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11/12 August Darwin airport – Darwin city centre
- 14km
We landed in Darwin at 3h00, and by the time
we’d cleared immigration and customs, it was 4h00. They sure did
scrutinize me, opening bags and bike box and even checking the
tent pegs for soil (good thing Ernest cleaned the bikes –
although he was shown through without any further checks). Then
it was time for Ernest to reassemble the bikes again. As soon as
it got light (at around 6h30) we were on our bikes and pedaled
into town to look for accommodation. One could immediately tell
we were in a first world country. We encountered many early
morning joggers, cyclist and people walking their dogs, but none
looked up to greet us unless we greeted first!
All seemed frightfully expensive at $30 Aus
for a dorm bed. We found room at Chilli’s Backpackers, which
seemed fine with a communal kitchen and outside sundeck with 2
small pools.
The conveniently located supermarket, right
next door, gave as an indication of prices in Australia. We
bought a map of the Stuart Highway together with some other
little bits and pieces, and then I had to go to the ATM again!
13 August - Darwin – Adelaide River - 124 km
We left the party town of Darwin, with dry
mouths (from too may beers the night before) and with fear in
our hearts, due to all the horror stories we had heard. Due to
our late night we only hit the road after 10 am, and found
ourselves on a bicycle path for about 25 km as far as Paterson.
Amazing that the places that need it least have bicycle paths
(wouldn’t that have been nice in India or Java!). At last we
were on the Stuart Highway - a really good wide road with a hard
shoulder. The traffic was light and predictable, what a
difference from Indonesia. On this first day there were plenty
of water stops, and we passed many campsites along the way. We
had a slight headwind, just enough to cool us down and to keep
the flies at bay. Where all the flies came from I don’t know,
there really is not much around. Just 50km into the day and
Ernest had his first puncture in Australia. Not long after that
we saw a huge bush fire, blazing away, fortunately the section
next to the road was about under control, but still a bit too
close for comfort for me. I even spotted my first kangaroo!
(Actually it was one of the smaller wallabies). At around
6.00pm, when our shadows had grown long, we rolled into Adelaide
River where we stayed at a really nice campsite - excellent
showers, a kitchen area and a nice green lawn with shady trees.
14 August - Adelaide River – Pine Creek - 120
km
We were on the road shortly after 10h00. The
area is dotted with world war II memorials, from old campsites
to cemeteries and air fields. Again, there was more than enough
water points and camping along the way. The road was really good
and although hot it was a dry heat and very bearable. We stopped
at a rest area to fill up with water and found that many rest
areas are nice for camping, with toilets and even firewood. We
pushed on to Hayes Creek where we filled up with water again.
The next stretch to Emerald Springs came with a few hills and a
head wind. The head wind is a blessing in disguise, (if not too
strong) as it keeps the flies off you and cools you down. We
arrived at Pine Creek just after 6 and camped at Lazy Lizard
campsite, nice lawn and good showers again. This is definitely
the luxury part of the outback. We were starving when we got
there (as we had nothing to eat all day). After we’d pitched our
tents and had a shower we found that the stove wouldn’t work!
The little restaurant and shops had already closed, but the
friendly bar lady unlocked the adjoining shop for us (so it was
Vegemite and chip sandwiches for supper. I was disappointed as I
was looking forward to a nice large plate of pasta. I should not
complain as I love Vegemite and at last we’re in a country with
decent bread.
15 August - Pine Creek – Katherine - 97 km
For breakfast we had more of the same
sandwiches with coffee, and were on the road again. Our rushed
departure was mostly due to the flies, better to try and out
cycle them. The darn things are really an irritation. The air is
extremely dry and already my skin is flaking and my lips cracked
and this is only day 3! The road stretched for miles in front
of us, with only the occasional uphill to break the monotony.
Water breaks along the way are normally very fast as the flies
seem to get the better of us. There were no rest stops or
camping all day so we pedaled until we reached Katherine, the 3rd
largest town in the Northern Territory. We camped at Coco’s
Backpackers, which gives discount to cyclists. A very
interesting set up with chickens running around, a ramshackle
building with various rooms and dorms and a very interesting
owner. We stayed the following day, doing as little as possible;
at least I did my laundry and fixed my leaking sleeping mat.
Ernest fixed tent poles and punctured tubes, and got the stove
working again.
17 August - Katharine – Mataranka - 115 km
We were as slow as ever to leave, and got on
the road at 10.30. Approximately 28km south of Katherine we
turned off to the Cutta Cutta Caves, ate our pasta sandwiches
which Ernest made from the previous nights leftover food and
then we were off again. About 50km south of Katherine was a
rather nice rest stop with camping, water and toilets, but as it
was still very early we just ate our jelly sweet in the shade of
some trees and headed on to Mataranka. The scenery had been
unchanged (except for an occasional World War 2 site) since we
left Darwin. We reached Mataranka (population 420) and headed
for Bitter Springs campsite, where we arrived shortly before
dark.
18 August - Mataranka - Larrimah - 81 km
We were up early and strolled down the road
to the hot springs – which flows along a clear stream surrounded
by the natural bush. We swam for a while before having breakfast
and making some leftover pasta sandwiches for the road. We also
scored some pasta and tins which other campers had left in the
camp kitchen for take-away. The road was once again very good
with little traffic, mostly caravans and mobile homes - not your
ordinary mobile homes, they are fantastic contraptions and
larger than many apartments. Everyone seems to be in a holiday
spirit and will give a little toot and a wave as they go past.
We either had a tailwind or it was down hill (or maybe it was
the pasta sandwiches) but we rolled into Larrimah (population of
200) before 15h00. We camped at the Larrimah Hotel with it’s
legendary Pink Panther bar. Before we even paid our camp fee we
knew the town’s entire history. Ernest was keen to service his
bike's front hub, which had been making alarming noises. In
typical Northern Territory style I sat in the shade of a huge
tree watching him.
