May 28th: Dunmarra to Newcastle Waters – 76.4 km
Day 227
A day of uneventful riding.
Stopping 25 km north of Elliot, the free rest area Newcastle Waters as promised has water and as a bonus we found heaps of hospitality. When we arrived we met a Polish couple who also cycled through South East Asia, but more extensively than we did. When they arrived in Australia, they decided to get a car, after his wife saw the enormous distances between civilizations.
Cher asks for a car whenever the going gets tough, but she also admitted that she’s glad that we persevered. The distances are daunting. This is more like backwoods backpacking where you have to plan your meals, and most importantly mark water spots on the maps. In between the long stretches of nothing, we stop at water holes. Here we meet all the other animals, either flying freely on their wings or driving in cars and caravans. We are all animals but we can also be hospitable, empathetic animals.
When we arrived the Polish couple immediately offered us coffee and biscuits. Which we happily accepted. We shared our woes and joys of couples cycling and they left for their next destination, but plan on cycling again once they reach New Zealand. We then met Phil and Linda who invited us to join them for dinner, while Phil was trying to help us setting up our little tent.
Before dinner time, We decided to look civilized and wash up using our pump bag as a shower. Our pump bag, which is just a dry bag with a narrow nozzle is used to pump up our air mattress, but doubles as a shower. Cher was reluctant to use it since we had to shower in public. Wearing our running shorts and Cher with her sports bra we washed ourselves while some curious motorists watched.
It was worth it since we spent 3 hours with them and our smell, well at least my smell was repellant. Phil and Linda treated us to mixed drinks called cowboys, with ice cubes! For dinner we had steak, salad, potatoes and salad. The insisted they just had to get rid of the steak. But after overhearing a conversation with their daughter who they are obviously very close with, I would presume that they are the type of people that would have shared even if it wasn’t extra. Phil and Linda both retired recently and this was their first excursion as nomads. Thanks to them, the cynical part of me had to admit that caravans may not be a bad way to travel.
