One Man Caravan - back on track

After a day to ponder options in Charleville (and 24 hours in Charleville is a long time...), I decided that I didn't much fancy another 5,000 outback kilometres to get to Darwin via Port Augusta. Nor did I want to hang out in the bush to find out when they might get the highway from Mount Isa fixed (information flows much less abundantly than floodwater in these parts). So I called ATS, a shipping company in Brisbane. The MD was good enough to answer his phone on a Sunday, and he told me that if I got the bike to his warehouse by Tuesday 3pm, it would be on a ship to Singapore by the weekend. This should get me on the road in SE Asia by the end of January. Slight challenge - it's Sunday afternoon, I'm 800km from Brisbane, and I need to get the bike crated...

Buy your next motorbike from Pro Honda Rocklea!

I put in a quick 600km on Sunday, camped in Dalby, and the next morning I started phoning bike shops in Brisbane to see if anyone could help me with a crate. The guys at Pro Honda in Rocklea came up trumps, and very kindly found me an old crate from a VFR. I even had time on Monday afternoon to fit a couple of new Continental Escape tyres in their back yard - good practice for that puncture in the North West Frontier...

Farewell old friend

A massive thanks to Matt and Dan for all their help in making it happen, and especially to Trevor for helping me with the tyres and the crate. Transport to the Port of Brisbane courtesy of Garry's Motorcycle Movers and a very natty 6-wheel ute, and fingers crossed the bike will arrive in Singapore in a few weeks.

Bike transport - Aussie style

I decided to ship the camping gear with the bike and try the backpackers hostels in Brisbane - sleeping under canvas has been a lot of fun, and saves a lot of cash in Oz, but carrying a tent, sleeping bag, airbed and cooking gear on your back in 35+ degrees is not much fun. I think I'll send the camping gear back to the UK from Singapore, because I don't think I'll need it in Asia, and it will lighten the bike a lot.

I checked into Bunk Backpackers in Brisbane, which is a pretty snazzy hostel in the CBD with a lively bar, where I met Onnie, Emma and Najore who are travelling around Australia. Thought I might be a bit old for the backpacking scene, but I'm pleased to report I can still cut it with the younguns (although I had to draw the line at a dorm, and checked into a single room).

Vegas, baby... Brizvegas!

I have spent a couple of days amusing myself in Brisbane, which has been a lot of fun - Gallery of Modern Art is really good and I spent 5 hours yesterday overdosing on Arkanoid, Outrun and Tron at a video game exhibition (which I can do since I'm officially on holiday).

Next step is to jump on a plane to Singapore where my old mate Shri has kindly offered to put me up for a few days, and then head somewhere that I won't be able to visit with the bike - Sumatra is looking promising.

So it will shortly be farewell to Australia, but I'm sure not for ever. Riding in the outback has been a lot of fun, but the distances are huge and the towns are very similar to each other! One thing I won't miss is the experience of passing a Road Train at a combined speed of over 200kph on a narrow road - something like being hit with a cricket bat.

Bike vs. Road Train

Thanks, but I think I'll look for alternative accommodation

On a final note, I have received quite a few emails from bikers as far afield as India, Italy, Denmark and Germany who have offered to provide accommodation, show me some great local rides, or introduce me to local guides. These are very much appreciated, so keep them coming!