation. The closer I got to Adelaide the harder it began to rain. When I tried to find the hostel I was confused. You see, the main street is King William but on each side of King William the street name changes. I suppose this presents no problem after 20 years or so, but I was confused. I did find the hostel in my guidebook but it was now a men's shelter. So, I kept looking and found a place on Carrington street. The defining feature of this hostel is the free apple pie with ice cream each night at 9:15 cooked by a world famous chef. Several months ago I received an email from someone named Jenny in Adelaide. She said that the local paper had done a feature on my web page. So, when I was 1000km from Adelaide I sent her an email. She responded with phone numbers so I called when I arrived. What a pleasant surprise. I spent a delightful evening with Jenny and her husband Rob at their home in the foothills of the Flinders Range. Salmon, prawns, oysters, red and white wine and Cooper's Beer and some great conversation rounded out the evening. I'm now considering Indonesia in a new light because of their personal experience when they lived there. Jenny told me the article was written by Samela Harris of The Advertiser (Adelaide's main morning paper). I called Samela and asked her if I could get a copy. She suggested that I motor on down to The Advertiser and she had my picture taken with Midas. She interviewed me over a cup of "long black" (Australian for expresso with a little water). I promised that I would link this site with the article: http://www.nanou.com.au/saline/NetSurfer/2001/ArchiveSeptember.html#week4. Tomorrow I'll try to get organized enough to head toward Tasmania. 07-11JAN02 I spent an extra day in Adelaide visited the Museum, printed up some flyers to recruit a rider to Perth and rode out to visit Glenleg Beach. The next day I planned a short day to Berri but the backpacker was full when I arrived so I pushed on to Mildura. There I decided to spoil myself and stayed at The Grand Hotel. This is the first hotel I've stayed in on this trip that had a marble reception desk and little bottles of shampoo and conditioner and an honor bar. Decadence can be fun. The next day I set off down the Murray River Valley Highway. The river appears and disappears but the countryside is mostly reddish brown scrub. As I approached Albury, a few hills appeared. The hills were shrouded by smoke. It may have blown in from the wild fires that were raging out of control in New South Wales. I found a backpacker in Albury with a friendly group of guests so I stayed a few days. Dave, the manager, let me load up my software so I was able to update my web with photos. I've booked a birth for me and Midas on the January 18th sailing of The Sprit of Tasmania. That gives me just a week to meander through Canberra and arrive in Melbourne. 12-14JAN02 Well, it turns out that Albury Backpackers is the black hole of Australia. On Friday night a large group decided to go pub crawling. It turns out that there is an Irish Bar (this allowed several of the group to buy a few pints of mudder's milk). Then we visited one of several party venues all playing loud techno music. Even I can dance to that kind of music, I danced with a few of the lovely English lasses. Dave had to remind us to be quiet at 4 AM so I presume a good time was had by all. After a quick McHangover cure, everyone spent the day loitering on the porch. That evening was spent playing party games. The next day a large group signed up for the canoe adventure. Dave drove us several miles up river and we launched our canoes on a 17KM float down the Murray River. It only took three hours because the current was swift and the water was cool. We managed to get everyone wet and turn over most of the canoes at least once. Finding an entertaining group of people at a good backpacker is a special kind of fun. Dave runs a comfortable place with a laid back atmosphere. It's always a little sad when the compatible group begins to drift away. I shall especially miss the three beautiful Englishwomen from Norfolk. Kate, Katie and Gemma are bombing around Australia in a car with smiles for everyone. Lou is spending a few relaxing days before joining the Australian Army. Dave and Kate from the Isle of Wight are having an extended honeymoon. John is whiling away a few days before going to work for Lehman Brothers for a career in high finance. Laurie, from Scotland, is hanging around letting her sprained ankle heal (Note: the ankle did not keep her from dancing and canoeing). Isabell (Germany) and Andrea (Switzerland) are part of Dave's highly trained staff. They keep the canoes and Dave organized and the premises clean and the empty beer cans picked up. Dave, the third, from England is travelling and working his way through Australia. A word here about the Irish lads, John and Gavin. They are travelling in a white Ford van of ancient vintage and they have a natural sense of fun. They are cutting a wide swath through the female travelers of Australia. I've managed to fritter away the time I had planned for Canberra, so I will not proceed on a somewhat direct route to Melbourne to catch the ferry to Tasmania. 