Voyage De Australia

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Cliffs and black sand beaches Uluwatu, Bali

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Hindu Kecha fire dance

A week off of cycling and traveling Bali has ended, and it is time to begin again. I thoroughly enjoyed camping on the quiet beaches and visiting the mysterious Hindu temples scattered throughout the small island. Local markets, exotic fruits and roadside food stalls are all a thing of the past now, as I pedal past suburban shopping malls and tract house lots in the small city of Darwin Australia. It is going to be a long journey to Sydney (over 5,000 km). With a return ticket to California on July 21st I need to average close to 100 km a day in order to arrive on time. Public transportation is extremely expensive with a greyhound bus ticket costing close to $400 for less than 1,000 km.

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Camping near the USS Liberty ship wreck

Once I leave Darwin I will be in the remote outback for many days. Local descriptions of the outback vary; landscapes sculpted by erosion, dry hot deserts and rolling hills similar to those found on the moon.  I have been warned by many to take extreme caution with near water sources as crocodile attacks are extremely common and almost always result in death.

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Another adventurous trip through the busy streets to the airport.

I am ready again for the open road and depart tomorrow. Hope to write again soon!

 

 

Respite in Bali

Bromo volcano north eastern Java

Bromo volcano north eastern Java, cycling in here was like returning to the deserts of Jordan. However the consciousness of the local vendors was more similar to that of the Orangutans found in the Jungles of Kalimantan. I was so disappointed that I chose to pedal off alone on a small path, rather than climb to the observation peak.

Waking up to a packed sunrise, my tent was literally surrounded by 3 am

Waking up to a packed sunrise. I was standing in my tent when this picture was taken and was literally surrounded by 3 am. An old Chinese man had the nerve to wake me up, and tell me that my tent was taking up too much of his precious standing space.

Sunset Lovina beach, Bali

Sunset Lovina beach, Bali. Another great camping spot on the beach in front of a  5 star hotel.

My local hosts, East Java

My local hosts, East Java.

Fermented Cassava, sold in banana leafs

Fermented Cassava, sold in banana leafs in a Indonesia store near you. You can find all sorts of lunch and snack products folded up and sold in these biodegradable bags from rice with chicken to noodles with beef. My favorite is the fermented rice, called Tapeh.

Mountainous vegetables on route to the Pasar

Root vegetables grown near Bromo mtn. En route to the Pasar

Hours after sunrise, Bromo Volcano

Hours after sunrise, Bromo Volcano. The morning after a steep 9,000 ft climb!

I am taking a much needed week off of cycling to explore the treasures of Bali. Camping, diving, hiking and eating. Tomorrow I head to the small fishing village of Tilamben to explore the US Liberty ship wreck. Next week I begin my adventures in Australia, and will be fly to Darwin on May 22nd.

Roti Panggang. Grilled cheese sandwich with caramel topping. Local Balinese snack found at the Pasar.

Roti Panggang. Grilled cheese sandwich with caramel topping. Local Balinese snack found at the Pasar.

Terang Bulan. Brightmoon pancake sandwich. Filled with peanut butter, milk, chocolate, banana.

Terang Bulan. Brightmoon pancake sandwich. Filled with peanut butter, milk, chocolate, banana.