Down under mate!

So the next leg of the journey is well under way - loving Australia, and even more the spontaneous kindness of so many people that I am meeting along the journey! Life is good!

I arrived in Sydney on Friday the 23rd August, caught the ferry to Palm Beach and whilst I had stopped on the roadside to look on the internet for places to camp, a vehicle stopped beside me and a guy asked: "Hey mate, where are you headed?". I told him my story and that I was cycling to Cairns and he said, "Well hop in, you're staying at my place tonight." Ron and Deb from Wamberal - great hosts, really nice people, such incredible hospitality - I ended up staying for 2 nights!

Route from Sydney to Wamberal

Ron and Deb - such nice people!

After Wamberal, I headed to Newcastle, but after about 30kms I had to stop as I had some bike troubles. A cyclist, Steve, stopped to ask what was wrong and to assist me. He also told me there was a much easier route to Newcastle (being a bus driver he knows all the good routes), and decided to cycle with me all the way to ferry, paid my ticket and told the ferry driver to take good care of me! He then cycled 40km back home - wow, amazing - thanks Steve!

Steve - amazing guy

Feeding parakeets at Tea Garden

Feeding kookaburras some kangaroo meat

Brian & Doris you are great guys -
thanks for the great talks and hospitality

I got to Nelson Bay just too late to catch the ferry, so I got hold of Brian and Doris who came and picked me up ten minutes later and I stayed at their beautiful home near the beach. Later that afternoon they showed me around, and the wonderful lookout points, and in the morning I got to feed some more birds. Then I took the ferry to the Tea Gardens - I got to feed the parakeets and kookaburras, brilliant!

On Saturday I travelled from Bulahdelah to Taree, there was lots of rain; camped overnight in Taree in such heavy rains, but thank goodness the tent proved to be fully waterproof.

Praise the Lord the rain stopped on Sunday, and with the wind at my back at about 15km per hour, and above all - flat road; this is my lucky day - I have also passed the first 1000km mark, what do you want more!

Heading for Port Macquarie.

See you later....