Day 482 Ballina – Walcha (Australia) / motorbike GS Dakar RTW overland adventure traveller

  • Left – 8.45
  • 30th July 2015
  • Miles rode – 247 (395km)

I had a great few days with Mark and his friends, having met Geoff 2 weeks ago in a campsite in Northern Territory I have stayed with mark and Geoff for a number of nights, been fed, introduced to many bikers and had beer & wine with everyone. Australian bikers are so hospitable and great company. I’ll see you guys at TT.

The guys told me which roads to ride south and wow what great biking roads they were, up in the mountains riding across New England over 1,000 metres high, peaking at 1,350 with the forest all around me, up & down, round & round, wow.

By mid afternoon I was getting cold and by 3.30 in the afternoon I was so cold I stopped in the small town of Walcha, I found the pub and for the first time since Darwin, 3 or 4 weeks ago I paid for a hotel room! I asked the publican if there were plenty of blankets in the room, he said the bed had a heated blanket! Had you asked me earlier what country was the most unlikely to have a heated blanket in a hotel room Australia would have been top of my list. Wow, I must get one when I return home, they’re great.

I’m coming home soon, Sydney is a days ride away.

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