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| Racing pigeons on Java |
Various things have broken since I last wrote: speedometer, sleeping mat, lock, my left foot. All have been easily remedied apart from the last. I thought I may have a stress fracture but Dr Google diagnosed "hot foot". Either way, it needed a rest. So I hopped onto a couple of coaches to cross Java and then rode from the eastern city of Surabaya around the coast to where I could catch a ferry to Bali (for 35p). This part of Java was a fantastic. Creeks through mangrove swamps harboured colourful wooden fishing boats, fields of chilli were flecked with reds and orange, and in paddy fields the workers waded knee deep - planting or ploughing or harvesting their crop. Farm labourers are paid about $1 per day, enough for a can of coke and packet of biscuits at local prices. The friendliness of the people combined with the lack of tourists makes Java one of my favourite places so far.
After the elbow to elbow crowds of indonesian cities riding into Cairns in north eastern Australia was like riding into a ghost town. Few people, fewer cars, no mopeds.
In the city centre a police car pulled up beside me: "Goodday mate, where's your helmet? Its a $135 fine for not wearing one." I apologised and pulled my recently bought helmet from my luggage. Another lucky escape.
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| The coral and fish are only a few feet beneath the surface. |
Cairns is an ideal place from which to visit the Great Barrier Reef - as it is relatively close to the shore. I did a day trip and snorkelled from a boat. The coral and fish were spectacular but my favourite were the giant clams - hideously ugly on the outside but regally decorated with purple and pearl inside. Around Cairns there are vast mountain ranges covered in pretty undisturbed rainforest, waterfalls and wierd wildlife.
It is almost 2000 miles from Cairns to Sydney via the Mountains. That is long leg on a bad foot. It hurts a little, but missing all this and not seeing New Zealand would hurt more. The road goes on and so do I. Fingers crossed for a tailwind.
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I went looking for giant birds called Cassowarys, but saw
this 3 foot long monitor lizard instead. |
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| Birdsong and insect calls are the soundtrack to my ride through tropical Australia. |
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| Just as you would imagine. Sleepy and beautiful. |
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| Wallabies hopping about my campsite. |