14-18JAN02 When Australian's call something "Great" I've learned to believe them. The Great Barrier Reef was and so was the Great Alpine Road. Dave of Albury backpackers sketched out a scenic route to Melbourne that took me over the top of the Snowy Mountains. The road was a great motorcycle road with swooping curves, tight curves, big views, and good stops. I took my time and as dusk approached I found myself a room in Bruthen, the "Blues Capital of Victoria". Since no one was playing that night I had the Bruthen Hotel practically to myself. "Dargo" was playing pool and telling tales of the outback so I had an entertaining evening. The next day I took a quick look at The Lake Entrances and then motored into Melbourne. This is one challenging city. Navigation during rush hour with a motorcycle on streets with tram rails is a sobering experience. With a few pointers I ended up at the Exford Hotel in the heart of Melbourne. I stashed Midas across the street under the watchful eyes of Kevin at a parking garage. Bright and early the next morning I began juggling my travel plans to spend more time in Australia. A $75 (usd) fee from Thai Airlines rescheduled my arrival in Bangkok to April 24. A $150(usd) fee added the leg from Sydney to Darwin to Bali on March 24. All of this took a lot less time than I had anticipated so I spent two days wandering around downtown Melbourne people watching. There was a big crown in town for the Australian Open Tennis Competition. Anna says "hi". On the 28th I reported early to The Spirit of Tasmania then hung out with the motorcycle people until they loaded us last. I had a good chat with A.J of Strahan. He had just picked up his new Harley and was itching to get on the road home. I met Colin and Andrew who were on their way to Tasmania for a ride. By the time I was thru hearing about all the great roads in Tasmania, I could hardly wait. Little did I know what lay ahead (foreshadowing). I ran into Peter. We had first met at the hostel in Alice Springs when he was having his motorcycle repaired. We each travelled our separate roads to met again on the ferry. We ate the free dinner buffet and had a few VBs in the video lounge before I headed to the posh hostel room. Posh because it had space and curtains on each bunk and ensuite showers and toilet. After a free breakfast the next morning I unloaded Midas and began my fateful journey to Launceston. The Launceston Incident 19-23JAN02 After a brief tour of Devonsport, I took the back roads through Exeter to Launceston. My plan was to check into the hostel and then do a loop out to the east coast. As I made the turn from Millis Street into Cimiteri the sharp corner caused me to veer wide. Then the steep camber of the road tilted Midas far to the left causing me to lose control and plough into a shiny red parked Hyundai. The crash bars on the lower part of Midas protected my legs but the rear view mirror and my shoulder took most of the impact from the slow motion crash. Within moments onlookers had pried me and Midas away from the Hyundai. This is when the incident moves from accident to an amazing example of the kindness of strangers. Jasmin, who works in Hobart but has family in Launceston said not to worry, she would see me through. I exchanged particulars with the unfortunate driver of the Hyundai. A couple from Tasmania gave me and Jasmin a lift first to a hostel where Midas would be stored and then onto the Launceston Hospital. The wife drove the car while her husband drove Midas. These kind people came and went so swiftly, I did not learn their names. Jasmin stayed with me a the hospital helping me to fill out the forms, chatting with me to keep my mind off the pain and even bringing me a snack after the x-ray. It took only about 90 minutes from the time we arrived until I was diagnosed, slinged, drugged and discharged. Then I met Michelle, Jasmin's Mum. They drove me back to my hostel room and helped me move my luggage from the slightly bedraggled Midas upstairs