Quorn to Gladstone - 120 km

I don't know why, but the Blogger app automatically places my photo at the end... So scroll down first, look at them and come back up here again. Might make more sense.

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Felt a bit like Donald today. As I was setting off from Quorn, my mate Paul pointed out that my back tire seemed a bit flat. So he brought out his bike pump with a pressure gauge. Guess what? Turns out the pressure in my tire was 40psi. The ideal pressure is 60psi. That's a shortfall of 20psi... Have you seen the Donald Duck episode Clown of the jungle? Donald tries to take a photo of the beautiful birds, but another bird messes with him. When he finally manages to get the shot and is going to take out the film for developing, it turns out he never put film in it in the first place. He goes loopy. That is how I felt this morning, haha.

Anyhoodle, set off. Heading; south. Immediately I noticed the amazing scenery. After Port Augusta it has improved ten thousand times. The ONLY interesting thing between Esperance and Ceduna was the Bunda cliffs. So seeing sweeping hills, trees and wildlife every day, all day is a most welcome thing. All the locals I've spoken to have all said it will only get better from here. Excited!

Small towns all over the place. Today I passed through six towns, all quite nice. Finally staying within civilisation. Less water and food to carry. Also breaks up the day a lot more and motivates. As I was causally peddling through Melrose, I passed a well equipped bike shop. A BIKE SHOP, in a town with less than 200 people. Got talking to one of the staff and he told me there's a lot of mountain bikers coming through here because of many good tracks in the area. Staying there for a good 30 minutes. So if you're passing through this way, make sure you stop by. They also have a cafe and free WiFi!

Along the way I passed these big hollow trees all over. Reaching probably 20-30 meters into the sky, they all have partly or fully hollowed out bases. So cool to see.

My new setup is working great. I'm still carrying 45ish kg, but all on the bike. It took some getting used to, but so much easier to build up speed. I mean, I was flying today. Reached a maximum speed of over 45km/h and a good average of 22.1km/h (according to my speedometer).

Because I'm now only doing 100-120 km a day, I can take my time and stop at places I like. Not having to rush like I had to on the Nullarbor. Also stopped in a town called Laura and ended up talking for ages with the lovely ladies in the information centre.

After setting up my tent (it needed to dry first) and making a lovely tuna & cous-cous dinner, I had to bring my sewing kit out. My tights have started to...shall we say open up to the world. These tights are amazing. I bought them in St. Maxine in southern France in 2008 when my grandparents took me to see one of my great aunties whos got a house down there. Beautiful place by the way. St. Tropez, Nice, Monaco... If you ever get the chance, go. It is absolument magnifique!! Sorry, back to the tights. We went shopping and bought a few gym clothes, including those tights. So I've had them for six years. Six years! Still going strong, but might have find another pair when I get to Sydney.

Like I said, I'm truly starting to enjoy Australia now. Finally getting interesting. Can't wait to see the rest. Tomorrow is a short day, only 80 km. Heading to Watervale, where I'll be staying with a nice couple I met through the cycling site Warm Showers (cylist version of Couch Surfing basically). Then from there I'll head towards Renmark, camp out and hopefully arrive on Sunday.

Nos da! (Welsh for 'good night')

Quorn - Break from biking

Universe works in mysterious ways

If I hadn't had the troubles with the bike, I would never have experienced this. See? Things happen for å reason.

Woke up this morning in the Big4 caravan park in Port Augusta, after having arrived late last night. After my bike breaking down in Poochera I was lucky enough for a truckie to pull in at the exact moment I needed it. Turned out he was an engineer that designs products and develops methods of securing cargo on truck. As more of an intrest, he would take on the occasional job. Funny enough, he had past me on the Nullarbor a few days before (heading west) and was now on his way home. So he offered to give me a lift all the way to Port Augusta.

Anyhoodle, woke up in PA, had breakfast, grabbed my rear wheel and walked across town to the bike. Here I was greeted by a lovely chap who started hammering and working away on my wheel seconds after I'd gone G'Day mate. Turned out he'd been to Norway about 40 years ago and had loved it. He very much reminded me of that stereotypical grandad type, with his white beard, glasses on the tip of the nose with eyes frowning at you Dumbledore style (the first actor who played Dumbledore, but sadly passed away). Anyhoodle, he put in two new spokes and straightened my wheel out. Only $32.50, plus I got two new spare spokes. Bargain!

