In one section of the movie Tracks, a film about an woman crossing the Australian desert by walking with 3 camels, the character Robyn Davidson yells at reporters who had caught up with her: “Go away! Go away!” She just wanted to be left alone on her journey.
As for me, I don’t mind.
Not a day goes by without a passerby saying to me, “Can I take your picture?” And of course I oblige. At first, I simply turn their way as they snap the photo. Now I’ve learned to take off my fly net and sunglasses and smile. It has become routine, almost spontaneous.
At first, it started with two truckers (we also took a picture together, shown here) who stopped their truck and asked “Can I take your picture?” Then one guy added his reason, “Others won’t believe me if I told them that there’s this guy on a push-bike on the Great Central Road.”
After that, another car stopped and asked the same question. And then another. And then another. I don’t know how many times I’ve posed. I’m not counting, but I know I do pose a lot. Today was another one of those days.
And I really don’t mind. I get to talk with people, if ever so briefly. It breaks up the solitary pedaling. It is fun, in a way.
My story must go wider than I realized. Just the other day, I was biking on the road toward the town of Alice Springs and met two other bikers, Ruan and Lara, who had come from a totally different area, somewhere I’ve never been, but they were also headed to Alice Springs. So we biked for a number of miles together. While we were biking, we chatted. Then, Ruan made a statement that surprised me: “You’re 65, aren’t you?” I must have looked puzzled because he offered an explanation. “I met another tourist in a car a few days back and they told me about you. And now here you are.”
I guess I’m notorious.
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You’re a Legend!! Looks like you’re really enjoying yourself! Are the flies still around?
Author
The flies are still maddeningly around. If it weren’t for them, the trip would have been great.
That’s funny ! That must have been nice to ride with others for a change .
You are very famous in Los Angeles too.
Author
Yes. Nice to ride with others.
This was a fun read Thuan. I was wondering, with such a long adventure resulting in the huge task of packing, have you found that you packed perfectly or that you missed something? Are you experiencing any food cravings from home yet?
Author
I find I have everything I need so far. In fact, I sent stuff I didn’t need to a friend in Australia to hold for me. One thing I kinda wish I had is a full muff. I always use a ” half” muff (I cut a full muff in two); never needed a full muff. But now I wish I had one.
As for food, I always crave home food which is hard to get. I am thinking of writing a post on food though. It has been an experience.