... and today I did my laundry. Obviously when on the road for so long and travelling light, this is important. All my clothes have been used at least twice (nice!) So I bunged everything apart from my kevlar biker jeans (remember, they're Hornee!) some unused running shorts, and the only t-shirt I had left without crusty armpits (nice again!) into the wash. Commando day. Hung it all out to dry, then realised the flaw in my plan too late when it started to rain - again. But I guessed there was always the tumble dry option, so I left it all sopping on the line and went out, wearing everything that wasn't wet.
First, I rode all around Uluru on my motorbike. It's about 14 kilometers on a looping road... and it is so majestic, from every angle. Again, I think the weather had put off the tourists, and I had the road virtually to myself the entire time. Then I moved on about 60 kilometers through the national park, to the other massive stone landmark here. Kata Tjatu is less well known, but no less impressive. Unlike Uluru, it looks from a distance like a mountain range. Lots of rounded dome-topped mountains. When you get closer, you see it is still basically one huge rock, but this one has been carved by the elements over the millenia. And unlike Uluru, here you can climb along quite a testing route into the heart of the range. It's SO worth the effort.
A seven kilometre, quite strenuous walk over rough terrain takes you into a verdant hidden valley, like something from a dinosaur B-movie. Again, amazingly lucky, I had the massive place virtually to myself. I probably saw a dozen people in all on my three hour walk through there. It was so tranquil, with the only sounds weird bird song, and insects chirruping. The sheer rock walls towered either side of me at times, making it quite eerie and enclosed, even though the scale was vast. That walk was known as the Valley of the Winds to the Aboriginal tribe here, because the breeze moans and whistles through the rocks.
There's a pretty amazing gorge here too, and by the time I arrived there, the tourists had come out to play. Bus after bus load of Germans and Japanese. All with a timetable and rushing around the 'highlights' rather than having time to stop and gaze. I felt sorry for them.
Back to campsite ... and despite it being a generally gloomy day, the washing was dry! I shall wear pants again! Tomorrow I'm off towards Kings Canyon, a place where meteorites have gouged out, well, a huge canyon. And from there to Alice Springs, the capital of the Northern Territory, and the place I've been warned about most often by white Australians. There's a difficult cultural clash there apparently, and the city is dogged by a reputation for being rough after dark. To my mind, if you keep a low profile, you're generally Ok anywhere, but it'll be interesting to see if the atmosphere there is better or different to what I experienced a few days ago at Coober Pedy. Here at Uluru, I'm in a bubble where the Aboriginal culture is at the heart of everything, and is cherished. It ain't the same elsewhere....
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Friday, 28 October 2011
rocked
Warm and dry, with just the merest whiff of disinfectant, I was back on the road before 9. The rain at Mount Ebeneezer petered out after a few miles, but I still rode on quite gingerly as the roads were wet and a bit slippy in places. Stopped to fill up after 100km, and got talking to a father and son, both on motorbikes, headed back towards Sydney. Had a good chat about routes and roads, and it made me think I should reconsider my plans for the next couple of weeks.
And suddenly there were signs for Uluru, and I found myself slowing down in anticipation. The journey here had taken so long, and I'd been plotting it out in my head for weeks. Finally it was happening, and I couldn't quite believe it. I still can't! I pulled into the very smart-looking campsite and found a pitch, and quickly dumped my gear and was back on the bike headed towards the rock.
Uluru was looming ahead of me. Muddy brown and massive under cloudy skies, it was a surreal ride... I was literally headed straight towards it. This iconic image was there, and almost within touching distance. It is very big.... And rather than get too carried away, I called into the Aboriginal Cultural Centre to find out a bit more before I stepped onto this sacred piece of land. Lots of fascinating detail, but it boils down to the simple fact that the indiginous people had lived in this area for 40,000 years. The "Ayers Rock" period has been a very unfortunate blip in a long, proud history. Finally their rights to the land were restored, after a fashion, with a deal brokered with the politicians that the land would be given back, IF it could then be leased as a national park. It's a truce - for now - but I can't help thinking that the people who've been custodians for so long deserve better. At least here the culture and traditions and art are celebrated.
And then I stepped into the park and took the walk through the trees to finally stand in front of the monolith. And I wept. Partly because I was tired, partly in recognition that I'd achieved an ambition. Lots of it was because I was missing, and am missing, Kirsty and Aidan. And missing Alex too. I blubbed, for those I love, all so far away. And for myself.
I've been lucky enough to visit a few places that had the power to provoke such a physical and emotional response in me. Amritsar was one, and the Forbidden City in Beijing. But those were man-made. Uluru has a timelessness and a stillness. It was really quiet as I walked round. Hardly any tourists. And then the sun came out, and that muddy brown became the rusty orange of my imaginings and the images we're all so familiar with. And I cried a little more.
Later, I rode about six miles out and parked up to watch the rock changing colour as the sun slowly set. What a privilege to be here to experience this. Awesome is a word most of us are guilty of using too often. It's lost its power. But Uluru IS awesome, in the truest sense of the word.
And suddenly there were signs for Uluru, and I found myself slowing down in anticipation. The journey here had taken so long, and I'd been plotting it out in my head for weeks. Finally it was happening, and I couldn't quite believe it. I still can't! I pulled into the very smart-looking campsite and found a pitch, and quickly dumped my gear and was back on the bike headed towards the rock.
