By Motorbike from Melbourne to Charleville

Australia 2009 With Mark's motorbike, a Suzuki 800 Boulevard, I set off from Melbourne for Brisbane and then Charleville; about 2000 km await me in a few days. The stages are paced at an average of 400 km a day, but the November heat kills you: as long as it's 30 degrees it's ok, but when it's 36 with peaks of 40, every 100 km I had to stop to drink a litre of water, since with the boiling air on me I was getting dehydrated. The stretches from one town to the next are about 200 km, so the fuel tank must always be kept an eye on. On a couple of occasions I really went looking for a petrol station so as not to be left stranded. The road inland is all straight and flat, an incredible experience, a shame I was alone. At the time I thought, who made me do this, given the heat. But now I miss it.

I saw one of those gigantic fires, and also that the Gold Coast with its skyscrapers no longer appeals to me like when I came in '86 to work there for 6 months. Brisbane with its traffic, even if orderly, I dodged and fled from right away, and went back inland, a place more suited to me, no traffic and lots of nature, right up to arriving in Charleville.