Then my host, Paul, was kind enough to come down to Port Augusta to pick me up. After we'd done a Mary Poppins style packing of all my stuff, we drove up to Quorn where he lives. This is by far, the most beautiful, peaceful and postcard-perfect town I've seen in Australia. Instead of rundown buildings and a blank characterless town, I was met by old, beautifully maintained old buildings. All complete with quirky old details all over them. All the shops had signs in the historically correct font. And it was so peaceful. No major traffic noise. No drunken people roaming the streets. It was as if time had stood still for years.

Paul himself does tours (kayak, motorbike, camping, vintage cars WTC.) in this region of South Australia. He showed me his motorbikes earlier... Wow, amazing. Will try and get a photo some time this week.

The house I'm staying in is a beautiful (listed) building, built in 1881. Which, in Australia, in considered very old. Nice wooden flooring and majestic fireplaces and rooms that are big and great.

So I plan on staying here for a few days, relaxing and truly enjoying life.

Tomorrow I'm working on my bike rack, on how I can get everything with me. Will keep you posted. Plus going to have a walk around town, taking more pictures.

Like this? Now that I've actually have got signal I plan on trying to post more regular updates like this. Stay tuned!

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Posted from my Android phone, so please excuse any minor spelling mistakes.

Leg one = 1046km (650 miles)

Made it to Esperance
As I was coming in to Esperance the feeling of pure joy came over me. The feeling of accomplishment. I think it's fair to say I felt a bit proud of myself (not to brag). But also, the knowledge that me cycling across Australia is really helping children in Norway and Australia is great. I checked my emails a couple of days a go and found an email from Sykehusklovnene (Hospital clowns) that said "You're doing great, you're over halfway towards your goal". Someone donated 5000kr (AU$ 810/£450)!

NEW ROUTE

The journey to Sydney and to Perth went great. Here in Perth, I've been staying with a great Scottish family. So the final details are coming together now. One thing has changed though: the first leg of my journey. Check out the new route.

My choice of stallion

In a few days (next Tuesday) I'm leaving New Zealand and heading over the ditch and into Australia. I'll arrive in Sydney airport in the afternoon, spend the evening/night there, before heading over to the domestic terminal and catching my 07:20 flight to Perth.

Am I prepared? Is everything in order? Of course not EVERYTHING is order, that'd be boring. But I'd like to think I managed to cover a lot so far. Check it out.

Inspiration

It's no secret that we humans digest, observe and interact with everything we see. I believe that all we do, see, hear, touch etc. affects us in some way or another. It doesn't have to be a huge impact, it could something as small as deciding to wear a blue tie instead of a black tie to a dinner party. We base our lives on the impressions we're faced with.

My 10 tips for becoming an expat

expat

ɛksˈpat/

noun & adjective

informal

1. 1.

   short for expatriate.

Moving abroad can be both liberating and scary. You get to see a whole new world other then the one you grew up in. As you know, I love travelling and I love seeing new places. But there's a difference to going somewhere on holiday and moving there, becoming an expat.

My Australia plans

Well, the time has come to reveal what I'll actually be doing in Australia. Over the last three months I've been putting together the specifics, looking at charts and graphs and reading countless blog posts and books about this. I've received help from people in several countries and gotten a great deal of advice. So here it goes: I'm going to cycle across Australia from Perth to Brisbane, over 5800 km, to raise money for kids in hospitals.

Top ten travel quotes

Books, films, music, people...EVERYTHING can inspire you. One can find a source of inspiration wherever one looks. I draw my inspiration from all that. From the Narnia Chronicles. From The Blind Side. From my mother. From the two old Canadian ladies I met last year who was backpacking through UK. From the colourful sunrise on the beach.

The life of a solo-traveller

Travelling by yourself brings on many challenges. It tests your patience, your courage and above all, yourself. There might be moments where you'll feel lonely and vulnerable, where you feel like a stranger.

But I wouldn't trade the memories I've gained from solo-travel for anything in the world. It has allowed me to experience things in a different way, my way. I've gotten to know myself in a whole new way and I'm still getting to know myself. There's no "social noise" around you, you get to make decisions by yourself.

Working Holiday scheme

(!) See disclaimer at the end of article (!)

Source: J. Aaron Farr CCA licence

Want to really experience a country and its culture? Want to see the local sights, hidden off the "tourist-track"? Then a Working Holiday visa might be just your thing. The visa allows you to travel a country for a longer period of time and finance your travels by working. It's a fantastic opportunity and one I would encourage any person, with access, to do at least once in their life.