Uluru was looming ahead of me. Muddy brown and massive under cloudy skies, it was a surreal ride... I was literally headed straight towards it. This iconic image was there, and almost within touching distance. It is very big.... And rather than get too carried away, I called into the Aboriginal Cultural Centre to find out a bit more before I stepped onto this sacred piece of land. Lots of fascinating detail, but it boils down to the simple fact that the indiginous people had lived in this area for 40,000 years. The "Ayers Rock" period has been a very unfortunate blip in a long, proud history. Finally their rights to the land were restored, after a fashion, with a deal brokered with the politicians that the land would be given back, IF it could then be leased as a national park. It's a truce - for now - but I can't help thinking that the people who've been custodians for so long deserve better. At least here the culture and traditions and art are celebrated.
And then I stepped into the park and took the walk through the trees to finally stand in front of the monolith. And I wept. Partly because I was tired, partly in recognition that I'd achieved an ambition. Lots of it was because I was missing, and am missing, Kirsty and Aidan. And missing Alex too. I blubbed, for those I love, all so far away. And for myself.
I've been lucky enough to visit a few places that had the power to provoke such a physical and emotional response in me. Amritsar was one, and the Forbidden City in Beijing. But those were man-made. Uluru has a timelessness and a stillness. It was really quiet as I walked round. Hardly any tourists. And then the sun came out, and that muddy brown became the rusty orange of my imaginings and the images we're all so familiar with. And I cried a little more.
Later, I rode about six miles out and parked up to watch the rock changing colour as the sun slowly set. What a privilege to be here to experience this. Awesome is a word most of us are guilty of using too often. It's lost its power. But Uluru IS awesome, in the truest sense of the word.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Northern Territory
Left Coober Pedy first thing after I'd realised last night that the place is little more than a tourist trap. Almost every shop was selling opal jewellery and other touristy tat. Also felt a bit uneasy if I'm honest, about the number of clearly drunk Aboriginal folk milling about, hanging around on street corners, by the town's only cash machine, and outside the bar. Clearly there is some kind of unsaid apartheid system running here.
I know with no work, there's not much else for the indiginous people to do, and drink is a recognised problem within the community. No native people were in the bar when I went for a well-earned beer, and I didn't see any signs, but just 'felt' they weren't allowed in. One oldish Aborigine spoke to me outside bar, though I didn't really understand what he'd said. I smiled and apologised, then a middle aged white Australian shooed the man away. Clearly he did it for my benefit, thinking I might be being hassled or intimidated. But as I say, the whole vibe of the place made me feel uncomfortable.
Anyway, it was good to get back on two wheels and before long I was crossing another state line and into the Northern Territory, and closer to my date with my own Dreamtime. Speaking of two wheels, JD tells me Russell Crowe is affectionately known as Rusty on these shores. Well, today, he and I had our first falling out. In other words, I dropped him. Happened while virtually stationary, turning onto a gravel side road. I wasn't hurt, but Rusty got more scratches to add to those caused by previous riders. I'm hoping another war wound won't cost me some of my deposit when I drop him off. After that though I'm resolved NOT to go off road at all, as he's bloody heavy to lift back off the deck.
So, onwards and upwards, and after about 1,300 kilometres on the virtually straight Stuart Highway, it was finally time to turn left! Onto the Lasseter Highway, which leads to the Red Centre. Still virtually no traffic on the roads. So different to home. With just 250km left to ride, I could have pressed on, but decided to stop at a re-fuelling site in the middle of nowhere, called Mount Ebeneezer. Appropriately named, it also appealed to my Scrooge nature when I saw that camping there cost just five bucks - about three pounds fifty. I realsed why AFTER I'd paid. It was, in effect, a gravelly car park behind the roadhouse. Camping for travelling caravans, not really for tents. Did my best to pitch mine, still wet from the last place I'd camped. But one bash of a tent peg and it buckled, the ground being rock hard! So, thinking on my feet I got some boulders and wrapped the guy ropes round them. Looked ok, and I wandered into the nearby bar for a drink and to chat to locals, including a biker cop, Andy, who excitedly told me about the new BMW bike he was having delivered in a few days' time.
On the bar itself they had a range of jars, featuring pickled examples of the snakes, spiders and other nasties native to the area. All had apparently been found and killed IN the bar. Not at all weird, or off-putting to campsite guests :0s As it got dark, I wandered back outside to see flashes of lightning on the far horizon. Found the tent in the blackness - flat and flapping! With the wind getting up, and the bar now closed I had a ponder of my options... And the rain started to fall! With that, I gathered everything up, and moved lock, stock and barrel, into the Gents! It was warm and dry, and as I was the only mug, ahem, 'camping' there that night, I had the place to myself. I used my boulder trick again to re-erect the tent under the row of sinks and opposite the urinal trough. And as I type, I'm preparing to spend a night on the tiles!
I know with no work, there's not much else for the indiginous people to do, and drink is a recognised problem within the community. No native people were in the bar when I went for a well-earned beer, and I didn't see any signs, but just 'felt' they weren't allowed in. One oldish Aborigine spoke to me outside bar, though I didn't really understand what he'd said. I smiled and apologised, then a middle aged white Australian shooed the man away. Clearly he did it for my benefit, thinking I might be being hassled or intimidated. But as I say, the whole vibe of the place made me feel uncomfortable.
Anyway, it was good to get back on two wheels and before long I was crossing another state line and into the Northern Territory, and closer to my date with my own Dreamtime. Speaking of two wheels, JD tells me Russell Crowe is affectionately known as Rusty on these shores. Well, today, he and I had our first falling out. In other words, I dropped him. Happened while virtually stationary, turning onto a gravel side road. I wasn't hurt, but Rusty got more scratches to add to those caused by previous riders. I'm hoping another war wound won't cost me some of my deposit when I drop him off. After that though I'm resolved NOT to go off road at all, as he's bloody heavy to lift back off the deck.
