As we touched down in Australia I’d expected a surge of emotion. This was, after all, our final continent (unless we manage to bike Antarctica one day).
Back in 2006, the plan was a simple cycle tour to Cape Town. Six years, 117,000 kilometers and 92 countries later and we’re still on the road.
Life’s full of twists and turns, as they say. And life on the road is our new normal. Within 48 hours, being in Australia felt completely ordinary. Which is a little sad, I suppose. A strong jolt of Culture Shock has its charm.
We’ve set ourselves an almost impossible task: cycle 9,500 kilometers in 90 days the long way round from Darwin to Melbourne via Perth.
Almost 2,000 kilometers in 20 days and we’re already thoroughly exhausted. We have, however, discovered a few things about Australia:
1. Distances are vast. London to Moscow is around 2,500 kilometers.
Know how far it is from Darwin (our Australia starting point) to Perth (the next city of any real size)? More than FOUR THOUSAND kilometers.
2. When Australians say “there’s nothing out there,” they’re not kidding. From one tiny settlement with a grocery store to the next can easily be 300 kilometers. In between, you might come across a roadhouse (gas station and convenience store with attached caravan park) and a rest area or two. Farmhouses or any other sign of human life are non-existent on these great empty expanses.
3. Sunrise and sunset in the outback is nothing short of amazing.
We’ve got plenty of stories to share but with so many kilometers to conquer little time to tell them. I hope these photos will convey the beauty we have experienced.
Interesting to read about your trip on the final continent. Nice photos, looks like a very beautiful and vast landscape and must be lots of nice campingspots along the route. Sounds like you have a real challange in finishing the route in just 90 days. Why do you have so limited time, is it the visa? We are also planning to bike around Australia next year, but well be much slower and will give it a year or a year or half.
Is it easy to find water and food along the route when there is “nothing out there”?
Nice photos!
Aborigines have lived in that continent known as Australia for the last 40-50,000 years, so water will be around. Just have to be very observant.
Though, given that we (you and I, along with everyone else) control the climate, who knows where the water will be?
Hi, how did you get from Timor to Darwin? Did you fly or took some kind of boat? And are the roads good so far?
btw, great reading! My No.1
Hi Jack,
We flew! Surprisingly quick and cheap.
Hi there Eric and Amaya, Lovely photos. Am happy that you have saved the best til last and made it to the most amazing continent. If you are on the other side at Christmas let me know as I’ll be finished with Argentina by then and home in the Blue Mountains. We could get another cake!
I see you have reached Ushuaia! Congratulations on making it all the way pedal-powered, Will most definitely drop by your place for a celebratory cake. Home-made if you’ve got an oven.