Waiheke island - Paradise

Waiheke island is located just outside Auckland city centre and is the second largest island in this part of the world, Great Barrier island being the largest. The island has over 8700 permanent residents, so ferries are frequent and reasonably priced. Departing from the Britomart (bottom of Queens Street) every hour and only costing NZ$36 with return, it offers a great escape from the city.

Homesickness and how to battle it

In my opinion, travelling is one of the best things a person can do. To try something new. To experience something completely different. Trying out a new spicy dish in India, staying in a monistary in Thailand, pet a kangoroo in Australia, hiking in "Middle Earth", posing next to Big Ben and meeting new people from all over the world; that's living.

Moving to Auckland

First I'd like to give a huge thank you to my friends in Tauranga who have supported me this week. Giving me a place to stay, food and support. I am forever in your debt and promise I will make it up to you in the future.
Also thanks to my friends and family back home in Europe, who've given me comforting words over Skype.

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One 90 litre hiking backpack, a 25 litre daypack and one bag containing my lunch and jacket. That's all my possessions (here in NZ). Backpacking and travelling on a limited budget makes you really think WHAT to pack and HOW to pack it.

As a result of quitting my job on Friday, two things happened; one, I became unemployed (obviously). Two, I became homeless. But you know what? It didn't scare me.
There's ALWAYS a job. It could be working as a cleaner at night in a supermarket or as a bartender in the trendiest part of town. My point is, there's always a job out there. And this year is also teaching me to let go and just take a leap of faith that everything will be fine.

I'm now waiting for the Intercity coach to take me up to Auckland, where I've managed to get some work on a farm, planting potatoes, for the next 1-2 weeks. It's not paid, but I work for food and accommodation (I will do a post about WWOOFing sometime later this week). It will allow me to take the train in to the city on days off and apply for jobs.
Any job. Pub, club, shop, kindergarten...everything.

I have really enjoyed my time in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. It's a beautiful place with amazing beaches and a laid back and relaxed lifestyle. So if all goes after plan, I'll come back to Tauranga for Christmas to see my friends.

But for now, I'm off to the big city of Auckland. See ya!

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(This post was published through a mobile device, so please excuse any spelling mistakes, basic photo editing or the general layout of the post.)

Weekend in Rotorua (mobile post)

Good morning (or evening, depending where you are in the world)!

Currently I'm on a holiday in Rotorua, with friends from my Auckland orientation. This weekend is absolutely packed with heaps/loads of adventure; skyline, zipline, zorbing/OGO balls, mud pools and more.

So far it's been a great weekend and I can't wait to show you all! Hopefully by the beginning of next week I'll be able to show you all the videos and pictures from the trip.

In the meantime, here's a picture from onboard the gondola (Rotorua Skyline).

Stay tuned and see you soon!

The 101 things I want to do before I die - My bucket list

The first time I heard about a "bucket list", I was around 14 years old. A film called A Walk to Remember had been released. It featured this girl who had been diagnosed with cancer and her desire to do all the things on her list before she died. (I'm not going to reveal the end, so you'll just have to watch it).
Not long after, I typed up my first bucket list and hung it on my bedroom door. It didn't have that much on it, but a few on the things still remain on my current list. It stayed there for many years and slowly I started to tick a few of the boxes.
Unfortunately the original list was lost, but I managed to remember most of it and have added many more dreams over the years. Until now, mine has been a word document saved on my computer.

A bucket list is a list of stuff you'd like to do. It's not like the ordinary to-do lists people make at the beginning of the week to feverishly try to balance work and spare time. No a bucket list is a list of dreams, activities and adventures you would like to do some time before you die.

December 2012: Licence - Though this is a fairly new dream, a few years back I suddenly wanted to get my motorcycle licence. Still have to buy a bike, but I'll get to that one day.

So why should you have one? Well first of all, it's important to have a dream. A goal. Something to aim for. It doesn't have to be huge like becoming the President of a country. It could be something as small as making you grandma smile every Saturday by bringing her flowers. Point is that we all need to embrace that inner child in us. That "Peter-Pan" stage of our lives where everything is possible if you only believe.

You can go about it in many different ways. You can make a scrapbook with recycled paper, use an website to manage your list or fill a wall with colourful post-its. Point is you need to find a way that suits you. It's no point me telling you what is the right way, cause there ain't one. What I will do however, is tell you how I went about it.

London New Years Eve 2012-13 : When I was growing up, I used to watch the telly on New Years and see the celebrations from all over the world. London, Sydney and New York was always my favourites. So that's how my childhood dream ended up on my list.