to my room. The x-ray showed my left clavicle broken in two places. The pain is minimal and no cast is needed. In two or three weeks minimal function will return and in four to six weeks complete healing will occur. I've only had to take a few pain pills and am mainly annoyed that my motorcycle trip through Tasmania, along the Great Ocean Road, and across the Nullarbor will be foreshortened. After a nap, I was invited to tea. Tea here means a good meal. We had stir fry. We even had tea. By the end of the evening I had promised to consider moving from the hostel room to the small guest cottage behind their house for the week until I was schedule to meet Ruthe and Gaynel in Hobart. The generosity and kindness of strangers is both wonderful and overwhelming. It makes me feel good to know that such nice people exist; but, at the same time, I know there is no adequate way to balance the books. I've done a few good things for strangers in my past but that still seems inadequate. So, I'm doing my best to water the plants and feed the cat while they vacation. On the morning of the 27th, I'll catch the Redline Bus to Hobart. Jasmin will meet me and help me find Ruthe and Gaynel's Liner. I don't have any firm plans yet after Hobart. 24-26JAN02 I have decided that my accident was like a shipwreck. I've washed up on an island full of friendly natives. Like Captain Cook, I'll have to repair my ship before I carry on my voyage of discovery. Unlike the Captain, I plan to avoid the Sandwich Islands for a while. I've spent the last few days on maintenance. T and T Plastics is evaluating Midas for restoration. I joined Theogenes, a local spa, and every day I float in the hydro massage pool. I've had a massage, washed my clothes, replaced a shirt that disintegrated, and had my boots resoled. In a few weeks I'll begin a light exercise program and in three weeks I hope to be able to manage Midas well enough to leave the island. I'll just avoid corners. If my strength is sufficient, I'd still like to see a few sights in Tasmania and ride the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide. Only time can determine my plans. Tomorrow I'm going to Hobart eager to see my Sis and Ruthe. 26-29JAN02 Jasmin and Scott met me at the bus, settled me at her flat, and got me to the pier to meet the Crown Odyssey. I spent a pleasant evening with my sister over a bottle of wine on the pier. We caught up on a the family gossip and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. After seeing Gaynel aboard the ship I caught a taxi back to the flat. The next morning I tried the local bus system in Hobart and it worked just fine. Ruthe, Gaynel and I went to a wildlife refuge by taxi and petted the cute little Tasmanian Devils. We had lunch in the snack bar...I had a local delicacy, the meat pie. On the way back to the taxi I made a careful count of the animals and concluded the pie may have been made of beef or mutton. We saw Ruthe safely back on the ship then sought out the internet cafe. We looked at my website and sent a few emails. We enjoyed a quiet afternoon at a sidewalk cafe on Salamanca Avenue. We strolled by the the ship to catch sailing time. I hung around the dock for an hour to watch the actual sailing. I felt a little twinge of loneliness as the pipers played Auld Lang Syne and the ship departed. I caught a taxi back to the flat and took a picture of the ship just as it sailed round the point. That evening I took Jasmin and Scott to dinner and we had a Turkish food fest. I was truly impressed by how much food a small person like Jasmin could put away. We took a night driving tour of "The Battery" on the way back to the flat. I had an Australian language lesson. I learned about a sub-culture know as bogans. They wear flannies, tight black jeans and haave mullet hair cuts. The female of the species is known as a shazza and has long dark roots with peroxide blond hair. We planned an expedition to the mall to see bogans and shazzas the following day. Sure enough, there they were and we had the additional bonus of being in the Cat and Fiddle Arcade to watch the striking of the hour. It did the whole "hey diddle, diddle" thing. It was sad to give Jasmin a goodbye hug. Not often that you meet such a fine, generous person. Now I'm back in Launceston seriously at work on the "Goldwing Situation". Got an initial estimate and now I need to see what an "as is" sale might bring before I can make good short term plans. Meantime I'm living in a one room cottage behind Jasmin's Mum's house. Jasper, her brother is giving me Playstation lessons. My arm mobility increases daily, pain is minimal and I expect to be back at 100% in just a few weeks. 