19 August - Larrimah – Daly Waters - 104 km
There were no water stops or rest areas
between Larrimah and Daly Waters so we pushed on, stopping at
each and every “interesting” spot or memorial along the way
-even the occasional road sign is getting us all excited. We
popped in at the legendary Daly Waters pub for a (rater
expensive) beer and sat talking to other travelers for a while.
It claims to be the oldest Pub in the Territory as its liquor
license has been in continuous use since 1893. The interesting
part is that in the early 1930,s Qantas airlines used Daly
Waters as a refueling stop for the Singapore leg of its Sydney
– London run. It must have been a big attraction when a plane
landed! We camped just a few km down the road at Hi-Way Inn. I
must admit I have never camped amongst wallabies and parrots
before. We once again met some friendly travelers at the
campsite. We were invited for beer, crab and interesting snacks
at their very fancy camper. These people truly live in style.
20 August - Daly Waters – Newcastle Waters -
127 km
We woke up to the raucus sounds of parrots
and cockatoos outside our tents - not a bad way to greet a new
day. Birds of all colors surrounded us. We managed to get on the
road at a decent time and headed towards Newcastle Waters rest
stop - our next water point. Newcastle Waters used to be a
droving town, but is only a ghost town today. Road transport
started in the early 1960’s and was the death of this little
town, today only the old store and hotel is left. We saw little
along the way, only a lonely memorial cairn and two dirt roads
turning off to nowhere. Sleeping at the Rest Stops is rather
interesting, as it is free, but comes with water and toilets, so
there is always a number of campervans overnight there. The
people seem friendlier here, and we chatted until late with
other travelers, both foreign and local.
21 August - Newcastle Waters – Renner Springs
- 118 km
After about 45km we reached Dunmara where we
filled up with water and chatted to some guys on motorbikes, and
that was about the excitement for the day. The wind picked up in
the night and we feared that it was going to be a long haul into
the wind. Fortunately the wind was mostly from the side, so it
was not a bad day on the road. The tarmac lay stretched out in
front of us, while we amused ourselves with picking up all kinds
of things along the road and renaming the birds of Australia. We
saw even less today, two roads turning off, one repeater station
and two cattle grids, and that was the sum total of our
entertainment!
22 August - Renner Springs Road House –
Tennant Creek - 166 km
This section of the Stuart Highway is like a
tourist trap, prices of things are totally ridiculous (and the
country in general is very expensive for us). I guess these
shopkeepers know that travelers have little choice but to buy at
the prices they charge - or go without it! Even the Australians
are complaining about it! Had to pay $5 for a loaf of bread!
It was a fairly easy day, an almost flat road and various
opportunities to fill up with water. 62km south of Renner
Springs we found Banka Banka campsite. The lady of the campsite
seemed to think she was doing us a favor by letting us fill our
water bottles! She then proceeded to tell us we may sit in the
shade of her tree and eat our sandwiches as long as we do not
walk around! Gosh, walk around!? Where to? It’s only a tiny
campsite. Hot and sweaty we arrived (50km down the road) at a
rest area, with toilets and water. We’d hardly stopped and –
wait for this - an Australian couple camping at the rest area,
came out with two ice-cream cones!! It sure was the most
delicious ice cream cone I’ve ever had! Back on the bikes we
picked up a nice tail wind, and ran with it. Three Ways junction
was just 50km down the road, and once there we decided to go all
the way to Tennant Creek (4th largest town in the
Northern Territory) which was only another 25 km. We arrived at
the camp site in Tennant Creek just before 6pm, and we settled
in as we knew the next day would be a rest day.
23 August - Tennant Creek
We had a rather
busy day as we each did our internet business, uploaded photos,
and went shopping. We stocked up with foodstuff for the
next few days as the town Supermarket was a hell of a lot
cheaper than the Roadhouse shops along the way.
We did our long
overdue laundry and fiddled with the bikes and tents. I was
wondering if I’d ever fit all that shopping into my panniers the
next morning.
24 August -
Tennant Creek – Wauchope - 120km
We were rather
reluctant to pack up us the wind picked up in the night and it
looked like we were going to have a strong head wind. We only
left after 10am. The wind was not as bad as expected (or maybe
it was just because I was sitting in Ernest’s slip stream all
day). The road lay black and endless in front us, forming a
mirage on the horizon. We were pleasantly surprised towards the
end of the day, as suddenly the scenery changed (at last) as we
reached Devil’s Marbles. Huge rocks stacked upon one another
covered the area, a stunning site at sunset. There we met an
Italian - Antonio, cycling around Australia. After chatting to
him for a long time it was already sunset, and we decided to
camp at the nearby National Parks camping site. We put the
required fee in the box at the gate, and I was already pitching
my tent when Ernest pointed out that there was no water there.
We weren’t carrying enough water for cooking, etc., so we packed
up and cycled another 10 k’s or so to Wauchope Roadhouse.
The sun had
already set in a flaming Western sky, and a huge full moon came
up on our left as we cycled to Wauchope. We even spotted our
first dingo trotting towards us in the road, probably on this
way to scavenge at the campsite which we’d just left. He,
however, gave as a wide berth and we carried on down the road.
25 August -
Wauchope –
Wycliffe Well - 18km
It became real
cold during the night; it was the first time in nearly a year
that I felt cold. I was in no mood for cycling as we woke to a
howling wind. We packed up and headed down the road to Wycliffe
Well.
Wycliffe Well is
said to be located on a cross section of key lines or energy
lines. This may also be the reason why Wycliffe Well has had its
fair share of UFO sightings. We stopped at the pub to read all
the paper clippings about UFO sightings in the area and decided
to camp right there in the nice grassy camp site. I also wanted
to see a UFO!! (I wonder if the sightings have anything to do
with the large selection of beer they sell in the pub???)