So, onwards and upwards, and after about 1,300 kilometres on the virtually straight Stuart Highway, it was finally time to turn left! Onto the Lasseter Highway, which leads to the Red Centre. Still virtually no traffic on the roads. So different to home. With just 250km left to ride, I could have pressed on, but decided to stop at a re-fuelling site in the middle of nowhere, called Mount Ebeneezer. Appropriately named, it also appealed to my Scrooge nature when I saw that camping there cost just five bucks - about three pounds fifty. I realsed why AFTER I'd paid. It was, in effect, a gravelly car park behind the roadhouse. Camping for travelling caravans, not really for tents. Did my best to pitch mine, still wet from the last place I'd camped. But one bash of a tent peg and it buckled, the ground being rock hard! So, thinking on my feet I got some boulders and wrapped the guy ropes round them. Looked ok, and I wandered into the nearby bar for a drink and to chat to locals, including a biker cop, Andy, who excitedly told me about the new BMW bike he was having delivered in a few days' time.
On the bar itself they had a range of jars, featuring pickled examples of the snakes, spiders and other nasties native to the area. All had apparently been found and killed IN the bar. Not at all weird, or off-putting to campsite guests :0s As it got dark, I wandered back outside to see flashes of lightning on the far horizon. Found the tent in the blackness - flat and flapping! With the wind getting up, and the bar now closed I had a ponder of my options... And the rain started to fall! With that, I gathered everything up, and moved lock, stock and barrel, into the Gents! It was warm and dry, and as I was the only mug, ahem, 'camping' there that night, I had the place to myself. I used my boulder trick again to re-erect the tent under the row of sinks and opposite the urinal trough. And as I type, I'm preparing to spend a night on the tiles!
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Liquid sky
Am in the proper Outback tonight, in the opal mining town of Coober Pedy. Rode some 800 kilometres after leaving the Backpack Oz hostel in Adelaide this morning. This is where much of the Mad Max movies was filmed, plus a chunk of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and it's iconic, rough-and-ready Australia.
Tonight I'm staying in another hostel, an underground place carved out by the miners decades ago. Was going to camp under the stars, but it was all looking a bit too industrial as I approached town, and I'd read there are lots of abandoned shafts around here, so it's dangerous off the beaten track.
What to say about the journey? You could go mad with these endless straight roads stretching to the horizon. The occasional bend is a real surprise. Need to have your wits about you and to stay focussed. And for mile after mile I had the road to myself again. I've run out of ways to describe the hugeness (see!) of the landscape I've been riding through. Vast and open and largely flat, stretching to the horizon in front, to the sides and behind. Like nothing else I've experienced.
With my iPod dead, I've been singing in my head. Lots. And then composing poetry and haiku. Nothing great, but it kept me amused over the miles. "Liquid Sky" is about the shimmering heat haze. I have written up what I can remember below. Went well in my mind, but probably pretty naff written down. Hard to judge when you're tired, so I'll put the words down anyway, and live with the ridicule! The haiku were about the road trains. I'd been warned about them, but it's only when you meet them on the road that you appreciate just how careful you need to be around them. Imagine a huge, American-style truck cab or rig. Then bolt onto the back THREE of the big articulated trailers we're used to seeing in the UK. It really is like a 100 ton train travelling on the tarmac. A bugger to overtake as they're not limited on speed, and do 110 kmph [or more!] like the rest of the traffic.... and when they pass coming towards you too, the air turbulence in their slipstream is powerful and not something you can relax with on a motorbike. You need big cahunas and to stay in control around them, and the better plan is get the hell away because they're so big they can't stop or swerve or do anything a hurry. They just roll relentlessly on.
My three haiku, and what I can remember of poem are below. Don't mock too loudly? My brain was slightly fried in low 30s C. And it's been another long, extraordinary day. Just how lucky am I to be doing this?
ONE: O.M.F.G! It's headed straight at me. Road train nightmare.
TWO: Braced for the slipstream as it passes. Thundering onward.
THREE: They're not so scary, if you're wary. Mess and end up one.
LIQUID SKY.
Azure flows from the top of the tarmac triangle.
A shimmering reflection: liquid sky.
Crank the throttle and I'm flying towards it
But it ebbs, out of reach. The hot road is dry.
Thoughts get bigger with a bigger horizon.
Ahead, behind, wrapped round and set free.
Here, and the road, hurtling on with the journey.
A means, to what end? Searching, for me.
Tonight I'm staying in another hostel, an underground place carved out by the miners decades ago. Was going to camp under the stars, but it was all looking a bit too industrial as I approached town, and I'd read there are lots of abandoned shafts around here, so it's dangerous off the beaten track.
What to say about the journey? You could go mad with these endless straight roads stretching to the horizon. The occasional bend is a real surprise. Need to have your wits about you and to stay focussed. And for mile after mile I had the road to myself again. I've run out of ways to describe the hugeness (see!) of the landscape I've been riding through. Vast and open and largely flat, stretching to the horizon in front, to the sides and behind. Like nothing else I've experienced.