30JAN-5FEB02 I've had a quiet week in Launceston. Michelle took me to visit the family of Tu, one of Jasper's school chums. His father Misa, is from Taveuni in Fiji and we had an enjoyable afternoon talking. He knew Bill Madden and his family owns one of my favorite places, the lava waterslide. Misa's wife, Libby, was an experienced traveler with heaps of good road stories. I took pictures of the whole family including Tu and Mila on the veranda overlooking the Tamar Estruary at Beauty Point. Michelle also took me to visit her friend Charlotte, who has a home in the country with a spectacular view. I played fetch the stick with their Labrador retriever and one the return drive visited a few scenic waterfalls. I also drove by a few haunted houses. Later this week, I'm going to try a test ride on the motorcycle to see if I'm up to taking it onto the ferry without help. My collarbone seems healed but the arm is not strong yet. My only real worries revolve around too much food and too little exercise. I've found a buyer for Midas and if everything goes as planned, I'll still have about six weeks to see a bit more of Australia. 5-12FEB02 Last Saturday, after three more days of recuperation, I took off on a test run to see how my shoulder holds up while travelling. Amazingly enough after several hours in the saddle, my butt hurt more than my shoulder. I'm able to control Midas well so, I think I'll attempt the Great Ocean Road. This drive from Melbourne to Adelaide has the reputation of being a great motorcycle ride. I rode down the east side of Great Lake and stayed in Hamilton at the pub. They had an open fire and it was cool enough that I was glad. I had a great evening meal and watched the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. I rose early and rode some beautiful mountain roads through Taralea and Queenstown. Queenstown looked like a dirty layercake. Years of copper mining had changed the landscape to an otherworldly appearance. I drove down to the coast and visited Strahan. They catch tourists and crayfish for a living. Up the coast and inland, I stayed the night at the pub in Roseberry. I met Peter and Mary, motorcyclists from Northeastern Victoria on a tour of Tassie. They were about my age and we had much in common to chat about. I may visit them if one of my plans for Midas disposal works out. I returned to Launceston by way of "The Nut". This is a near circular volcanic outcrop on the North coast. The view is spectacular and the ride through Hellyer Gorge was thrilling. The trip was more than 500 miles and helped me feel like I saw a bit of Tasmania. What a beautiful place. Michelle and Jasmin cooked up a dinner of nachos and we all had our fill. This morning I visited Theogenes (the health club) and bubbled away my aches and pains in the hydro massage tub. I bid a sad farewell to Michelle, Jasper, and Jasmin. It would be wonderful to see them again some day. Now, after a quick update of my website, I'll be off to the ferry for the return to the mainland and more adventures. 12-19FEB02 Getting off The Sprit of Tasmania, I ran into the group of long distance motorcycle riders I met on the way over. Martin and Barbara (from Switzerland) have ridden their BMW with sidecar all over Asia, New Zealand and Australia. The bike has the hard earned patina of a well traveled, well maintained machine. They were riding with three people from Germany who had traveled by land from Europe to Asia. Just when I think I've ridden a few miles, I meet people whose adventures are so awesome that I am humbled. They are also very well prepared. I forgot to turn off my headlight and so while I was yakking away, the battery drained. When I was ready to leave, the bike wouldn't start. Martin foraged through his supplies and came up with a jumper cable. I was off in a flash. They are planning to return to Europe by road along the route of the TransSiberian Railroad. I wish them good traveling and I'm looking forward to a few email updates. In Fern Tree Gully, I firmed up an offer for Midas so I'm able to find enough time for almost all of my planned itinerary, including the 2700 km trip across the Nullarbor to Perth. I stayed in a pleasant Backpacker near Torquay called the Pointbreak. A great surfer's haven. The next morning I began my ride down the Great Ocean Road. The views were spectacular (reminds me of California Highway 1 near San Francisco). The road was winding and heaps of fun to ride. I stayed the night in a pub hotel in Warrnambool and rode on the