26 August -
Wycliffe Well
We woke to a
howling wind and rain pattering down on the tent. I pulled the
sleeping bag over my head and announced loudly that I’m going
nowhere that day. It was not all that hard to convince Ernest
and we stayed put. The Roadhouse not only made good chips but
also had internet so we drank their bottomless coffee and did
more internet updates. In the process we met another cyclist
going north and low and be hold would he not be from South
Africa. We convinced him (Clyde from Pietermaritzburg) to stay
for the night and we had a good old chat.
27 August -
Wycliffe Well – Barrow Creek - 94km
We were rather
slow to emerge from our tents as outside it was bitterly cold.
We had some coffee and toast (made on the fire) and then said
good bye to Clyde. He continued on his way north and we headed
south. First stop was Taylor Creek Rest Area where we filled up
our water bottles and had a sandwich.
We cycled into a
bit of a head wind and once we reached Barrow Creek we called it
a day. Barrow Creek is a bit of a Godforsaken place with hardly
a campsite at all, but a welcoming pub. Although we had plenty
of time to carry on we set up camp as it was already getting
cold. Ernest cooked his usual delicious pasta and we were off to
bed rather early.
28 August - Barrow
Creek – Ti Tree - 93km
We were on the
road by 9h00 (early for us), soon we reached a rest area where
we filled up our water bottles and headed off to Ti Tree. We
reached Ti Tree very early but all the talk about a potato salad
along the way made us shop for some potatoes, salad veg, and
mayonnaise at the little store.
Once we bagged all
the ingredients we headed for the campsite. We had just pitched
our tents and made some coffee when a friendly lady camping
close by brought us some fruit cake. Needless to say it went
down very well. The people are just so friendly here.
It was still
fairly early, so we sat in the sun while Ernest started to
prepare the much anticipated meal. We were in no hurry to get to
Alice Springs, as what we understood form other travellers was
that there was not a campsite to be had in Alice due to a
trucking show in the town.
28 August - Ti
Tree – Aileron - 63km
We waited for the
sun to warm our tents before packing up. A short ride outside Ti
Tree we spotted some vineyards and a sign for wine tasting. Not
wanting to miss the experience we turned off the road to
explore. We even splashed out on a bottle of port. About 40km
from the start we found a rest area where we filled up with
water and ate some potato salad sandwiches. From the rest area
it was only another 20km to Aileron through Prowse gap, so we
were in Aileron fairly early. It was time to sample that port!!
It was a freezing
cold night so Ernest made vetkoek and soup which went down
extremely well with the port. He has now been declared the
undisputed “Vetkoek King of the Outback”!! A zillion stars lit
the sky while we sat all wrapped up in our sleeping bags. Life
was good!!
29 August -
Aileron – Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area - 105km
We only left
Aileron at around 10.30 and headed into the wind for the rest of
the day. Ernest was strong and led the way whilst I sat in his
slip stream (men can be sooo handy at times!) We only stopped
now and again to refill our water bottles and then were back on
the road, battling the wind again.
We arrived at the
Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area in good time and pitched our tents
right on the line for the night. We also met a guy from Germany
on a motorbike, who has been riding all the way from Germany and
who has followed most of our route since about Turkey.
31 August - Tropic
of Capricorn Rest Area – Alice Springs - 36km
We were up rather
early as we camped next to the Tropic of Capricorn monument and
people arrived early to take pictures. They will just have to
Photoshop us out of their pics (although many travellers along
the way have taken photo’s of us – even from their car windows).
We blitzed the
last few k’s into Alice Springs – mostly downhill. We passed the
marker for the highest point on the road between Darwin and
Adelaide (a mere 740m according to Ernest’s GPS) and then rolled
into Alice (our halfway point on the Stewart Highway). We
checked out a few rooms but camping was still way cheaper. I was
in serious need of a shower, and had to see a dentist ASAP!!
The day was nice
and warm, even hot, for a change, so it was time for doing
laundry and airing farty sleeping bags!
1 - 3 September -
Alice Springs
It was time to
face the facts and see the dentist. I have had a loose crown
since Indonesia and it was causing BIG problems, the gory
details of which I will spare you. Off to the dentist I went and
came back minus $180 and the tooth!! I will now have to cycle
around with a missing tooth until I can get back home one day to
have an implant or whatever it takes to fill that gap. Never in
my life did I think that I’ll be walking around with a gaping
grin!! From now on I will just have to keep my mount shut
(something I think Ernest will be happy about). Ok, ok it’s not
that bad, at least it’s not one of the front incisors.
I’m a little
disappointed in the Australian Barbie, “Savaloys (looks like a
vienna on steroids), onion and potato slices on a gas-fired
plate – not even a grid?? (How do I braai my sami’s now?). At
least Ernest is happy, grid or no grid, it’s our first real
meat-eating country since we left South Africa (besides insects,
dog, and the occasional chicken or goat – and, of course, pork
in China).
The following day
we spent shopping for foodstuff for the next few days. Ernest
bought a new tyre and pedals from the local bike shop and I
splashed out on a new bike computer. The weather report
predicted heavy storms and we batoned down our tents and waited
out the weather. Not much came of the storms, just a sudden
downpour towards evening.
We were planning
to leave on the morning of the 3rd, but we awoke to
rain and we were reluctant to leave the tents – I’m such a
baby!! The reception/shop at the camp had a small selection of
books to swap and I found a nice easy to read book and crawled
back into my sleeping bag. However, it was tempting to carry on
cycling as the sun came out every now and then – and the wind
was in our favour.
4 September -
Alice Springs - Stuart’s Well - 95km
We woke to the
sound of singing birds and a perfectly blue sky. Time to pack up
and start the long haul south. Once again I was surprised at the
large amount of colourful birds along the way. Parrots,
cockatoos, and large flocks of bright green budgies! Stunning.