Brainstorming and thinking makes it easier to know what you want, really want, and that would make you truly happy might not always be an easy thing know. Take some time to do this, like an hour or two. Go to a place where you can relax, breathe and think. For me this is the beach on a sunny day. Listening to the waves relaxes me immensely.

Draft it on a piece of paper (or on your computer). Just write, or draw, whatever comes into mind. Remember, this is your list. Not your dads or your best mates', it's yours. The stuff you put on this list might seem silly to others, even borderline rude, but to you it means something. That's all that matters.

I bought this leather bound notebook with high quality paper.

The final version should be something you've put some thought into. Like I said at the beginning, this is not the average weekly to-do list which has got the groceries on it. This a list of life. Having said that, nothing is set in stone. You can add or change your list. Only rule is that it's your list.
My way of doing it is having two pages for each goal. On the left page there will be a headline with the dream and pictures from it. Then on the right side I'll write about it, what happened, where I did it and how it was.

By spending some time with it, you make it special. It's not just another piece of paper to go next to the pile of bills or in that folder on your computer where you save all the mixed documents. Nurture it. It's your new mantra. Your new Bible if you want to call it that. It's a reminder about your dreams, about your goals. So if, and you probably will at some point, feel a bit lost in your life you can look at your bucket list. You've done the hardest part, identifying your dreams. All you have to now is make them happen.

Put your personal touch to it

Now, some people might say that you should only put stuff that realistically can happen on there or that they think you're capable of. I think you shouldn't. My personal opinion is that you should write your dreams down, regardless how unrealistic they may seem. I put "Present at a TED talk". Now, I'll admit that I'm not any close at the moment in receiving an invite to speak at an TED event, but who's to say it won't happen in 30 years from now? Point is, don't limit yourself. It's your dreams.

William Arthur Ward once said “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.”

Here's my bucket list (in no particular order)

My bucket list

Travel

1. Live in a different country- V
2. Travel by myself - V
3. Travel to Oxford - V
4. Travel to Venice (Italy)
5. Travel to Australia
6. See the Sydney Opera House
7. Celebrate New Years in London - V
8. Celebrate New Years in Sydney
9. Celebrate New Years in New York
10. Do Route 66 (USA) on a motorbike
11. Travel to Scotland
12. Travel to all seven continents
1. Europe - V
2. Asia
3. Oceania/Australia
4. Africa
5. North America
6. South America
7. Antarctica
13. Interrail - Travel Europe by train
14. Travel to the end of the world - V
15. Travel to the north of Norway and see the Northern lights
16. Travel to Svalbard (Norway) and see polar bears
17. See the Pyramids of Giza
18. Travel in a hot air balloon
19. Experience weightlessness
20. Swim in every ocean
1. Pacific Ocean - V
2. Atlantic Ocean - V
3. Indian Ocean
4. Southern Ocean
5. Arctic Ocean
21. Go to the airport and pick a random flight and go there
22. See the Eiffel Tower
23. Travel to the North Pole
24. Travel to the South Pole
25. Fly a plane
26. See an active volcano (active as lava)
27. Have a pint at the Oktoberfest in Munich
28. Travel to Pompeii (Italy) and see the stone people - V
29. Visit the Amazon Rainforest
30. Cross a country by foot/bike
31. Attend the Mardi Gras in Sydney
32. Ride the cable cars up the hills of San Francisco (US)
33. Celebrate St. Patrick’s in Ireland

Work/education

34. Get a degree from university - V
35. Get a degree or certificate from University of Oxford
36. Work as a bartender
37. Get a job I love
38. Work for Travel Channel OR National Geographic
39. Work with kids - V
40. Volunteer for an orphanage
41. Find a job I’m completely happy in
42. Work as a teacher
43. Be a jury member
44. Study philosophy and/or psychology
45. Open a cafè in the countryside
46. Volunteer for a charity - V
47. Run my own business - V

