Our lap around Australia officially came to a close when we rolled into Cairns yesterday afternoon.  Friday morning we’ll zip to the airport and fly off to Japan for an adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Here’s how the tour looks in numbers:

Total Distance Cycled:11, 257 kilometers

Flats: 29

Total spent in 6 months: $2,176 Australian (2,092.22 USD)

**Almost all of this exclusively on FOOD!  Our budget for accommodation was ZERO.

Where we spent the night:

  • Couchsurfing: 20
  • Warm Showers Hosts: 24
  • Random invitations: 4
  • Camping on people’s property: 5
  • School stay: 1
  • Church stay: 1
  • Airport stay: 1
  • Wild (freedom) camping: 65
  • Private campground: 7   ( These were all sponsored stays, meaning the campground owner kindly let us stay for free.)

Rants:

Queensland Drivers:

Some of the worst in the world.  Many won’t budge for cyclists and some even shout insults as they speed pass.

Lousy internet access:

Public libraries in many parts of OZ charge up to $10 an hour for internet use.  McDonald’s is your best bet.

Price gouging:

From food to electronics, Australians pay much more than the rest of the Western world. I know it’s a small market and transport adds to the price of goods, but why does everything have to be so expensive?

Raves:

Low key and relaxed:

Australians are very good- natured for the most part.  We appreciated their warm hospitality and easy going attitude towards wild camping.

Great network of backroads:

Take a look at Google maps and you’ll realize just how many roads and tracks there are in Australia.  This is a country that you could easily spend several years exploring.  While many cyclists do a straight shot down the center, there’s really much, much more to discover.

A country that has it all:

Empty deserts, a vast coastline, tropical wetlands, rolling farmland, cosmopolitan cities and even a few mountain ranges, yes Australia really is one of the most diverse countries on earth.  The real problem is deciding where to go.

A Big Lap: Australia Ride Recap
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6 thoughts on “A Big Lap: Australia Ride Recap

  • June 6, 2013 at 2:17 AM
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    Hi! Amaya!

    I’m still enjoying reading your texts. Australia seems really a fantastic country to visit.

    You know, we are now on the road for 50 days or so and in some difficult parts, I remembered some passages you’ve written about how to deal with it…I just want to thank you, it helps me a lot to go through those difficulties. I have some minor health issue after the crossing of Death Valley, but hopefully, we are hosted in a nice home where I can get well again before continuing our way across the country. Our next challenge is to visit most of the parks of Utah, starting with Zion next week.

    You can visit us and see our videos and photos at http://www.chardenvelomonde.blogspot.ca
    Denise

    Reply
    • June 6, 2013 at 3:31 AM
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      The pictures from your tour look so fantastic–love the shots of Mirror Lake! You must be getting pretty strong by now. Wishing you many continued adventures and good encounters.

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  • June 7, 2013 at 10:31 AM
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    Hi Amaya and Eric,

    Congratulations on the Australia ride. Truly inspiring stuff.

    (Regarding the Queensland drivers – Now you realise why we put all of our Queenslanders in Queensland!)

    Stay safe, Buff3y The Hardcore Adventure Cyclist

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  • June 15, 2013 at 1:16 AM
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    Beautiful photos. Makes me feel like I should get back to Australia sometime and explore it on my bike.

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  • September 25, 2013 at 3:03 AM
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    So you spent $2176 for 2 people for 6 months in a developed country and you think that’s expensive? I think you need a bit of perspective – you’ve probably become too used to the cheap prices in poorer countries.

    Also some drivers here in Queensland can be terrible but in the interest of fairness as well I’ve got to say the safest I’ve ever felt on the road (having cycle toured in Queensland, NSW, ACT, England,Scotland, Ireland, France and Germany) was in country Qld around Toowoomba and the Darling Downs – where every single driver (literally) gave us so much room it wasn’t funny – to the point of some of them endangering themselves by crossing onto the wrong side of the road with up coming bends etc — so anyway it’s not all bad!

    Good luck with the rest of the tour and congratulations on all you’ve achieved so far 🙂

    Reply
    • September 25, 2013 at 3:55 AM
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      Yes, of course you’re right–2,176 is very little to spend in a developed country for that length of travel. We end up spending the same in almost all countries but some places you get more bang for your buck. Living that cheaply was not EASY in Australia. I’m sure you’ll agree that OZ is pricey these days–in line with Scandinavian cost of living.

      We love OZ for cycling and hope more people will discover all it has to offer.

      Reply

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