With my iPod dead, I've been singing in my head. Lots. And then composing poetry and haiku. Nothing great, but it kept me amused over the miles. "Liquid Sky" is about the shimmering heat haze. I have written up what I can remember below. Went well in my mind, but probably pretty naff written down. Hard to judge when you're tired, so I'll put the words down anyway, and live with the ridicule! The haiku were about the road trains. I'd been warned about them, but it's only when you meet them on the road that you appreciate just how careful you need to be around them. Imagine a huge, American-style truck cab or rig. Then bolt onto the back THREE of the big articulated trailers we're used to seeing in the UK. It really is like a 100 ton train travelling on the tarmac. A bugger to overtake as they're not limited on speed, and do 110 kmph [or more!] like the rest of the traffic.... and when they pass coming towards you too, the air turbulence in their slipstream is powerful and not something you can relax with on a motorbike. You need big cahunas and to stay in control around them, and the better plan is get the hell away because they're so big they can't stop or swerve or do anything a hurry. They just roll relentlessly on.
My three haiku, and what I can remember of poem are below. Don't mock too loudly? My brain was slightly fried in low 30s C. And it's been another long, extraordinary day. Just how lucky am I to be doing this?
ONE: O.M.F.G! It's headed straight at me. Road train nightmare.
TWO: Braced for the slipstream as it passes. Thundering onward.
THREE: They're not so scary, if you're wary. Mess and end up one.
LIQUID SKY.
Azure flows from the top of the tarmac triangle.
A shimmering reflection: liquid sky.
Crank the throttle and I'm flying towards it
But it ebbs, out of reach. The hot road is dry.
Thoughts get bigger with a bigger horizon.
Ahead, behind, wrapped round and set free.
Here, and the road, hurtling on with the journey.
A means, to what end? Searching, for me.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
inner space
Got chatting with a real spunk at the sauna last night. Told him all about my trip and what I'm hoping to see and do while in Oz. Talked about where my head's at too, and why. He sat and thought for a minute, then said 'lose the tick list mate'... suggesting I hadn't really yet embraced the idea of getting away from my normal hurly-burly and getting in some 'healing' time.
I DO need to do the 'processing' which is a big part of why I came here, he was right. As ever so far I've been busy being busy without leaving space for much else. So, with nobody but me to please I decided to take today off.
Went for a long walk through the tree covered mountains above Adelaide - and the peak of Mount Lofty. Cold up there, but it was a beautiful day. The walk was strenuous. 8km through the hills with very steep inclines for much of it. Down to some waterfalls, with amazing birdsong and croaking frogs all the way, and nothing else to hear, aside from the ragged breath of the odd jogger on the trail. It was an effort coming back up the hill to collect Russell, but means my shapely legs and arse got a workout at least!
Then went to a nearby wildlife park, as I'd made a promise to Kirsty to send her a picture of a koala. It was amazing to get so close to the kangaroos too. They were a little wary, but the park was very quiet, just me in most of the enclosures, and I was able to sit with them for a while and took some snaps and video there. Brilliant. Australian wildlife at last, and it wasn't running across the road in front of me.
Theatre this evening, at a place a lot like a smaller South Bank complex. Saw an Australian play called 'Holding the Man'... about the formative years for a young couple, but then in the second half they both get Aids. :0( Grim, and yet heart-warming, life-affirming stuff ultimately, rather than depressing. No show tunes though Brandon!
Adelaide is a great city, quite compact, and I've had a good time here with the security of a warm dry bed to come back to. But it's time to push on. Not to follow a harsh timetable, but to make some progress towards what I came here to see, Uluru, and the arid Outback. Tonight I'll be inland, where the temperature is climbing into the mid 30s. It's a long dry road, and I'm headed.... thataway.
I DO need to do the 'processing' which is a big part of why I came here, he was right. As ever so far I've been busy being busy without leaving space for much else. So, with nobody but me to please I decided to take today off.
Went for a long walk through the tree covered mountains above Adelaide - and the peak of Mount Lofty. Cold up there, but it was a beautiful day. The walk was strenuous. 8km through the hills with very steep inclines for much of it. Down to some waterfalls, with amazing birdsong and croaking frogs all the way, and nothing else to hear, aside from the ragged breath of the odd jogger on the trail. It was an effort coming back up the hill to collect Russell, but means my shapely legs and arse got a workout at least!
Then went to a nearby wildlife park, as I'd made a promise to Kirsty to send her a picture of a koala. It was amazing to get so close to the kangaroos too. They were a little wary, but the park was very quiet, just me in most of the enclosures, and I was able to sit with them for a while and took some snaps and video there. Brilliant. Australian wildlife at last, and it wasn't running across the road in front of me.
Theatre this evening, at a place a lot like a smaller South Bank complex. Saw an Australian play called 'Holding the Man'... about the formative years for a young couple, but then in the second half they both get Aids. :0( Grim, and yet heart-warming, life-affirming stuff ultimately, rather than depressing. No show tunes though Brandon!
Adelaide is a great city, quite compact, and I've had a good time here with the security of a warm dry bed to come back to. But it's time to push on. Not to follow a harsh timetable, but to make some progress towards what I came here to see, Uluru, and the arid Outback. Tonight I'll be inland, where the temperature is climbing into the mid 30s. It's a long dry road, and I'm headed.... thataway.
Monday, 24 October 2011
scratch and sniff
Woah! Another CRAZY day. I'm in a cool backpacker hostel in Adelaide, South Australia, after pushing on yesterday through the wind and rain.... about 700 kilometres ride in all, with slight detours. Dunno what that is in miles, but my saddle soreness suggests a lot!
I left Port Fairy wet and tired, and stayed that way pretty much all day, because the rain kept coming back for me each time I'd just about dried out. All my gear, clothes, etc, was drenched too... hence coming here, where there's a laundry, drying area and warm rooms. Russell's parked up down the street and round a corner. Hope a night all alone in the big city didn't faze him.
