Cycle complete!
I leave Melbourne on the Monday morning Ireland are playing Italy in the World Cup. (Rugby matches always help me to remember certain events!) Its 4:15am and my wonderful hosts John and Jen haveleft the breakfast all set out for me before I head. I down 3 weetabix and a glass of orange juice before I hop on the bike and grab a train to my start point on the west side of the city. I shiver as I step out into the darkness in my shorts and figure that you actually may need to wear trousers in Australia! It isn't many hours before this notion becomes easily forgotten. So far in the 16 days I've been here I'm still yet to wear any trousers and have stuck to shorts the whole time.
It isn't long before the sun creeps up over the dusty horizon and the temperature begins to markedly increase. It will eventually hit 33C this day but as I pedalled my first few miles towards Perth the unusually early morning cool pleasantly filled me with a fresh energy I hadn't remembered feeling in ages. I see the signs for the Great Ocean Road and soon enough I'm cycling right beside the sea, with the sea air filling my lungs. I take a break at a stunning lighthouse and wolf down some fruit I'd bought along the way. After a short break I hop back on the bike as the midday heat suddenly begins to kick in.. An hour later and Im worn out so I pull over into the bush to make some dinner. Tuna, Rice and Carrots... "Wahey!" I remark to myself sarcastically. Another bland dinner to enjoy on the road. Its actually not too bad but when you've had your mothers cooking for 21 years I tell ya its hard to compare Tuna and Rice with Bacon and Cabbage or Chinese Chicken Curry or.... sorry don't get me started! After lunch I nap away for 2 hours under the shade of a gum tree and then continue on my way for a few more hours of pleasant riding until I decide that I better find a camping spot before the sun goes down completely. I check the price at a camping site and when quoted $31 for the rent of a patch of grass, I decline and continue cycling till I find a nice quiet field. Unfortunately due to where I was on the coast, fields, and especially flat ones, were non-esistant along the rugged coastline. So in the end I slept on an upward angle, which to my surprise was actually rather comfortable as I enjoyed a brilliant 10 hours sleep. Who needs to spend $31 to enjoy a good nights rest! :)
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The AuthorName: Daniel Ross Top Tips:
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October 2016
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