Random

48. Sleep under the star one night
49. Learn conversational Spanish
50. Learn a Sign Language
51. Learn to play the piano
52. Be two places at once - V
53. Find a cure for my animal allergies - V
54. Get a motorcycle licence - V
55. Improve my handwriting and write more letters/postcards - V
56. Pet a kangaroo
57. Get a book published
58. Drive a Ferrari
59. Do a skydive
60. Spend a few weeks in a buddhist temple
61. Run a marathon
62. Get over my fear of heights - V
63. Get a tattoo - V
64. Read every book I own
65. Have over 500 books in my own library
66. Watch the sunrise on the beach
67. Hitch-hike
68. Get six pack abs
69. Have a “slow-motion-moment-with-family/friends-at-the-airport”
70. Make a difference to in someones life
71. Do karaoke for one whole night in a bar/pub/club
72. Take a photo, every day for a year
73. Run a club/hotel in Greece
74. Send at least ten messages in bottles - V
75. Ride a camel
76. Own my own house
77. Go zorbing
78. Be on TV - V
79. Take dance lessons
1. Salsa
2. Ballroom
3. Samba
4. Hip-hop
80. Go to a P!nk concert
81. Learn to juggle
82. Attend the Olympics somewhere
83. Get an article published in a newspaper - V
84. Meet a Royal
85. Attend an art class and learn how to paint
86. Do yoga (for a minimum of 6 months, twice a week)
87. Learn archery
88. Swim with dolphins
89. Climb one of the World Seven Summits
90. Donate blood
91. Fall in love
92. Have kids
93. Fire a gun
94. Go on a safari
95. Wear a kilt
96. Eat insects
97. Write my memoirs
98. Have my own “Hallmark-perfect-Christmas”
99. Milk a cow
100. Present at a TED Talk
101. Find my Narnia in the back of a wardrobe
     
     
     Now it's your turn, dream, write and do it!
     If you would like to share it or need any tips, feel free to comment below.

First Kiwi week

So how's the first week in New Zealand been?

I arrived in NZ last Wednesday at noon, local time. When you're travelling long distances, you normally have to go through one or several transit airports. In my case three, London, Dubai and Melbourne. And when do travel like that, your luggage is meant to follow. Though most luggage do appear as planned, some don't. I've heard of people who arrived in southern France and their suitcase in Thailand.

Luckily I didn't have THAT bad luck. Because our flight was delayed leaving Dubai, we had to rush a bit when we arrived in Melbourne to the next flight to Auckland. As we were waiting for our luggage on conveyor 1, my mate got his and headed for the car. Me on the other hand, had to go to the luggage claim services. They were most helpful and told me my luggage would be arriving on the flight after me, five hours later. They would transport it free of charge to the hotel and got heaps (Kiwi expression for loads) of freebies.

TIP! Label your luggage and know exactly what's in it! Because it has to be scanned and if you haven't told Customs exactly what's in it, you will most likely be fined.

Passing through border control and customs was actually perfectly fine. I remember seeig a show on TV when I was younger, Border Security Australia. They were so strict on there, so I expected almost the same in NZ. When I walked up to the border control officer, he asked a few simple questions, but all of a sudden smiled and said "Ha, a Norwegian with a Welsh accent! Now that's a first".

TIP! On your landing card/passenger arrival card, your customs declaration, DO NOT lie! If you don't declare an item, you might get fined. So if you've got some chocolate, medicines and large amounts of cash, don't lie.

All of us arrived on the Wednesday and started our two day orientation. We basically covered everything from nutrition and psychology to first aid and driving on the wrong...I mean left side of the road. There's heaps of au pairs arriving every week now apparently.




The beach

After two days of orientation I arrived in Mount Maunganui and met the family I'm now working for. The boys have been great so far and the rest of the family too! I've got my own room and a double bed! And the beach... 70-80 meters behind my headboard is the beach! It's amazing. Can't wait for summer to really kick in.

 

NZ ID was one the first things I sorted out when I went into town on Monday. The only valid ID that we from overseas hold, is our passports. That's it. Drivers licence, even my UK one, is not accepted as ID. I didn't know that before I came here either. If it's one piece of document I would NEVER take with me on a night out etc., it's my passport. The is the single most important document I own.

 

So filled in a form to get a NZ ID, which will arrive within 10 days (hopefully). Anyhoodle, to get that form sent off I had to get it proved by a solicitor, judge, member of Parliament or others authorized by the state. So I had to go to the Ministry of Justice, raise my right hand and say an oath. Nothing fancy, just I had to swear in front of the staff member that the information provided on that form was, to the best of my abilities, correct.

 

How Kiwi's park their bikes

Then at the same time as I was sorting out my ID, bank account and IRD number (social security number), one of my friends and fellow au pairs had been in an accident and had been hospitalized in the local hospital. So I got to see a NZ hospital as well.

In addition to all of this, I've started to have a social life again. I've met some fellow au pairs in my area and getting to know others outside the family.

So my first week have indeed been very eventful!
This weekend is my first proper outing. We're going to Tongariro national park, so should be great.

Today's song is one of my favourites. It's one of those songs you can listen to when you're really down and your mood will always improve. Enjoy!

Today's song: Owl City - Shooting Star