Even though I knew this country was VAST, you don't truly realise how big until you're here. The roads yesterday, when they were drier and I could see, stretched on for mile after mile - long and straight generally, with bends only where the natural features were clearly too much of a problem. The end of the Great Ocean Road had me quickly into deeply forested area. You reach the crest of a hill and the vista ahead was mile upon mile of rolling hills, covered in managed timber land. And massive trucks, three times the size of those back home, ferrying the lumber. The land then gives way to wine growing country, and again, mile upon mile upon mile of vines, as far as the eye could see, and then you know stretching much further beyond too.
And then it was into more open countryside, mainly flat, lots of fields and cattle and sheep. Massive farms. Everything's on supersize scale - you should see the tractors! Lots of signs warning of kangaroos and koalas crossing the road, but I didn't see any. They were sensibly staying warm and dry somewhere.
So, into Adelaide and it's good to be here after a couple of tent days. Sorted myself out and went to a sauna last night to warm up and ease my aching muscles, etc. ;0) Decided I'll stay here the day and another night as there's lots to see, and because I bypassed all yesterday's attractions to make progress. Need a day off.
Scratch and sniff by the way are my room mates - noctural creatures indigenous to this environment. Cool blokes anyway, but NOTHING was going to stop me sleeping last night!
I left Port Fairy wet and tired, and stayed that way pretty much all day, because the rain kept coming back for me each time I'd just about dried out. All my gear, clothes, etc, was drenched too... hence coming here, where there's a laundry, drying area and warm rooms. Russell's parked up down the street and round a corner. Hope a night all alone in the big city didn't faze him.
Even though I knew this country was VAST, you don't truly realise how big until you're here. The roads yesterday, when they were drier and I could see, stretched on for mile after mile - long and straight generally, with bends only where the natural features were clearly too much of a problem. The end of the Great Ocean Road had me quickly into deeply forested area. You reach the crest of a hill and the vista ahead was mile upon mile of rolling hills, covered in managed timber land. And massive trucks, three times the size of those back home, ferrying the lumber. The land then gives way to wine growing country, and again, mile upon mile upon mile of vines, as far as the eye could see, and then you know stretching much further beyond too.
And then it was into more open countryside, mainly flat, lots of fields and cattle and sheep. Massive farms. Everything's on supersize scale - you should see the tractors! Lots of signs warning of kangaroos and koalas crossing the road, but I didn't see any. They were sensibly staying warm and dry somewhere.
So, into Adelaide and it's good to be here after a couple of tent days. Sorted myself out and went to a sauna last night to warm up and ease my aching muscles, etc. ;0) Decided I'll stay here the day and another night as there's lots to see, and because I bypassed all yesterday's attractions to make progress. Need a day off.
Scratch and sniff by the way are my room mates - noctural creatures indigenous to this environment. Cool blokes anyway, but NOTHING was going to stop me sleeping last night!
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Great
This has been a really special day. Not much sleep last night due to the larrikin lads of Lorne. Can you believe they were playing Simon and Garfunkel songs at 1am? And people say that I have no musical cred! These guys were only in their mid 20s too. Anyway I got to sleep just in time to be woken by a flock of cockatoos squawking hello. There were dozens of them flapping round my tent. So I decided to take advantage of the early start and head up to the nearby Erskine waterfall. Twisty, misty road through the forest, and steep and slippy too. But when I got there I had the place to myself. Magical atmosphere as the sun started to burn the mist from the fern and tree lined gorge.
Back at camp I gossiped with the neighbours awhile, then packed-up to really start the GOR. Within minutes I was into the winding wonder of the biking world, and with relatively few others, it was an awesome experience. Steep cliffs plunging down to rough seas on one side, and equally steep tree lined hills on the other. Then through a chilly section of forest, up and down hills, wriggling round the landmarks the ex-soldiers who built the road couldn't drive on through.
It may be named and famed as the Great Ocean Road, and those bits by the sea are spectacular, but loads of it was inland too, and just as exciting to ride. You need your wits about you, and it's hardly relaxing, but it is an exhilarating experience on two wheels. And I was amazed just how much I had it to myself. The longer, straight sections further west had me riding for miles at a time without seeing any other traffic at all.
By now it was hot! The road ahead shimmering in the heat haze. All along, I kept stopping at various scenic viewpoints, and have taken tons of photos. Highlight was the section with the "Twelve Apostles", huge sandstone bluffs just off the coast. They looked stunning in the hazy sunshine. The ocean crashing around them is rough and has carved the bases of some of them. One outcrop known as London Bridge was amazing. The power of the waves smashing through the huge hole which formed the arch of the 'bridge' carved over centuries. Breathtaking scenery.
Though the water was cold, I did have a little skinny dip on an isolated beach stretching for miles. In homage to the only episode of Neighbours I ever watched closely... Where Guy Pearce, Jason Donovan and Craig MacLachlan did the same thing. Memorable moment in my formative years, ha ha!
Tonight I'm camping in a place called Port Fairy. No need for comment! As I type I'm sheltering from a lightning storm, and splatty rain in a corrugated tin roofed cooking shelter. Pity me in my little tent! Actually it's easing already. There's power to charge my exhausted camera and the phone in here, and I'll also top up the iPod too. No Simon and Garfunkel, but I did put Nik Kershaw on shuffle as I set out today. The first random track was a recent song called 'Already There'. The lyrics go: 'There ain't no stopping this thing we're chasing.... There ain't no stopping this runaway train we ride'. Somehow an appropriate start to an awesome day... And I'm only JUST getting started! Hoping to make up some miles tmrw. Only about 450 kilometres covered so far. Got to get a move on if I'm going to tick some more of my boxes. But today was a good one. Big tick!
