also visit  my personal website   |   Books (Dutch)   |   Expedition Kilimanjaro   |   Somebody Had To Do It  

Reports

During my travels, I received free accommodation for a night in exchange for writing a daily travel diary. This diary documented how I reached my next destination, the hosts who welcomed me, the food I was offered, and other experiences along the way. Below, you will find the archives of these extensive reports. Please note that English is not my native language, and most entries were written quickly, often around midnight. Enjoy!
« Previous reportAll reportsNext report »
Wednesday, 24 July 2002
Perth --> Kalgoorlie, Western Australia (on the bus)

Greg had left to work early this morning. When I woke up, I packed my bags again and was ready to head back to town. Again Greg had left a few dollars for me to catch the bus.

Around lunchtime I met up with him at the same spot as yesterday. Together we walked to the Central Station of Perth, where I met up with David Kinray, the sales manager of Greyhound/McCafferty’s in Perth. A ticket to Adelaide was already waiting for me.

It ended up that the station 96fm had talked about me on the radio yesterday. David only heard the last 30 seconds of their conversation on air, but heard something about somebody who was desperate for a ride to Adelaide. He called up to the station and got the entire story. Sponsoring me with a free ride was just another bit of Aussie generosity. He loves my project and the fact that I am still going strong after over fourteen months of travelling through sixteen countries.

I checked in my luggage and went for a last walk through Perth with Greg.

Greg took me to the Kings Street Café in King Street, a very luxury establishment where Greg and Minke used to go to spoil themselves when they were in Perth. We had a cappuccino with olive bread with olive oil with soya sauce in it.

Greg was amazed about the fact that I now must know a lot about his little family, as I stayed with them for some five days now.

After the cappuccino Greg took me to a supermarket in the city centre and told me to get me some things for on the road. He would pay for it all! I’d be in a bus until Friday early morning and I of course needed to eat something. I got myself some juices, sandwiches, a bread stick, some cheese spread, bananas and a bag of crisps. That should help me through it. I truly thanked Greg for helping me out with my on-the-road meals.

Around 2pm Greg had to get his butt back to his office and I ambled around the station area until the bus would depart. On 3.30pm I got my seat on row 5 in the bus to Adelaide. Once again I thanked David Kinray for helping me out. He and his colleagues at that terminal are good guys, but why were the ladies working there hiding away from my camera? Haha.

Leaving Perth. Goodbye skyscrapers, goodbye friendly people. I feel a bit sorry for those people that had invited me too and I couldn’t visit while I was here, but I guess that happens in every big city.

The bus wasn’t full at all, I was among five other passengers so everybody spread out and could stretch their legs on other seats. I had a snooze before noticing that a video was playing on the TV, but I couldn’t hear the sounds too good as this 72-year-old lady in the front that was yelling her entire pathetic life story to the bus driver.

As the days passed on I had something to eat and after a few short stops the bus arrived in Australia’s oldest mining town Kalgoorlie (webcam!).

This is the place where they first discovered gold
(read all about it here) and the entire town with it 30,000 people living there actually is bigger underground!

The bus driver told me about the active life in the mines. “They even have traffic lights down there!” Unfortunately I was running out of time, otherwise I’d have stayed here for a few days too.

Just after midnight we left Kalgoorlie again with some new passengers on board. It was only another 1600 kilometres to Adelaide.

Good night Nullarbor! Now, why can't I sleep?

Ramon.

« Previous reportAll reportsNext report »