I bought the GT550 in Adelaide and worked as a motorcyle courier for a few months. Having survived that I thought I would ride around Oz. I bought a swag and set off for Mt.Gambier.
I sprayed it pink and hand painted butterflies and dolphins.
Surfers paradise was great. I went to Movie World and Dream World where they film Big Brother. Had my photo taken on the Big Brother stage. Found the TT bike races in the arcade and was happy to find I can still win.
Got a bit lost in Brisbane. I went over a bridge and then went over it again going the same way as before, but I was sure I hadnt crossed back over the river anywhere else. Saw an advert for some extra money:
Research subjects wanted for sunscreen testing
Didn't bother.
Just after Rockhampton I met another bike on the road. Turned out to be Catherine, also from England, also riding around Oz on a Kawasaki. (Gpz500) We decided to ride together for a while and rode up to Mackay. Visited Eungella National Park and Finch Hatton Gorge. On the way back we saw a snake in the middle of the road. Catherine thought it was dead, but when another vehicle went by it moved pretty fast!
Cat and snake
The Great Ocean Road is amazing. Lots of bendy twisty bits, but they flow nicely. Riding this stretch of road in the winter is the not the brightest idea I've ever had, but the roads were empty - except the odd caravan. They were easy to pass though because they kept stopping to look at rocks. I didn't stop as much as I would have liked because every time I took my gloves off I couldn't get them back on again.
Me in Melbourne near the casino.
At last it was getting warmer, Sydney was bright and sunny and I had one last look at the Opera House before riding over the Harbour Bridge - just like Billy Connelly did on his trike (only I don't have a back-up crew!)
Sunset NSW
Charters Towers to DarwinI had ended up in The Outback without really realizing it. The road from Charters Towers to Mt. Isa is very open and isolated. Its an amazing feeling to be out on the road with no other traffic. Lots of road kill and birds. I had my first kangaroo encounter. They are extremely unpredictable and bounce around in front of you before hopping off into the bush. I dont ride at night or early in the morning for this reason, but they can be found during the day in very remote and quiet places.
When I got to Kununurra I was hot, tired and ready to drop wherever my body landed. I hadnt even unloaded the bike when a beer was put in my hand and I was talking to a couple from Perth who had ridden up the coast on an ST1100. I had a couple more with Donna and John before jumping in the pool to cool off.
As the sun was setting thousands of bats flew overhead. It was an awesome sight. There wasn't a patch of sky not filled with bats. It lasted for about 10 minutes. I was told it happened the night before, but had lasted even longer.
The 4WD trip into Kakadu was excellent. We swam in waterfalls and up gorges. There were lots of rocks to climb and jump off into the deep pools. I enjoyed the bushwalking more then I thought I would! On the last day we went on a crocodile safari. I am glad they took us there after I had been swimming otherwise I might not have gone in!
Sunset in Kakadu
