Lights out in Genoa from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
At least grateful he’s found shelter from the storm outside, the lights – and heating – go out. Time for bed….
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Lights out in Genoa
August 14th, 2011Genoa nights
August 13th, 2011Genoa nights from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken discovers Genoa. First stop in Victoria, South East Australia. Very wet and depressing.
Sheltering from the storm
August 13th, 2011Sheltering from the storm from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken, and Emma, his trusty steed, seek shelter from the storm
Borderline
August 12th, 2011Borderline from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken reaches the border between Victoria and New South Wales. Almost equidistant along the coast road from Melbourne and Sydney, their respective State Capitals.
Getting close to Victoria
August 12th, 2011Getting close to Victoria from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken gets ever closer to the border between New South Wales and Victoria, his last Australia State.
Lonely hearts
August 11th, 2011
"Cuddly wallaby seeks new home. GSOH. NS. Domestically trained."
Wallace the Wallaby is feeling a bit unloved. Just one donation with a witty comment. Bit over my head – something to do with Skippy being obliged to wear boxing gloves. Presumably prevent him picking his nose – perhaps I’m being a bit naive, but I blame my years in the Girl Guides… Actually, I used to live at a Girls School. No, really, I did! North Hertfordshire.
So, please do consider a donation to The Outward Bound Trust and with it, a suitably witty comment. Click here for more details. Closing date for entries 22 August 2011.
[With thanks to Mike, great source of dry wit that never ceases to amuse me. Suspect he’s a secret contributor to Private Eye magazine. And hugely knowledgeable ornithologist]
Measure of Merimbula
August 11th, 2011By the time I actually reached Merimbula it was dark. A few unexpected climbs towards the end. Some sharp, others more drawn out. I’d found the hostel on the outskirts of town without too much difficulty, the key left in the mailbox. A sign said food and drink wasn’t permitted in the room, but made no mention of bicycles.
I wandered back into the centre a little later, and a brief foray into the late night supermarket. Like much of the South Coast, the town wasn’t unpleasant. Just unremarkable. A few more cafes than I’d seen elsewhere, by now all closed. And quite a lot of boutiques. Lingerie mostly. Purveyors of cheap nylon rather than soft silk.
Flying free
August 11th, 2011I can cope with the sleep deprivation. The check-in queues. The seemingly endless security controls. Even sitting next to the odd fellow passenger who, you suspect, just loves to super size their meals. If there’s something worth it at the other end. Like Alaska. But, add a boxed bicycle and another forty kilogrammes of awkward baggage and mustering any enthusiasm becomes a bit of a struggle.
Fortunately, thanks to some help from The Outward Bound Trust, there’d been a phone call from Robyn at DHL South Pacific. Yep. That well known international shipping and courier company. Yes, she explained, they’d air freight everything for me. Details to sort out of course. Assured her I’d make sure everything was in order so not as to cause embarrassment with US Customs. Clean tyres and tent pegs. Just as I’d done for flying into Australia.
This was good news, I thought as I put the phone away. Really good news. One company rather than three different airlines. No struggling with boxes of kit around four airports, two terminal changes and an overnight stop in a Hawaiian hostel dorm. And a substantial saving in excess baggage charges. Of the order that would buy you a return airfare from Heathrow to Washington. No. Seriously.
Serious stuff…
August 11th, 2011Perhaps it’s because I’m English. Preferring understated. Mustn’t grumble and all that. And much of the day-to-day stuff, the aches and pains, I probably do just take in my stride. Norms that don’t merit a mention. Or perhaps they should if I’m to properly convey just what life is like on the road.
And whilst I can never be sure exactly what lies ahead, I’ve a pretty shrewd idea it’s going to be tough, both physically and psychologically. That’s Alaska for you. Definitely not a playground. Wild camping in bear country. Vast tracts of wilderness to cover. Canadian Customs. Winter soon beginning to creep in.
And, yes. I already am in Alaska. Always a bit ahead of the blog. Back on the road. Feeling reflective. A condition in part brought on by the need to remain static for a couple of days whilst I recover from emergency dental treatment. Large abscess not dented by painkillers or antibiotics.
The tale of this little drama will unfold in due course, not out of a search for sympathy, but for what it says of the Alaskans I’ve met. Remarkable kindness and generosity. Truly so. Taken under the wing of a wonderful lady called Betsy (on the right above). Which actually means ordered to bed to rest. Kicked into life when required. Properly mothered. I loved it. Monte the dentist and his team (below) for fixing me up.
And back in Anchorage, my starting point in Alaska, new friendships forged rather than simply acquaintances made. People like John (below), Linda and Amelia. And quite a few more.
So, I’ll continue to document the people and places I encounter on my travels. But perhaps add a little more about the day-to-day challenges. In the meantime, back to my maps and the route down through Canada and on to Seattle on the north-west corner of the US. For I’ve a bit of a plan in mind, one I’m quite very determined will succeed…
[With especial thanks to John in Anchorage for his helpful thoughts on what features in the blog – constructive comments are always appreciated]
Around Bermagui
August 10th, 2011Around Bermagui from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken makes a brief lunch stop in Bermagui. On Australia’s southern east coast. Moving on before the bin caught fire… but that’s another story
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