next morning to Mt. Gambier. I motored around Blue Lake, a volcanic crater lake almost in the city centre. Friday night I spent in Kingston SE. I walked from the Royal Mail Hotel to the end of the pier, chatted with the fishermen and returned to marvel at karaoke night. The pub was lively and the atmosphere was rural. Country music predominated. The next night I was the house guest of Samela Harris, renowned Adelaide journalist. She has a beautiful beachfront home with a fabulous view and one of the most comfortable easy chairs I've had the pleasure to sit in for a looong time. Her friend Kaye was visiting and the three of us enjoyed such gourmet treats as a bratwurst with the works, fresh hot donuts, and some really tasty curry/pizza takeout. With never a dull moment, we visited Mitre 10 to find some Midas repair stuff and some cool artificial flowers. I mentioned that I had only seen three kangaroos in the wild, so Samela drove us down a selected country road at sunset and, sure enough, there were large herds--er mobs-- of them roaming the fields. One so huge he must have been the granddaddy of all kangaroos. Later in the evening we saw penguins. After discussing the merits of Vegemite, a brown, yeast based, spread very popular with Australians, Kaye told the dreamtime story of the creation of vegemite. Her drama class created the details and I only wish my memory were adequate to the retelling. While discussing Australian words, I mentioned the word ocker. Samela smiled and said that word was coined by her father--a well-known journalist. Cool. It was a great break from pub hotels and backpackers and the conversation with Samela and Kaye was one of life's pleasures. On Sunday night, I stayed in the Port Elliott Hotel and early the next morning headed for Adelaide. I stopped at the Carrington Street Backpacker and spent the day renewing friendships with the staff. Jenny met me there and I followed her to her place in the Eastern Hills of Adelaide. After a tasty Italian meal we sipped red wine and chatted until late. Today I spent the day getting organized, clean, researching travel plans, and communicating with family. Tonight were going to see Rabbit Proof Fence, a movie highly recommended by Samela. Adelaide seems to be my lucky city for meeting nice people. 20-26FEB02 This evening was spent helping Jenny baby-sit Eliza, her beautiful granddaughter. Eliza was feeling a bit crook (Australian for having a cold and a sore throat) but still managed to smile most of the time. Early the next morning I summoned the courage to leave the creature comforts and head west. I spent the night in Whyalla (SA's second largest city) on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula. the next day I rode the beautiful coastline to Port Lincoln and up to Streaky Bay. I could only get a room for one night because of Encounter 2002, the 200th anniversary of the meeting of Flinders (English) and Beaudin (French) at encounter bay. Tall ships, a free sausage sizzle, and fireworks were offered. I had to leave before the fireworks to avoid night driving. Discovering that I had left my radio in Whyalla, I called and they were kind enough to ship it to Ceduna. I stayed there and picked up my radio and hit the long road across the Nullarbor. Along the way I crossed a portion of the treeless plain and took several brief jaunts from the highway down gravel roads to the coast. There were spectacular views of the 100 foot cliffs that stretch for 200 km along the Great Bight of Australia. I stopped for the night at a small coastal town just across the border in Western Australia called Eucla. I went to the bar for a beer and met up with a great crownd of Aussies. Ross was travelling from Queensland with Bluey to perform Bluey's son's marriage. Les and Mal were living temporarily in Eucla while constructing another high speed optical cable across the Nullarbor. It was ironic that pictures of the telegraph crew were on the wall of the air conditioned bar. Maybe in 100 years they will thing we had it tough. Both Bluey and Ross had packed their computing iron so after drinking the bar dry and in a slightly inebriated state we headed to their camp to transfer the digital photos from my camera to a CD. I was amazed to be so distant from civilization doing such a high tech task. It was even more amazing that we succeeded given our mental states. We listened to and sang along with a variety of Australian country music artists on CD and sat around the campfire and killed a liter of Bundaberg Rum. Quite a night. The next morning I chatted with three other motorcyclists. Simon