We camped at the
grassless red earth campsite at Stuart’s Well, but can’t
complain as it was free and we were rewarded with the most
stunning sunset and a clear night sky, complete with shooting
stars and all. However, we had to be careful not to put anything
near the fence as the horses around the perimeter apparently
have an appetite for such things as towels, tents, and bicycle
saddles (recently the seat of a Harley was chewed up!).
5 September -
Stuart’s Well – Erldunda - 111km
There were two
rest stops with water along the way so there was no need for
carrying lots of water. Both looked rather inviting, but we
carried on south. The trees that we had all along the way since
Darwin gave way to shrubs and grassland. We cycled past the
meteorite conservation area and coasted in to Erldunda
Roadhouse, with a restaurant/pub, campsite and pre-fab motel
rooms. It was also the turn off for Uluru (Ayers Rock), so we
set up camp for the night before heading off in a westerly
direction (a rather long detour of 500 km there and back) too go
and see “the rock”. The area is not called the red centre for no
reason, the soil colour was a deep red, especially stunning at
sunset but not always so good for camping as all our gear takes
on a reddish tint. Even the lone Dingo we spotted along the way
had a rather red back. Interestingly enough I also spotted a
sign on a fence warning that poisoned bait had been put out for
“wild dogs”. Well I suppose “wild dog” sounds more acceptable
than “Dingo”!
6 September -
Erldunda –
Rest Area - 135km
I waited for the
sun to defrost me and chatted to the other campers before
packing up. Our slow start did not affect us too much as we
picked up a rather good tail wind and headed in a Westerly
direction to Uluru. That rock better be worth it! Once again we
found 2 really nice Rest Stops with water along the way. We
pulled into the first one to fill our water bottles and were
entertained at their caravan by Daryl and Gloria, what a nice
treat. After chatting to them for a while, drinking their coffee
and eating all their fruit cake we headed on to the next rest
area (can’t waste a tail wind).
7 September - Rest
Area – Curtin Springs - 28km
We awoke to a
rather miserable day, as it threatened to rain and the wind
picked up during the night, making the tent flaps roar like a
Boeing in the process of taking off. We were still having our
coffee when another cyclist pulled in. It was Carson from
Taiwan, of whom we have heard from various people along the way.
He was a day or two ahead of us and on his way back from Uluru
to the Stewart Highway. We chatted for a long time while it
rained a bit and we were all reluctant to leave the rest area as
the wind seemed to gather strength. Eventually we had to move
on, and before long we were cycling into a cold rain.
Fortunately Curtin
Springs was just down the road where we pulled in for a hot cup
of coffee. We were cold, wet and windswept so it did not take
much to convince us to pitch our tents and crawl inside for the
rest of the day. Only once I ventured out to get a loaf of bread
from the roadhouse shop and at Aus $7 it must be the most
expensive bread in the world!!
8 September -
Curtin Springs – Yulara - 88km
The weather seemed
to have cleared during the night and we were rewarded with a
huge rainbow across the sky. The dreaded Emu from the previous
day was back, inspecting everything and pecking on our tents. It
must have been time to wake up. We watched as dark clouds
gathered and disappeared. By 11.30 the weather gave us a break
and we quickly packed up and were on our bikes for the last
stretch to Yulara.
Wow, what a hard
day on the road it was. A gale force wind blew all day as we
battled on to Yulara. Not much was said between us, as we had
our heads down battling the wind. Eventually we arrived in
Yulara Resort camp and caught our first glimpse of Uluru in the
distance. By the time we pitched our tents there was not a drop
of wind and the cold weather seemed to have dissipated. We could
even sit outside and talk to other travellers. Typical!
9 September -
Uluru - In Nat Park viewing the rock – 37 km
We woke at leisure
and did the normal rest day chores. Eventually we got on our
bikes and cycled to Uluru. I was surprised at the size of Uluru;
somehow I expected it to be much smaller. It’s quite a dramatic
site as it rises 350m out of the desert floor and measures 9.4
km around its base. The sun did not want to play along and did
not want to come out properly to light up the rock for us. We
snapped a few pic’s and then went back to the campsite.
In a way it is
quite sad, that such a sacred site to the local Aboriginal
people is trampled by tourists who climb the rock. They also ask
that people should not climb up to the top but still many people
find this a kind of a pilgrimage.
10 September -
Yalara – Curtin Springs - - 88km
Ernest changed his
worn tyre and it was 12.30 by the time we left the camp site. It
was fortunately a much easier day than anticipated. The wind was
not as strong and we reached Curtin Springs shortly after 5. We
picked up some wood and made a camp fire. We also met Rudolfo
from Argentina who now lives in Melbourne. We sat around the
fire, had a few beers and were invited to his house once we get
to Melbourne.
11 September -
Curtin Springs – Mt Ebenezer - 107km
After our usual
slow start we got on our bikes and battled the wind all day
long. What a mission it is cycling into a head wind! We waved
good bye to our last glimpse of Uluru and headed back to the
Stuart High Way. Just after 5 we crawled into Mt Ebenezer with
its cheap red earthy campsite. I could not resist the French
fries from the roadhouse and before setting up camp I ate a
whole 5 dollars worth! Delicious! Then it was off to have a
really hot shower. Oh the pleasure of the small things in life!
The next morning
we woke at 5.30 with rain pelting down on the tent. The entire
campsite turned into a mud bath. We lay cocooned in our tents
waiting for the weather to clear. We, however, had no such luck
and it rained throughout the day. Later we went to sit in the
roadhouse pub/restaurant and sat there playing on the laptop and
drinking bottomless coffee until it came out our ears.
13 September - Mt
Ebenezer – Kulgera - 135km
We were happy to
open our tents and see that the rain had cleared. We were rather
quick to pack up before more rain came down. We had an excellent
tail wind for the first 60km to the Stuart Highway junction at
Erldunda. Then it was back in a Southerly direction, from where
the road beat a dead straight track south though the desert.