Back at camp I gossiped with the neighbours awhile, then packed-up to really start the GOR. Within minutes I was into the winding wonder of the biking world, and with relatively few others, it was an awesome experience. Steep cliffs plunging down to rough seas on one side, and equally steep tree lined hills on the other. Then through a chilly section of forest, up and down hills, wriggling round the landmarks the ex-soldiers who built the road couldn't drive on through.
It may be named and famed as the Great Ocean Road, and those bits by the sea are spectacular, but loads of it was inland too, and just as exciting to ride. You need your wits about you, and it's hardly relaxing, but it is an exhilarating experience on two wheels. And I was amazed just how much I had it to myself. The longer, straight sections further west had me riding for miles at a time without seeing any other traffic at all.
By now it was hot! The road ahead shimmering in the heat haze. All along, I kept stopping at various scenic viewpoints, and have taken tons of photos. Highlight was the section with the "Twelve Apostles", huge sandstone bluffs just off the coast. They looked stunning in the hazy sunshine. The ocean crashing around them is rough and has carved the bases of some of them. One outcrop known as London Bridge was amazing. The power of the waves smashing through the huge hole which formed the arch of the 'bridge' carved over centuries. Breathtaking scenery.
Though the water was cold, I did have a little skinny dip on an isolated beach stretching for miles. In homage to the only episode of Neighbours I ever watched closely... Where Guy Pearce, Jason Donovan and Craig MacLachlan did the same thing. Memorable moment in my formative years, ha ha!
Tonight I'm camping in a place called Port Fairy. No need for comment! As I type I'm sheltering from a lightning storm, and splatty rain in a corrugated tin roofed cooking shelter. Pity me in my little tent! Actually it's easing already. There's power to charge my exhausted camera and the phone in here, and I'll also top up the iPod too. No Simon and Garfunkel, but I did put Nik Kershaw on shuffle as I set out today. The first random track was a recent song called 'Already There'. The lyrics go: 'There ain't no stopping this thing we're chasing.... There ain't no stopping this runaway train we ride'. Somehow an appropriate start to an awesome day... And I'm only JUST getting started! Hoping to make up some miles tmrw. Only about 450 kilometres covered so far. Got to get a move on if I'm going to tick some more of my boxes. But today was a good one. Big tick!
Friday, 21 October 2011
wet and wild
Sat with the waves crashing in front of me on the beach at Lorne. Bottle of cider half drunk has me buzzing... after a day that already had me buzzing. Made it out of the city and straight into heavy rain. So heavy that I pulled over for half an hour as I couldn't really see where I was going! Not good. But it didn't last... and sooner than expected I was on the Great Ocean Road... officially the start of my big loop the loop. Found myself whooping for joy at the sheer madness of being here and doing this! Can't quite believe it still.
Lots of stops for photo ops, but decided to stop and camp here tonight, as the weather tmrw will hopefully be better as the road itself gets progressively more spectacular. Already had a taster, with twisty stretches through temperate forests on the edge of the Otway Mountain Range. There are some lovely waterfalls near here which I aim to check out in morning when I break camp. Aidan would be struggling to find the birds here in his spotters guidebook. I've seen colourful parrots and parakeets flying wild. Even, I think, a kookaburra (in an old gum tree, no less!) No kangaroos as yet, but there are warning road signs so am keeping my eyes peeled. So calm and peaceful here. Blissful.
Lots of stops for photo ops, but decided to stop and camp here tonight, as the weather tmrw will hopefully be better as the road itself gets progressively more spectacular. Already had a taster, with twisty stretches through temperate forests on the edge of the Otway Mountain Range. There are some lovely waterfalls near here which I aim to check out in morning when I break camp. Aidan would be struggling to find the birds here in his spotters guidebook. I've seen colourful parrots and parakeets flying wild. Even, I think, a kookaburra (in an old gum tree, no less!) No kangaroos as yet, but there are warning road signs so am keeping my eyes peeled. So calm and peaceful here. Blissful.
get on with it
It would be SO easy to stay longer in Melbourne. It is such a cool place, and I've had a great few days with Jackie, hanging out and eating and drinking. Really chilled. And being honest I'm as nervous as I am excited about what's ahead. But today is the day and this is the hour I head West. Bags are packed and I'm off to get lost for a while. Russell will be purring once I get him on the open road... weather is gloomy today, but that's not going to put a damper on the day. I really am doing this. Now!
Thursday, 20 October 2011
crowe-ing
Just picked up my ride and had a first taste of Aussie biking. All's good, even in a busy city. Weather is cooler today and bit drizzly, but still great to be back on two wheels. For the bikers out there, my new best mate is a bit of a throaty beast. sluggish on start and rough round edges. Been there and done it all before, which I'm quite happy with. I'll tame it. Henceforth bike will be known as Russell (after Mr Crowe). Picture me astride my rough tough Aussie ride. ;0)
Trip back to JD's was fine, no dramas and only got slightly lost... Got reasonable bearings after
two days exploring city and its best suburbs. You learn to navigate by restaurants in the way we use pubs back in Blighty.
So. One more night here in Melbourne and tmrw me and Russell head towards the Great Ocean Road - renowned as one of the entire world's best biker routes. It's calling me....
j
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
pecs and the city
5am and all's well. Apart from obvious fact that I'm awake right now. Body clock will readjust. And gives me time to update on day one here in Melbourne. Such amazing weather. Hot and sunny. JD took me into the city by tram for a gander and lunch at a favourite Italian restaurant. Did some shopping and browsing, then had beer and 'bubbles' in a lovely little bar with a rooof terrace before sauntering down to the beach along with what seemed like half the city. Lots of buff bods in the near buff, and though I wanted to dip my toes in I had really started to flag. So, sunset and tram ride home for toast and telly.
