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377km Manjimup to Waikiki

Time passes so quickly. When we were sitting on the beaches of Yallingup, just staring at the waves crashing on the rocks, we felt we could have stayed forever. A few short days later and we’re nearly back in Perth – back in civilization with its grand homes and green lawns, a supermarket and a frothy cappuccino shop on every corner.

Cycling around the country towns and quiet woodlands of rural Western Australia, we felt we were readjusting to life in the developed world just fine. Gorgeous national parks and isolated camping combined with a barbecue and toilets in every little village was the perfect mix of nature and nurture for two wandering cyclists.

But returning to the city after two weeks of camping, it’s hard not to feel a bit adrift. One of the things a long bike trip does to you is that it greatly simplifies your life. What you can’t carry in four bags on your bicycle, you just don’t need. Food, warmth and a safe place to sleep are your only requirements. It’s like being a baby again.

And if then, on top of that, you spend the better part of the last year, as we have, cycling through less developed countries, you feel your needs shrinking even more. You see people every day who make do and raise families on only the barest of resources and you start to look like the rich one – you with what you thought was a humble bicycle and a few meager bags. (more…)

340km Busselton to Manjimup

We get a late start out of Busselton – the biggest tourist town in this part of Australia. People just can’t resist those white, sandy beaches and the area apparently triples in size over Christmas.

Our late start isn’t down to sightseeing. The trendy cafes are out of our budget and we definitely don’t need a Busselton t-shirt. We just can’t drag ourselves out of bed. The relentless wind since we left Perth never seems to turn in the right direction. It’s worn us down.

Two pots of coffee later, we finally get going and for the first few kilometers the cycling is straight out of a dream. We’re on a beautiful bike path by the teal green ocean and the wind hasn’t yet kicked in.

When the bike path ends, however, the whole situation turns around. We are unceremoniously dumped onto a busy highway with no shoulder. Most cars are courteous and leave enough space as they pass but the few vehicles that cut it fine make us nervous.

We spend the next half hour with our eyes glued to our mirrors, waving our hands as each car approaches to make sure they see us. Once or twice we can’t see any sign of movement so we make an emergency escape to the unpaved shoulder. This isn’t our idea of fun.

We’re happy when the next town appears and we can once again escape to more quiet roads. We cross our fingers for quieter cycling ahead as we sort out a few chores. With the post office visited, the grocery shopping done and emails checked, we’re off again.

Our afternoon plan is to head to a microbrewery, where they have free BBQs for customers to use. What an idea! We are very tempted to try some local beer and even more so if we don’t have to buy an expensive meal. Rain clouds are gathering overhead, but we decide to go for it anyway. (more…)

354km Perth to Busselton

Here a kangaroo, there a kangaroo. Everywhere in our path, there are kangaroos!

We can’t get over how many of these bouncing creatures are roaming the fields and forests of Australia. Just five days into our ‘down under’ adventure, the Kangaroo Count is well into the dozens and we still aren’t tired of seeing them jump across our path.

It’s actually quite hard not to giggle like children when one goes bounding by. And unlike most things used to draw tourists into a place, we can assure you that kangaroos are just as cool in real life as they appear on TV!

“Do you think one will bounce on the tent tonight?” Friedel asked as we found a quiet forest to sleep in one evening. A kangaroo had wandered past while we were setting up and we wondered if our home was blocking a marsupial motorway. The kangaroos must have good night vision, because none jumped on our roof.

More than kangaroos have been keeping us amused. There are also the many-coloured cockatoos, dozens of other birds, possums, fields full of elegant horses and burly angus cows. Yes, if there’s one thing Australia does well, it’s animal life.

Australia is also pretty good at regulations and recommendations. (more…)