Another 75km along
the Stuart High Way brought us to Kulgera with a good campsite
and roadhouse.
14 September -
Kulgera – Rest Area - 61km
An icy wind blew
as we woke up and we were reluctant to leave. Battling into the
wind is one thing but battling into an icy cold wind is another.
It was 11 am by the time we finally left our cosy campsite. 22km
further south we officially crossed into the state of South
Australia. At the border is a good rest area and we bumped into
Gloria and Daryl again. Once again we got invited for coffee and
cake at their caravan. I wonder if these people realize what
luxury that is for us! We chatted for a while and then we were
on our way again. 40k’s further we found a good rest area, with
water and a nice shelter. We camped for the night as it was
already getting late. Another camper at the rest area, invited
us to share his camp fire and I was quick to get my billy on for
some hot water for coffee. The people are so friendly. That
night Ernest made more vetkoek than we could eat.
15 September -
Rest Area – Marla - 125km
What was with that
weather? As I woke I could hear the unwelcome sound of rain on
my tent again. Fortunately we had a perfect shelter, for packing
the bags and loading up the bikes. We set off in icy conditions
and in a constant drizzle. I was absolutely frozen all day long
- I even thought I had hypothermia (I can be such a drama
queen).
Ernest had not one
but two flat tyres along the way, not something one wants in
those conditions. We were, however, lucky to see some wild
horses and, yes, a big kangaroo, sitting right in the middle of
the road, just looking at us.
I was never more
pleased to ride into a camp site. A quick cup of soup with
leftover vetkoek and a hot shower was all I needed to be quite
happy again.
16 September -
Marla – Cadney Homestead - 85km
We did not leave
the campsite until after 12h00. Ernest repaired tubes and we did
some shopping at the little mini-mart for the next few days. It
was another cold and windy day on the road and we did not get
into Cadney until after 5.
Money has also
become a problem, Australia is incredibly expensive and I will
soon have to find myself a job in order to continue my travels.
Ernest has run out of money and me having to keeping both of us
is proving rather costly.
17 September -
Cadney Homestead – Pootnoura Rest Area - 80km
Another short
distance that took us the entire day to cycle. It was once again
a bleak day with low clouds, and an icy cold wind that blew all
day. We also had our fair share of bicycle problems, as Ernest
had two blow-outs due to his new back tire tearing at the
side-wall.
I stuck the iPod
in my ears and battled on, eventually we reached Pootnoura Rest
area, which had water and a shelter. I had my tent up in no time
as it looked like it was going to rain again. Oi the weather is
just not in our favour, not the best of days on the road.
18 September -
Pootnoura Rest Area – Coober Pedy - 78km
We struggled to
make some coffee in the windy conditions, but eventually got
some water boiling for an early morning cuppa. I was not looking
forward to another windy day, but we had to move on as our
supplies were running out.
We once again
struggled into an icy cold wind (sometimes from the front,
sometimes a fierce cross-wind), sometimes struggling to cycle at
more than 10km an hour. The gusts from the road trains nearly
blew me off my bike a few times. I clung on for dear life to the
handlebars and just about managed to stay on the road.
About 40 k’s north
of Coober Pedy we crossed the dog fence, a 5500km long fence
running across South East Australia to keep the dingoes out, and
then it was into opal country. All along the road we spotted
holes and piles of dirt littering the country side. Opal mining
is alive and well in Coober Pedy, the Opal Capital of the world.
19 September -
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is a
typical small mining town with corrugated iron houses, dirt
roads and eccentric looking foreigners seeking their fortune.
The town has one more fascinating feature - old worked out
mines have become homes. Living underground makes a lot of sense
as it gets extremely hot in this part of the world, apparently
the temperatures underground never rises above 23C. The
surrounding desert has also attracted a number of film makers,
and old movie props can still be seen around town. We’re camping
at the Opal Inn Caravan Park for a day or two, doing laundry,
stocking up with supplies for the road south, and so forth.
21 September -
Coober Pedy to Ingomar Rest area - 94km
It was time to
leave our lazy life of hanging around the campsite and get back
on the road. It was a much better day than expected, at least
the sun was out and the wind not too strong. The land was flat
and all we could see was miles and miles of nothing (except for
the “mole hills” where the optimistic miners were digging for
opals).
I tried to draw
some money before we left but to no avail. So off we went
without any money, at least we not going to need any in the next
few days. I had a big fight again with Ernest, so things were
not all that wonderful. At least the rest area was (as happens
at the free camping places) interesting with the usual bunch of
odd people camping there.
22 September -
Ingomar Rest Area – Bon Bon Rest Area - 79km
We battled into
the wind on a pan flat road with very little change in scenery.
On and on we went head down into the wind. I’m close to getting
white-line fever. Fortunate it was a short day and once at the
rest area we could pitch our tents and get out of the wind a
bit. We also met the most interesting people. Jen from Adelaide
is a 70-year old lady who drove all the way to Darwin to deposit
her late husband’s ashes into the ocean (she is a most
remarkable woman with loads of interesting stories - I will
definitely visit her in Adelaide).
23 September - Bon
Bon Rest Area – Glendambo - 87km
Ernest and I were
not close buddies, the wind was relentless and the road pan flat
again, I can’t think of anything worse. We battled on in
silence; this is just not worth it!! We reached Glendambo early
but I was (by then) really fed up with this whole situation and
decided to camp right there, get a LARGE bag of French fries,
have a shower and drink a LARGE glass of red wine. (My way of
solving problems).
At sunset the wind
dropped, the flies went to bed, and I felt a whole lot better!
24 September -
Glendambo – Woomera - 125km
Thank goodness not
all things are constant! We got on the road and picked up a
tail wind. Powered by the wind we sped south past vast areas of
nothing until we reached Lake Hart. What a sight it was, a salt
lake filled with water after the good rains they had in the
area. It is such a large pan that it resembled the ocean.
