DAY 37

Thursday morning Anders awakes at 6:00 AM due to the heat in the tent. The sun is straight at the tent and both inner and outer part of the tent is closed. He reaches out for the tentopening even though his ribs still hurt and gets to open the tent door. Fresh sea breeze blows in to the tent and that saves the boys from melting before the they get up. It’s still another two hours until Lasse will get up, so Anders takes his sleeping bag and mattress outside in the shawdow and slept there under open heaven.

They get up and pack their stuff. It is gonna be a very hot daywith over 30 degrees at 1 pm. They take on heaps of sunscreen before they roll out of the caravan park. Anders and Lasse cycle to a city center with several restaurants but now groceries stores in sight. “Get water here or just take it at a gas station on the road?” Lasse asks Anders. “Take something along the road” Anders replies.

Lasse’s chain falls of 4-5 times the first 2 km and his hands are full of grease. Then the uphill begins. from 0 to 300 meter in only 2 km. They are getting up from the beach to the top of a hill. No breakfast and no water on their bottles (they were supposed to get that along the road) and they still start climbing this hill. Anders starts cycling before he has to walk the bike. Lasse starts cycling put his chain keeps falling off under pressure. Lasse still has pain in the ass after walking up the Kosciuszko National Park a week before is having a hard time. Not only is it heavy but they are doing this on empty stomachs and with no water, and it is very hot.

The signs motivates Anders when they say it is only 2 km.

Suddenly a van slows down and roll down the windows. “Is it your friend down there” the man asks Anders. “Yes” Anders replies. “looks like he is having a hard time, shall I turn and pick him up? “Yes please he is out of water, just say hi from Andy”. The van disappears behind a turn and 10 minutes later he is on his way downhill. His speed is high, he honks and holds out a bottle of water to indicate that help is on it’s way. Anders continues and waits at the top, also quite thirsty.

A few minutes later the car comes driving with Lasse in the passenger seat. The man offers Anders a cold beer since he only had a bottle of water. Anders says “no thank you” but both of the Norwegians gives the man a firm handshake and a big thank you for the assistance. Anders and Lasse then cycles to the Bulli Lookout, a small dining place with great view over the ocean, the beach and the road they just climbed. They buy a milkshake, water and a coca cola, they feel like the day is saved.

After the turbulent start of the day they are back on track. 60 km to Sydney and they cycle on the old highway that is almost free off traffic until 40 km remains. Before they got that far it were some roadwoark. Anders waited on a green light. A white van rolls down the window and asks Anders “do you want a drink? you need it more than me”. “yes sure thanks” Anders replies and the man gets out a cold pepsi. This isn’t true Anders thinks. The wildest dreams he has had so many times while cycling happened. A stranger gives him a drink and doesn’t want anything in return. Amazing and touching. In the middle of nowhere. Anders waits for Lasse and saves some for him, although it is not that cold when Lasse gets there. a huge motivation boost on one of the hottest trips of the day.

The highway turns into 4 fields with plenty of traffic. A big road shoulder helps the boys for 20 km until they are close to Sydney. The shoulder is gone and the traffic heavy. It goes slowly before they finally can say they are there. Anders and Lasse is staying with two friends they got to know 5 years ago when they cut cabbage and celery at the Harslett Farm in Queensland. The boys are finally in Sydney. Two more resting days before they will continue the journey.

Anders’ phone is broken so the first day in Sydney is dedicated to fixing that. Laundry is also high on the to-do list over things they should do.

Pictures will come later.

Awesomestralia – a normal life is boring