Headed back in today for more, including trip to the glass floored platform atop the tallest skyscraper in town. Should be a chance to get some great photos. It's meant to be even hotter today... high 20s C. Maybe bit more beach time in order. and the motorbike is ready for pick-up tomorrow, by when bodyclock will hopefully be back on an even keel.
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
touchdown
Travel broadens the mind .... travelling economy class stiffens the neck. But no pain, no gain and I'm here in one piece. And it's a beautiful sunny day!
JD met me at the airport and am back at her place now, freshly showered and shaven and ready to explore. Strategy is to stay awake, and at the moment at least I feel fine - hopefully jet lag won't be too much of a problem. Two cups of tea down and we're headed out on the town for a late brunch ..... more later
halfway there
.... Hong Kong airport. A brief stop to swap planes. it's a rather long way to Australia, but the place has been calling me for so long. A hundred years ago, when I was a teenager, my godmother, cousin, and idol(!) Jackie emigrated to Oz. She sent me a t-shirt for a birthday present. It had the names of the major places and cities tracing the outline of the map of the continent. I LOVED that t-shirt, and wore it to rags. Hoping to find something similar to take home.
Anyway, I've been thinking about coming here for so long, yet real life, sensible life, always got in the way. No point in going for a couple of weeks, too far, too expensive, too many other demands on my time and money.
Not any more. Here I go!
Hopes and expectations are huge, and I want to drink in everything, from the high culture to the rough and ready. Cities and architecture and nightlife and bars, and the barren and arid beauty of the Outback. Give me a few days and I'll be racing towards a new horizon. Can't wait..... NOW I'm getting excited. Just been looking at my motorbiking atlas working out pit stops I might make and detours I could take.
Nearly there! ;0)
Anyway, I've been thinking about coming here for so long, yet real life, sensible life, always got in the way. No point in going for a couple of weeks, too far, too expensive, too many other demands on my time and money.
Not any more. Here I go!
Hopes and expectations are huge, and I want to drink in everything, from the high culture to the rough and ready. Cities and architecture and nightlife and bars, and the barren and arid beauty of the Outback. Give me a few days and I'll be racing towards a new horizon. Can't wait..... NOW I'm getting excited. Just been looking at my motorbiking atlas working out pit stops I might make and detours I could take.
Nearly there! ;0)
Sunday, 16 October 2011
packing
.... suddenly the time has come. It's tomorrow, dear blog, and I'll be taking off for five weeks of open skies and roads.
Woo hoo - I want to punch the air .... but then again there's a sense of melancholy too. A sense that maybe I'm being a bit selfish doing this at all, and then, kind of 'boasting' about it on here. I don't mean to boast, but going solo does mean I have no one else to share the journey with, and that's where you come in. Thanks for being there my friend! Hope you're ready for an occasional bumpy ride?
Weird, mixed-up feelings right now, so forgive my wallowing and self indulgence typing this out. I know I deserve a decent holiday and it'll do me good to push the ups and downs of recent life off to the sidelines for a while. To get some perspective, you need to step back... and I really can't step back much further than I'm going. I'll miss people, especially Kirsty and Aidan, and five weeks seems like so long to choose to be away from them.
We all know this is going to be an emotional journey as much as a physical, visceral one for me. Hope this journal doesn't become too treacle-y. Apologies in advance! Will share what I can - all the good stuff which I hope you'll want to know about - as much and as often as possible, on here. Need the toys to do it with of course though. Here in UK now it's Sunday, and I fly on Monday evening, arriving in Melbourne on Wednesday morning. Jackie has promised to take me SmartPhone shopping, so the first PROPER Blog of Al In Down Under Land should follow asap after that mission is accomplished...
Can't wait to see my dear cousin and spiritual guide (ha!) on her home turf.... I'm sure once I get there, my maudlin mood will lift. Let the adventure begin!
Woo hoo - I want to punch the air .... but then again there's a sense of melancholy too. A sense that maybe I'm being a bit selfish doing this at all, and then, kind of 'boasting' about it on here. I don't mean to boast, but going solo does mean I have no one else to share the journey with, and that's where you come in. Thanks for being there my friend! Hope you're ready for an occasional bumpy ride?
Weird, mixed-up feelings right now, so forgive my wallowing and self indulgence typing this out. I know I deserve a decent holiday and it'll do me good to push the ups and downs of recent life off to the sidelines for a while. To get some perspective, you need to step back... and I really can't step back much further than I'm going. I'll miss people, especially Kirsty and Aidan, and five weeks seems like so long to choose to be away from them.
We all know this is going to be an emotional journey as much as a physical, visceral one for me. Hope this journal doesn't become too treacle-y. Apologies in advance! Will share what I can - all the good stuff which I hope you'll want to know about - as much and as often as possible, on here. Need the toys to do it with of course though. Here in UK now it's Sunday, and I fly on Monday evening, arriving in Melbourne on Wednesday morning. Jackie has promised to take me SmartPhone shopping, so the first PROPER Blog of Al In Down Under Land should follow asap after that mission is accomplished...
Can't wait to see my dear cousin and spiritual guide (ha!) on her home turf.... I'm sure once I get there, my maudlin mood will lift. Let the adventure begin!
