Charley B - on his way Downunder!

Charley Boorman rode straight into our hearts here in the land of Oz. Perhaps it is because he is an adventurer and our country is simply that: an adventure... if you go out there, off the beaten track. The majority of our population huddles along the edges of this vast continent and that means that we haven't even scratched the surface here, where we recreated some place else. As you can see below, there are clusters of urbanisation, which allow us to deny that nature rulz just a few blocks down the road.

No, no, no...contrary to popular belief, kangaroos do not bounce around in the CBD, but I've known one to visit my medium density backyard. Experienced bushwalking folks still get lost and come close to perish just on the outskirts of Sydney. ...and then there is the OUTBACK!

Now, that's the place that scares the hell out of most people. I once did the tourist bit to Uluru (Ayer's Rock). We flew there and stayed in a five star accomodation, hired a car, drove on tar and returned in the evening to do the 'Night Sky Dinner' (which was amazing!)...but we did not get close to IT.

I saw 'it' from my perfectly shaped, slightly obscured by condensation, 747 window, whilst chewing on imported salted peanuts and sipping a coolish Aussie beer. It was right below me...miles and miles of nowhere. Red dirt. Hours of Outback passing by... they did have 'on board movies', but I was absolutely fascinated by the passing landscape. At first glance it seemed much of the same, but distance completely changed the texture...continuously.

Personally, I do not have the skill to survive in the Outback, but I sure would enjoy watching Charley having a go at it.
I hope he'll do it as tough as it comes and at the end of his trip we will meet him and escort him to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

There's just one burning question: Will he stop to pay the toll or will someone lend him their eTag?


'By Any Means site'