We were like two
horses that smelled the stables and would have sped right past
Woomera, was it not for me having a flat tyre along the road.
Woomera has a bit if a dark history as it was the headquarters
for experimental rocket and nuclear tests. Indigenous people
apparently suffered greatly from these nuclear fallouts. In the
centre of town is a rocket display area, and I was surprised at
how small some of these rockets were.
25 September -
Woomera-
Ranges View Rest Area - 120km
We passed more
salt lakes and some dusty rest areas along the way. We even
found water at Ironstone Lagoon Rest Area, about 70km south of
Pimba (turnoff to Woomera), which was great and we could fill up
our bottles. It was not at all necessary as there was water at
Ranges View as well (after carrying litres of our own!). We
pitched out tents as the wind came up and blew and absolute
gale, I truly thought my tent was going to take off with me
inside!
26 September -
Ranges View Rest Area – Port Augusta - 66km
We were in no
hurry to leave and packed up at leisure. It was a beautiful
spring day, sun shining, hardly any wind and flowers everywhere.
We rolled into Port Augusta early and headed for Shoreline
Caravan Park. Although a bit out of town it was cheap and had
good facilities. We sat around for a while, chatting to the
beer-drinking John, who lives in the caravan park.
27/28 September -
Port Augusta
The wind picked up
and I was happy not to be on the road. Did the normal chores of
laundry, internet and stocking up with some foodstuff.
29 September - Port Augusta – Port
Germein - 70km
After our night in
luxury accommodation we reluctantly packed up and resumed our
life on the road. A strong head wind battered us all day long,
but we struggled on regardless. In fact it became so strong that
it was getting right out dangerous to be on the road. Trucks and
busses blew us all over die road. Along the way we chatted to
people from this region who we’d met at one of our rest area
camps up North a few weeks earlier. By the time we reached the
coastal village of Port Germein, I’d given up and settled for a
night in the campsite (at the turn-off we met a cyclist, Grant
from Perth, cycling home from Sydney in 30 days – at least he
was cruising with the wind). The camp site opposite the “longest
wooden pier in Australia” wasn’t cheap at $20 but had a well
equipped kitchen and good showers.
Port Germein is a
rather forlorn looking place with just a few houses, a small
hotel and general store, the jetty, and campsite. This is
definitely a crabbing area and each and everyone here seems to
have a crab net for fishing off the pier.
30 September - Port Germein –
Snowtown - 98km
The wind eased a
bit and we headed down the highway, the closest and easiest way
to Adelaide. I have to get out of this windy area. Judging by
the wind-farms and mangled old windmills, this is obviously a
notoriously windy area. It was, however, a scenic ride as the
fields are green and stretch as far as the eye can see, we
passed small quaint towns like Warnetown, Red Hill and Lake
View.
We set up camp at
Snowtown, a village with a population of 600, 3 churches, a
hotel and general grocer. Camping was in the Centenary Park
community recreation area, where there was also a perfectly
manicured bowling green, tennis court, and of course the
football oval (which doubles as a cricket pitch in summer).
1 October - Snowtown – Dublin -
89km
Hallelujah, the
wind was with us for a change. We woke to a perfectly blue sky,
warm weather, gone was the icy wind! We had an excellent day on
the road past deep green wheat fields and yellow canola fields,
large salt lakes and interesting small villages the likes of
Luchiel, Wild Horse Plain and Windsor.
We reached the
tiny Dublin village early but it had such a good rest area that
we decided to camp there for the night (only the following
morning did we notice the small “no camping” sign).
2/5 October - Dublin – Adelaide -
62km
We rode into
Adelaide on 2 October, a breezy but sunny Saturday afternoon.
The streets were quiet and it was surely the easiest city we’ve
cycled into in a long time. Roads were wide and traffic ever so
orderly. No hooting, traffic jams or strange one-way streets,
just a plain and easy ride right into the city centre. We camped
at Adelaide Caravan Park for the night, again ever so orderly to
such an extent that I was wondering if it was plain boring or
peaceful???? Located on the banks overlooking the Torrents
River, it was however rather peaceful, but with so many camp
rules there’s no space for spontaneity and people seem to hide
away too scared to talk to you, just in case it’s against the
rules. Sigh….., I miss the good old Rest Areas from the Outback
with its eccentric travellers.
Nevertheless,
Adelaide remains a pleasant, spacious city with loads of parks,
river walks and cycling tracks. A very liveable city I would
say. Well, I guess with its 750 churches it is sure to put a
damper on things. We strolled endlessly down city malls and
picturesque river paths, ate pizzas and drank beers at side walk
cafes, ate their famous chocolates and in the process totally
blew the budget. For such an orderly city it has an amazing
amount of eccentric people, even strip clubs and sex shops (just
to stir things up a bit). I feel ill suited for city life as my
sense of fashion is obviously years behind!
Possums came to
visit us in our campsite, black swans floated down the river and
parrots woke us in the morning - not a bad place at all!!! Due
to the long weekend we waited in Adelaide for the shops to open
on Tuesday, when I bought a new rear hub for my bike which
Ernest fitted (I did get him a set of really good tyres for his
bike as well – he’d been going for the past 900 km on a blown
tyre which he’d sewn up with fishing line).
I have finally
come to a decision regarding my route for the near further. The
plan (which seems to change from day to day) is now to cycle to
Melbourne (or Sydney depending on the time) and then fly (via
South Africa) to South America in order to start the long road
north in summer. I think Ernest has other plans, so I may be on
my own there.
This was only my
first experience of an Australian city (Darwin and Alice Springs
are somewhat smaller), but already I thought that if I ever had
to live in Australia it would be Adelaide.
6 October - Adelaide – Mt Barker -
40km
Eventually
(eventually!) we packed up and left Adelaide, what I first
thought to be a boring, dull town turned out to be a great city.