and Daniel from Kent were travelling on Harleys and Roger from Wiltshire was on a BMW. They were travelling east so I had fair warning of the plague of locusts I would ride through that day. After dodging locusts I rode into the smoke of a bush fire. The sun was an eerie copper colored disk and the smoke was thick enough to make my eyes water. I though of Heather as I breathed in the wood smoke. I crossed the longest section of straight road in Australia (90 miles) and finally arrived in Norseman right at dusk. A long 700 km ride for one day. I met a couple who were taking a break from their studies in Sydney. They were exchange students from The University (University of Texas At Austin and my alma mater). It was pleasant to hear the accent of home and to mutually crave enchiladas and Texas style barbecue. This morning I rode to Kalgoorlie a still untamed mining town but modern enough to have an internet cafe where I could update my site. 26FEB-3MAR02 I rode back through
Norseman to Esperance, a coastal town with 03-13MAR03 The ride to Geraldton was easy and Batavia Backpackers was a both nice and cheap. A single was only $20/night. I drank a little red wine and chatted with Katrina, a woman from British Columbia born in Switzerland. She was in Australia to visit her daughter and has travelled extensively. The next morning I headed up the road to Coral Bay but changed my mind because of what Katrina had told me about Monkey Mia (myah). I turned off the highway and stopped at the stromatalite viewing platform. Living fossils 3.5 billion years old that are half rock half algae grow only here and one other place in the world. The stromatalites cheered me up; compared to them I am young and active. Monkey Mia is famous for dolphin encounters. About 30 years ago dolphins started coming up the the beach. Now there is a resort and the dolphins have their own special area. They will come right up to your feet within inches. Pretty cool. I met a great group of fellow travellers. Maree and Pieter from Sweden and Rody and Tina from Edinburgh. We drank a bit of red and enjoyed two evenings worth of interesting conversation. Pieter has a Goldwing at home and cheered as a pulled in. Rody makes his living as a commercial diver in the North Sea. I know more about Edinburgh and Sweden now. As a special bonus, there was a hot pool at the resort. Ahh! Still determined to do a little diving, I left for Coral Bay. I had one of those special moments. While riding north I kept pace with a thunderstorm. It cooled the air and the rain felt good. The terrain was desert and local people told me it had been from 3 months to two years since some of the places got any rain. The smell of the eucalyptus scrub brush was wonderful and the rainbow was amazing. The world is a beautiful place. That night I stayed in a hostel with a great pub and crummy, shabby rooms. The next day I moved to the brand new Ningaloo Reef Club. A spotless air conditioned twin share only cost me $30 per night. It was so nice I spent two more nights. The diving was pretty good. It was too windy to dive outside the reef but the reef itself was nice. Good coral and a nice variety of sea life. However, my left ear takes so long to clear, I may just snorkel unless something fabulous awaits me at 15 meters. I met a great group of people. I ran into Mark who I had met diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Had dinner with Ursina (a hard core diver) and Rebecca. Chatted with Heidi and Dorlis, two sisters from Germany who were the same ages as my children. And had a series of conversations with Maggy, a German who is taking a break from practicing law. She is writing a murder mystery set in a backpacker in the Australian Outback. The plot and characters sound good. Too bad I can't read German. Maybe it will be such a hit that it gets translated to English. On the way back to Perth, I stayed in the Batavia Backpacker again. Just as I arrived Setsuko pulled up on a 250cc motorcycle. She was finishing day 3 of a three month tour around Australia. What courage! What stamina! I can hardly imagine the beating a rider takes without a windshield. Setsuko likes to climb mountains and has scaled Kilimanjaro, K2, and Annapurna. Her goal is to climb the highest mountain on each continent. I reckon she will conquer Australia on a small motorcycle with no problem. I gave her a ride on Midas and showed her my special technique for running out of petrol. I was a bit surprised. I generally get nearly 190 miles to a tankfull, but this time it ran out at 150. A helpful Australian couple drove Setsuko to the petrol station and she returned in a few minutes with a 5L gas can. The couple disappeared before I could take their picture for my good Samaritan hall of fame. I hope I can meet up with Setsuko when I arrive in Japan. The return to Perth was uneventful and after two or three attempts I found a backpacker in Freemantle. Friday I take the train. 