Saturday, 8 October 2011
screwed
... the pizza delivery guy who caused my biking accident last year has done a runner! Failed to show at court. He was tried in his absence and found guilty, with £700 fine and six points on his licence... and there's a warrant for his arrest. Does it mean I'll finally get back the money his insurance firm owes? We'll see, but I have my doubts.
House move went well - all the stuff's inside now, but there's a lot to do sorting and re-assembling furniture. Big Dave was a total star helping out on the day. Doesn't quite seem real yet... and I don't know how to turn the boiler on, which is more pressing. Cold water just as the weather's on the slide.....
Nine days til Australia. Can't pack until house is straight though, as so much of the stuff I need is in boxes and suitcases.
Note to self - when reassembling flat pack furniture (minus instructions) which I took apart two years ago, don't mix up the components in a big pile on the floor. It'll only end in tears....
House move went well - all the stuff's inside now, but there's a lot to do sorting and re-assembling furniture. Big Dave was a total star helping out on the day. Doesn't quite seem real yet... and I don't know how to turn the boiler on, which is more pressing. Cold water just as the weather's on the slide.....
Nine days til Australia. Can't pack until house is straight though, as so much of the stuff I need is in boxes and suitcases.
Note to self - when reassembling flat pack furniture (minus instructions) which I took apart two years ago, don't mix up the components in a big pile on the floor. It'll only end in tears....
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
jeanious!
.... found the passport - in that carrier bag with the other 'important stuff' like some old receipts and a Snickers wrapper. I WILL travel! I have the flight times and transfers and terminals written down somewhere.... where was that now? Don't worry JD, I have an email with it all on which I'll zap asap.
Also collected my shiny new Shoei bike helmet this afternoon - decided if I'm going to be doing umpteen thousand miles, I might as well dress for the occasion in something sharper, and apparently of a much higher safety standard, than my old one. AND I bought myself some Australian-brand biker jeans to wear. They're called 'Hornee' jeans - I laughed and instantly knew I MUST have them, but the trouble now is I can't get that dratted, awful song from a few years back outta my head.
Moving house tmrw - eek! But before I do, there's the little matter of being the main witness in a dangerous driving court case first thing in morning. The chap who wrote off my first bike (RIP Friedrick!) last October is finally going to get what's coming to him. Which, knowing the British Justice system, will be a minor reprimand. But it's more unfinished business hanging round my neck which is about to GET finished at long last.
Also collected my shiny new Shoei bike helmet this afternoon - decided if I'm going to be doing umpteen thousand miles, I might as well dress for the occasion in something sharper, and apparently of a much higher safety standard, than my old one. AND I bought myself some Australian-brand biker jeans to wear. They're called 'Hornee' jeans - I laughed and instantly knew I MUST have them, but the trouble now is I can't get that dratted, awful song from a few years back outta my head.
Moving house tmrw - eek! But before I do, there's the little matter of being the main witness in a dangerous driving court case first thing in morning. The chap who wrote off my first bike (RIP Friedrick!) last October is finally going to get what's coming to him. Which, knowing the British Justice system, will be a minor reprimand. But it's more unfinished business hanging round my neck which is about to GET finished at long last.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
ready for take off...?
As those who know and love me, you'll be more than aware already that I'm not the most organised soul. In fact, I'm pretty much lastminute dot com on most things. That said, I DO have a plane ticket (return!) bought and paid for, and a new rucksack, torch, tent, jeans, atlas, VERY comprehensive insurance, and newly printed Rough Guide. Trouble is, I'm not ENTIRELY sure where all those things are. Or my passport.
The excuse/explanation/mitigation is that I'm moving house in two days, and somewhere among all the junk stored in various garages, cellars and bedrooms, is everything I think I'll need. Probably. So it'll be Ok. ;0) Good timing was never a strong character trait either I suppose, but buying a house and taking off on the holiday of a lifetime within days of each other is, with hindsight, perhaps biting a bit more off than even I can chew. But the days keep on passing and the crucial deadlines are almost upon me, and all seems to be ticking away as, ahem, "planned" so far. Hush! Don't break the spell.
Why am I blowing all my leave in one fell swoop by going to Australia for five weeks? And why am I causing a smidgeon of concern among my nearest and dearest by making it a solo motorbiking adventure, newby rider that I am? I'll attempt to answer that, for you and for me, in the weeks ahead, as I get - I hope - to a deeper, quieter place inside myself. I don't consciously have all the answers, or, right now at least, the ability to put it into words. I want and need this holiday for so many reasons. And I already feel a bit lost (bless!) so bring on the Red Centre, I'm not scared. Much.
The excuse/explanation/mitigation is that I'm moving house in two days, and somewhere among all the junk stored in various garages, cellars and bedrooms, is everything I think I'll need. Probably. So it'll be Ok. ;0) Good timing was never a strong character trait either I suppose, but buying a house and taking off on the holiday of a lifetime within days of each other is, with hindsight, perhaps biting a bit more off than even I can chew. But the days keep on passing and the crucial deadlines are almost upon me, and all seems to be ticking away as, ahem, "planned" so far. Hush! Don't break the spell.
Why am I blowing all my leave in one fell swoop by going to Australia for five weeks? And why am I causing a smidgeon of concern among my nearest and dearest by making it a solo motorbiking adventure, newby rider that I am? I'll attempt to answer that, for you and for me, in the weeks ahead, as I get - I hope - to a deeper, quieter place inside myself. I don't consciously have all the answers, or, right now at least, the ability to put it into words. I want and need this holiday for so many reasons. And I already feel a bit lost (bless!) so bring on the Red Centre, I'm not scared. Much.
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