[𝗠𝗮𝗰'𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 - 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗩𝗜] After leaving Japan, I headed to Australia - a country not typically associated with mountains (save Tasmania - but more on that in a later chapter). I hitchhiked down the east coast and visited with friends (I met in Nepal) before heading to Melbourne. Once in the capital city of the state of Victoria, I decided, for reasons I cannot completely explain, to buy a bicycle and ride it across the Outback. I had always wanted to do a long-distance bicycle ride and figured that riding across the vast Australian desert (in winter, I might add) would be a good introduction to the world of bicycle touring (at least there would be no hills?). I rode west out of Melbourne to Adelaide (where I ended up finding some hills) and then turned north to follow the Stuart Highway north to Darwin. About halfway up through the country, I took a detour to Uluru (you know, that giant red rock in the middle of Australia) before continuing north to the crocodile-infested shores of the Northern Territory and my final destination. The journey ended up being close to 2,600 mi / 4,200 km (i.e. one Pacific Crest Trail) and taking nearly two months (one week of this time I held up in Adelaide because of a massive and unseasonal rainstorm that brought lots of flooding - no way was I voluntarily heading out in those conditions). One word to describe the journey? Boring. Also, so many flies. But worth it? Probably definitely. I would love to do another bicycle tour in the future, but would also like to avoid being killed by a vehicle. I'm thinking Eastern Europe, maybe Japan, or maybe Kyrgyzstan? #theoutback #outback #australianoutback #bicycletouring #bicycletour #downunder #northernterritory #stuarthighway #halfwayanywhere #macinaustralia #cyclingadventures #cyclinglife #ayersrock #ulurukatatjutanationalpark #uluru #igerscycling #igaustralia #discoveraustralia #amazing_australia #cyclingpics #focusaustralia #