14-23MAR03 I spent a restful few days in Freemantle. I drove downtown to buy the a copy of the Red Mars series I've been reading. Jasmin gave me the first book. Now I've read Green Mars and Blue Mars and still have The Martians to read. The story line is a little heavy on the geology of Mars, but it's the kind of Sci-fi I like to read. The train journey was long and dull...one whole day of nothing but scrub brush from dawn to dusk. The trip took 44 hours with one two hour stop in Kalgoorlie and 30 minutes in Cook. I took an economy seat which was apparently designed by a sadist. There was no place to put your feet. Sleep was challenging. The finest cuisine available was microwave nachos. When we arrived at 6 am in Adelaide, I had to manoeuvre Midas through four vehicle transport cars following a narrow metal track and dodging a low ceiling. The Indian Pacific is known as one of the great railway journeys. Note to self: Take Gold Kangaroo Service next time. I took a room at my favorite Adelide backpacker and slept most of the day. I took off the next morning headed for Melbourne. I spent the night in a pub hotel and then headed for the coast by way of The Grampians. This small range of mountains provided some great views and some good motorcycling. The next night I stayed in Port Fairy, the beginning of the Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road was more fun this time. Maybe because I was a more experienced rider. Maybe because I knew my motorcycle journey was nearly at an end. Even with a bit of rain, the ride was great. I must have passed two or three hundred motorcycles coming in the opposite direction. The Ulysses Club, motorcyclists over 50, were having a big meeting in Mt. Gambier. My waving hand grew tired. I stayed at the Point Break Backpacker again. This time I met a Californian who was revisiting Australia. Three years ago he took a little time off his work to visit Australia on a motorcycle. Since then he has had three strokes and has taken medical retirement. He is only 57 years old but is having a very difficult time getting around. It takes a lot of courage to travel when disabled. I'm glad that I'm healthy. Saying goodbye to Midas was a sad moment. I sold him to Jeffrey's Honda in Fern Tree Gully for $7,000. I paid $17,000 and got a repair estimate for $3,000. So, I figure I paid $7,000 for four months of amazing fun. What a bargain! Rod Jeffrey said that he would personally restore Midas to his former glory and when the job was done, he would email me a digital photo. Now I'm in Melbourne winnowing down my pile of stuff. I've sent a few keepsakes back to Oregon, I've returned the cassette tapes George Snedden loaned me, and I've sent the Red Mars Series to Jasmin. I rigged some connectors so I can carry my day pack on the front straps of my backpack (like a kangaroo). Getting to Bali is a challenge. During my first visit to Melbourne, I rearranged my ticket to depart from Sydney instead of Darwin. I did this before I decided to sell Midas in Melbourne. When I tried to change my flight from Sydney to Melbourne, I could not get a confirmed seat until April 1. So, I'm going to take the night train on Sunday to Sydney. It arrives a 0625 and my flight leaves from Sydney at 1000. With a 11 hour train ride and a 6 hour flight, I'll be ready for a good night's sleep when I get to Bali. Phone calls in Indonesia are much more expensive that here so I plan to call up my family and chat for a while. Today, there is a huge festival in downtown Melbourne commemorating Greek Independence. I wonder if I can find a baklava. Australians don't say "You're Welcome" when you say thanks. They say,
"No worries, Mate. Not a problem."
I love Australia's negative optimism. Disaster is dismissed by "She'll be right" or "it's no drama, mate." A traveller knows they are welcome by the smile on everyone's face. Australia has been a wonderful place to travel--- friendly people, good roads, entertaining things to do. Riding a motorcycle made it even more fun. People would approach me to chat about the bike. It was a good conversation starter. If I were younger, I might consider immigrating. This country has a great future. |
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