I think Adelaide had endeared itself to me. We headed over the
Adelaide hills along the Crafers Cycle Path, past Stirling,
Aldgate, Bridge Water and Hahndorf (the oldest remaining German
settlement in Oz). What a fantastic ride it was, through
forested areas and quaint villages. Unfortunately the weather
came in and what started off as a beautiful morning, became an
icy cold, cloudy, blustery and drizzly day! We pulled into Mt
Barker Caravan Park early to get out of the weather, pitched our
tents and had some of the lovely red wine from the region to
ward off the cold. Not a bad day at all!! I could definitely
live in this area. We met a South African family who’d just
immigrated, living in one of the cabins in the park while they
look for a house and wait for their furniture to arrive – good
luck to them.
7 October - Mt
Barker – Tailem Bend - 79km
Gosh, I wish
summer will roll on! It was bitterly old as we headed off; we
followed the back road past Littlehampton, Nairne, Native
Valley, Callington and onto Murray Bridge. These tiny villages
are picture perfect, ever so neat and with lovely old restored
buildings. We cycled past farmlands, horsey areas and even
spotted a llama or two (what the heck are llamas doing out
here?).
From Murray Bridge
we followed the old road south along the west bank of the Murray
River. The head-wind was blowing storm-strength, I lost my sense
of humor and wondered just what exactly I was doing out there on
a bicycle!! At Jervois village we took the ferry (motor
pontoon) across the river to Tailem Bend town. After setting up
camp, a hot shower, a glass of the local red and a huge bowl of
pasta my sense of humor returned and things didn’t look all that
bad anymore.
8 & 9 October -
Tailem Bend – Meningie - 63km
We first paid a
visit to “Old Tailem Town” a pioneer’s village consisting of 105
old buildings, some dating from the 1800’s - uplifted from their
original places all over South Australia to form a true old
pioneer’s village. Not only houses but a church, school, movie
house, bank, shops, and railway station - the works!It was
rather late by the time we headed out of “town” and it was
another windy day on the road!! At least it was a short ride to
Meningie.
Meningie is
situated on the shores of Lake Albert with beautiful views of
the lake. The wind subsided, the sun set over the lake and
pelicans drifted past while terns ducked and dived in search of
their evening meal. A perfect ending to what was a rather
unpleasant and windy day on the road.
In fact, it was so
nice that we stayed the following day as well.
10 October -
Meningie – 42 Mile crossing - 83km
We followed the
road SE running along the Coorong National Park. What an
excellent day we had! A slight tail wind and excellent views of
the famed wetlands with its rich birdlife made it a pleasure to
be on the road. We cycled past Policeman’s Point and Salt Creek
to 42 Mile crossing (3 k’s off the road on gravel) where we
camped at the rather basic park camp for the night. The water
tank was dry, the “camp kitchen” had been taken over by a swarm
of bees, the flies and mozzies were attacking at the same time –
but we weren’t bothered by kangaroos, emus, and the lack of
other campers.
11 October - 42
Mile Crossing – Robe - 112 km
What’s with the
wildlife in this place? While packing up I got bombed by a
magpie. He obviously thought we had overstayed our welcome.
Powered by a serious tail wind we flew down the road past
Kingston (but not before we had one of their famous pies) and on
to the picturesque seaside village of Robe.
Camping right on
the ocean is something I always enjoy. We took a stroll into
town and pigged out on take-away chips, fish (for Ernest), and a
veggie burger for me. We should never have ordered a medium
chips each, it was huge!! So no doubt it will be a chip roll
for breakfast.
Along the road
we’d met a retired Dutch lady (Anneke) cycling in the opposite
direction. She came to visit her daughter and is now cycling
back to Netherland. She has no watch, no odometer and no cycling
partner! As she said, all she needs is a credit card, passport
and water!! She cycles when it’s daylight and sleeps when it’s
dark. You go girl!! Hats off to you!
12 October - Robe
I woke to the
unwelcome sound of tip, tip, tip on my tent! A steady drizzle
settled in, and it did not look like the kind of rain that was
going to stop any time soon. Ernest was already packed up but
there was no ways I was getting out of my tent – so he had to
unpack everything off his bike again!
13 October - Robe
– Millicent - 81 km
I listened
carefully for that tip, tip, tip sound on the tent, but
fortunately did not hear anything. So we quickly packed up,
loaded the bikes and got out of Robe. It was still bitterly old
and I was dressed for the Arctic Circle! We met 3 other
Australian cyclists, cycling from Adelaide to Sydney and I
looked at their bikes and gear with great envy! Jan was kind
enough to invite us to his home in Sydney (when we get there)
for a comfortable night. We may just take him up on that!
14/15 October -
Millient – Mt Gambier - 53km
We knew it would
be a short day so we took our time in packing up. Fortunately we
picked up a good tail wind and reached Mt Gambier early. No
sooner have we set up camp, at the campsite in town, or the
weather came in again. A steady drizzle accompanied by a strong
and gusty wind brought freezing cold weather, enough to send me
shopping for warmer clothes.
By the next
morning the weather deteriorated even more (if that’s possible).
I lay cocooned in my tent listening to the wind and rain for
most of the day. I fortunately found some girlie magazines in
the camp kitchen, and a packet of chocolate coated peanuts in my
bag! That, together with numerous cups of coffee kept me
occupied me for most of the day.
16/17 October - Mt
Gambier – Portland - 106 km
One can only
be stuck in a tent for so long. Dressed in my new winter woolies
we got back on our bikes in freezing cold weather accompanied by
occasional rain and high winds. Not my best day on the road!!
