Cycle
Sydney to Brisbane

The ride out of Sydney is pretty relaxed and there are plenty of back roads to take. We rarely stayed on the main roads such as the Princess Highway, mainly because there was too much traffic, too much noise and they are quite boring. You get on one, go in a straight line and just keep following it.

If I could just find a sign...
New South Wales, north of Newcastle - 2005
Really, she is in there Look closely, Mabel is in there (in yellow)
Most of the time was spent on roads such as this. Often very little traffic, very quiet, and just mostly relaxing. It's a good feeling to have a place to yourself - well, for up to 45 minutes at a time anyway.
The other benefits of back roads are the things you just don't see on the main drag. Rivers with dolphins, small towns that may just be a pub (or three) and ferry crossings like these. We were just happy to see water that was blue again and very few people around, though Mabel thinks there are no people in Australia (hmm, 14 million in Shanghai, 19 million in all of Australia - maybe she has a point).
Ferry Crossing near Mungo Brush Mungo Brush, NSW 2005

Cycling Asia v Cycling Australia

China: Travel five kms and you come to another town, travel a few minutes and you meet other people (well, Central and Eastern China).

Aust: Travel 30 kms and you might see another town, travel an hour and maybe see another car (on the coast anyway).

China: Constant horn usuage, they may be deafening, but they are warning you as well.

Aust: Less horns, but when they use them, they are abusing you. Oh, and they'll have 'P' plates on their car.

China: They'll just miss you on the road, but that's how they drive and don't know better.

Aust: Better drivers, but many will just miss you on the road - and they do know better...

...there is no moral to the story, it's just a bunch of stuff that happened...
Click your heels three times...
Click your heels three times...
grahambinder@hotmail.com, but please, no junk mail or joke lists
Using the backpack
Using the bike
Living in Asia
Health stuff
Some stories
As it says: What's New
Various other items