DAY 38

16 days ago they rolled out of Melbourne with “new” bicycles after service. Thursday afternoon the rolled in to Sydney on bicycles that were so tired. Breaks, derailleurs, handlebars, racks and tires have been tested hard for the last 1200 km from Melbourne to Sydney. Anders and Lasse did the distance in two weeks with an average of 75 km per day. No restingdays. Up early, on the bike the whole day, eat, rest, sleep. That’s how the days have gone and they have now reached the second goal of the trip. SYDNEY!

It’s the craziness that drives them. The huge goal of reaching Darwin. The goal that no others than Anders and Lasse believes is possible. To average boys on and unusual long trip. Think about all the meters they cycled, all the meters they have climbed and all the kilometers they have fled downhill. Few accidents so far. Anders have dealt with the injuries, the cycleproblems and wounds Lasse have dealt with – so the challenges have quite equally been shared among the two cyclists.

Anders and Lasse isn’t even halfway, they will not be halfway when they hopefully reach Brisbane by Christmas (depending on the route). But Sydney is still a huge small victory, a victory were they celebrate they already have cycled 2200 km.

Thursday afternoon an old lady was impressed by the cycling and asked Anders if they weren’t afraid of the traffic? “Yes” Anders replies, they are, but “we cross our fingers and hope it goes well”. Anders thinks he also should have added “as long as the drivers take care and do not speed, so is the safety much improved already”. Another secret is getting eye contact with the driver to make sure you have seen each other.

Back to the man who helped Lasse in the unexpected hill on Thursday and the other guy that gave Anders an Pepsi. Such good guys! They are extraordinary, they offer a small favor that for Anders and Lasse seem gigantic. Lasse would have made it up that hill, in pain. But that a random dude saw that he needed help and offers that is great and beautiful. In the same way, that man who gives a Pepsi on the red light and says “you need it more than me” to Anders when it was more than 30 degrees and 50 km remaining until Sydney, he should also be saluted for making thoughts into actions. Everyday heroes. More than 10 000 cars have passed the boys, some cheer, some honk, a few hate, a few tries to hit them or scare them, some give them 50 cm others give them 2 meters margin. The drivers reflect the society and the differences here. The choice is yours the next time you meet a cyclist. Are you a rotten potato or are you thoughtful.

Here the other day Anders cycled into an roundabout. A small boy maybe 8 years old, played in it. He tried to hit Anders with a homemade sword. Anders, a bit shocked, got away and looked back. They boy is running and following Anders and wants to get him. Anders has the bike in a heavy gear and struggles a bit with getting up to speed. The boy got really close and is about to hit Anders when Anders just manage to cycle from him. A crazy situation of violence from a really young boy on big Anders. (not that it is the first time that has happened).

It’s Friday now in Sydney and the boys sits at a restaurant on the second floor on a sunny balcony. The found a place with some shadow and the rose/wine has it’s own cooler. Anders iphone is being repaired again with a new screen and new led, half the price of what it costs in Norway – and it was done in 30 minutes. Yesterdays night out was at a little bare with live music was an experience for the both of them. A lot can be written and said about that night, but will be summarized to that the two boys on stage was something Anders and Lasse never had seen before, nor heard. Really funny, skilled and entertaining.

That both Anders and Lasse has lost weight the last 38 days are no shock. But, what the weight in the apartment indicates, seems to good to be true. They will have to doublecheck before they can brag in public. It is no wonder you lose weight when you switch the office chair with sitting on a bike for almost the same amount of hours.

The photo beneath shows the different stages from Adelaide to Sydney, which is almost they way the route turned out.

Awesomestralia – a normal life is boring