Tuesday, October 25, 2005
home safe and sound, the trip was a blast.
if i knew then what i know now, i probably wouldn't have gone, but all the same, i'm glad i did.
after flying to cairns we had dinner at a bar/restaurant called rattle'n'hum to meet the other guys going on the tour. as far as we could see the bar must have been owned by richard branson, as they seem to have a similar hiring policy. the tour guides make this their regular haunt when they are in cairns i think so they can check out the talent.
and backpackers everywhere!
the next morning we are up bright and early (well early anyway) for the flight to bamaga, which is the northern most airport in australia. we meet the tour guides who pick us up from the airport and take us to punsand bay, where we'll be staying for a few days before we begin the trip southward.
we pick our bikes for the day, i get a suzuki drz400, and still feeling enthusiastic, we're told to head up this little bit, around to the left, then there'll be someone there telling you which direction to go. i jump on the bike, head up the little track, nearly fall off about 5 times in 20 metres in the sand, turn right instead of left, and wobble my way down the wrong track. after a little bit i stop, thinking to myself that i haven't seen this bit before, and someone comes and rescues me and i turn around and go out the way i'm meant to.
the next 20 minutes are the hardest i've ever spent on a motorcycle. deep fine sand.
at this stage i'm stressing to the max, thinking that i've made the biggest mistake and no way should i be here.
time for work, i'll finish day 1 later...
if i knew then what i know now, i probably wouldn't have gone, but all the same, i'm glad i did.
after flying to cairns we had dinner at a bar/restaurant called rattle'n'hum to meet the other guys going on the tour. as far as we could see the bar must have been owned by richard branson, as they seem to have a similar hiring policy. the tour guides make this their regular haunt when they are in cairns i think so they can check out the talent.
and backpackers everywhere!
the next morning we are up bright and early (well early anyway) for the flight to bamaga, which is the northern most airport in australia. we meet the tour guides who pick us up from the airport and take us to punsand bay, where we'll be staying for a few days before we begin the trip southward.
we pick our bikes for the day, i get a suzuki drz400, and still feeling enthusiastic, we're told to head up this little bit, around to the left, then there'll be someone there telling you which direction to go. i jump on the bike, head up the little track, nearly fall off about 5 times in 20 metres in the sand, turn right instead of left, and wobble my way down the wrong track. after a little bit i stop, thinking to myself that i haven't seen this bit before, and someone comes and rescues me and i turn around and go out the way i'm meant to.
the next 20 minutes are the hardest i've ever spent on a motorcycle. deep fine sand.
at this stage i'm stressing to the max, thinking that i've made the biggest mistake and no way should i be here.
time for work, i'll finish day 1 later...