We followed the coastal road past Nelson and through large
sections of state forests; up and down over the hills we cycled
in freezing cold weather. For the second time on this trip we
were attached by Magpies along the way. I read the following:
“Spring
in Australia is magpie season, when a small minority of breeding
magpies (almost always males) around the country become
aggressive and swoop and attack those who approach their nests,
especially bike riders”
. Now I know why
they require you to wear a helmet! I was
more than happy when we reached Portland. In fact it was so
miserable that we weakened and took a cabin at the campsite.
What a good idea that was. The cabin came equipped with TV,
microwave, kettle, toaster etc, etc. We lived in style! In fact
it was so good that there was no getting me out of that cabin
the next day. I was warm as toast and very comfortable on a
bed!! (Ernest packed up and had to unpack again).
18 October -
Portland – Warrnambool - 105km
Eish!!! Time to
go. Back on the bike and out in the weather again. Actually it
was not that bad at all, we only got wet once or twice but at
least we had a bit of a tail wind. Past more wind farms and
farmlands we went. We even had time to explore the quaint and
historic town of Port Fairy. With its many old buildings and
pretty wharf it surely must be a popular place in summer.
Warrnambool is much larger than I expected and we found a
campsite right in the middle of town and with easy walking
distance to the shops. On a cold night there’s not many things
better than a hot shower, a mug of hot chocolate and a choc chip
muffin, ooh the luxuries of life.
19 October -
Warrnambool – Port Campbell - 71 km
The sun came out
for the first time in days. We were rather slow in packing up
and sat in the sun for hours. The road took us past many a dairy
farm, cheese factories and miles and miles of picturesque
pastures. We even spotted some black swans. Eventually we
reached the coast and the renowned Great Ocean Road. I was not
disappointed!! The scenic and very dramatic coast draws
thousands of tourists with prices to match. The wind and ocean
has eroded away the limestone to form dramatic pinnacles, coves,
caves and arches, a truly magnificent site. It was a good day on
the road and we turned off at every chance we had to admire the
view and take a few snaps.
20 October - Port
Campbell – Lavers Hill - 52km
We were lucky to
have another sunny day with little wind. Our fist stop for the
day was at Loch Ard Gorge another dramatic view point, then on
to the famous 12 Apostles. Soon the road left the coast and
headed uphill through eucalyptus forests to Lavers Hill, a small
settlement perched atop the Otway Ranges. It was a slow but
beautiful ride to the top. We met 3 cyclists from Adelaide
cycling to Melbourne, the night before, and saw then from time
to time along the way. In Lavers Hill I was hoping to see the
glow-worms but none came out, and once the sun set it was far
too cold to go exploring.
21 October -
Lavers Hill – Kennett River - 73km
After our usual
slow start, we headed downhill at over 50km/h. Soon, however, we
climbed up the hill again through the Otway National Park, a
dense forest with lovely fern gullies and then a nice downhill
ride to Apollo Bay. We carried on cycling along a magnificent
coastline to Kennett River where we found a campsite across the
road from the beach. With Koalas in the trees, ducks and
colorful birds, it was close to a paradise. We also met Alan and
Heather form England, cycling for the past 9 months on this
trip. The most amazing thing is that we previously met them at
Kannur in India in December 2008.
That night Ernest cooked a huge pot of pasta, we could not even
finish it all. The leftover pasta was neatly left in the pot but
we discovered that Koalas also likes pasta. The next morning we
found the lid under the tree and the pot totally empty.
Unfortunately Ernest also heard that his mother had passed away
the previous day.
22 October - Kennett River – Anglesea - 56 km
We chatted to Alan and
Heather forever and it was midday by the time we left. It was
also our first warm day in ages. What a beautiful coastline it
is, we cycled along the shore past Lore and Aireys Inlet.
Unfortunately the weather came in again and we reached Anglesea
to set up camp just in time before the rain came down.
23 October
- Anglesea – Rosebud - 80km
Instead of
cycling up the road via Geelong on the Western side of Port
Phillip Bay to Melbourne, we decided to take the ferry from
Queenscliff across the mouth of the bay to Sorrento, and cycle
to Melbourne along the Eastern shore instead. It was a good
choice as the stretch of road from Sorrento was very scenic. We
just missed the 15h00 ferry so had to wait until 16h00 for the
next one. In the meantime we had a bite to eat and then it was
time to board the ferry. The ferry cost 12 dollars and took
about half an hour across the short stretch of water. The road
from there to the camp site at Rosebud runs alongside the coast,
and although it was all built up, it was easy cycling. Instead
of cooking, we splashed out on pizza (just across the road from
the camp site).
24 October
- Rosebud – Melbourne - 80km
I was
concerned (as usual) about cycling into a big city, as traffic
can be hectic and we had no idea where we were heading. My
concerns were unjustified as it was Sunday and the road leading
into the city had a bicycle lane all the way, how cool is that?
What an organized city Melbourne is. Once we crossed the famous
Jarra River we were dead in the centre of town. It did not take
us long to spot a backpackers along King Street, aptly named
King Street Backpackers. Nothing in Australia is cheap but it
was very comfortable accommodation, with neat, clean rooms, a
kitchen and large communal area. I must admit that being in a
place where everything is closed and all locked up makes me be a
bit claustrophobic! Time to move on again.
25 October
- Melbourne
I spent most
of the day organizing a flight from Melbourne to Cape Town
(where I intend spending some time before going to South
America), getting a bike box and organizing a taxi to pick me up
and take me to the airport the next day. Ernest kindly packed my
bike for me in the box, as he will cycle on to Sydney from where
he hopes to get himself to South America. So that’s Australia
done and dusted for me!! Although I did not see half of the
country I was very impressed with what I saw and to think I was
not even all that keen on coming here in the first place.
26/27
October - Melbourne, Australia – Cape Town, South Africa - By
airplane
It was another
long and boring flight from one end of the world to another. I
was happy to have the opportunity to stop over in Cape Town
instead of flying direct to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was sure
great to see my family again. We wasted no time and immediately
got out the wine and ordered pizzas! Some things never change. |
