Back in San Diego, California



Today was the end of this trip that was one of the best that I have undertaken, and the night at the Ibis Hotel at the Brisbane Airport was very comfortable, the shuttle picked me up exactly at the time contracted, charging me only 5 Australian dollars (3,50 us) the ride only takes 10 minutes, and the Quantas 747 plane left on time and arrived the same, experimenting minimal turbulence over the Pacific ocean, the distance is 11000 kilometers and the ground speed around 1000 km/hr, the Los Angeles airport was not crowded , therefore clearing immigration was fairly fast; it would be ideal if the terminals were more coordinated to avoid going thru security twice, but that is not the case and I had to take a shuttle to a different building for the American Airlines flight to San Diego, which again left and arrived on time after only 29 minutes of flight.
Maybe is my age creeping up, but I felt very tired after not sleeping on the plane, it could be that it is a long flight and the size of the airports where it seems that the gates assigned are always the farthest in the corridors, but enough complaints, let us blame the age for this.
I really should be, and I am, very grateful for having had a safe and pleasant trip and enjoyed the friendship, expertise , kindness and generosity of Dianne and Haydn Durnell and Heather and Derek McDougal, I am in debt to all of them and wish to have the opportunity to pay it back. Victor

Beautiful and reliable 747 plane,well mantained as Quantas has never had a major accident.

Murwilumbah, with Dianne and Haydn.


My trip is coming rapidly to its end, I do not know at this time if I will ever return to Australia,
my friends the Darnell, have made the last three days, the ideal way to finish this trip, they were instrumental in making it possible, they facilitated my path at every turn and have left me a debt that will be difficult to pay, we live far appart, we both would like to see other places and not repeat what we have already seen, but you never know and life may bring us together again if the circumstances come in our faver.
The last three days they have showed me the area where they live, in detail, it is a beautiful place and you will see the pictures of this inactive volcanic caldera at the center of which is Mount Warning.(it received its name from the first sailors that could see this mountain from very far, telling them to be careful and avoid crashing against the reefs and rocks of a very rugged coast.
We took a boat tour of the Tweed river, which showed the historical and the modern changes that the human presence has caused in the area.
Most of the Rain forest that used to be almost impenetrable has been cleared to give space to sugar cane cultivation, the red trees have been completely eliminated, with the exception of one.
Only a small island has been spared and there are 250 acres of rain forest, flora and fauna are now protected and seem to be thriving.
The rivers are protected as well, they have small sharks because the ocean communicates with the tides and the periodic floods, they are rich in fish of all species.
After the tour we had lunch of sea food at the House of Gabriel, an old and well known restaurant.
Finally we drove to Fingal, a beach with interesting rock formations caused by the lava flows and the sudden cooling of it by the ocean, in front of these rocks you see Cook's island and to the North, Point Danger compliments Mount Warning in trying to keep the ships safe, there is an old light house that used to serve the same purpose.

                                          Map of volcanic caldera, Murwillumbah

                                          Mt. Warning and paths of old lava flows

                                          Tweed river

                                          Mount Warning

                                         History of Fingal light house

                                          Fingal light house

                                          Geometric lava rock formations at Fingal coast

                                          Cook's island

                                         Point Danger

                                         Large wave threatening a fisherman

                                          South of Fingal coast

                                          Fingal beach

Dianne, Haydn and Victor

Tenterfield, The Bruxner Highway

From Goondiwindi it took about three and a half hours of a very pleasant highway, in some areas a little rough, but in general in good condition, and from the planes the road climbs 800 mts over sea level, making the temperture cooler and the vegetation as well more frequently found in low level mountains, the views improved as valleys became evident and in Tenterfield where I spent the first night of my trip, I am spending the last one before returning his bike to Haydn,

Tenterfield is a very historic town, and this time I walked several kilometers visiting the town highlights, the Centenary & Petrie Cottage museum, the Sir Henry Parks museum where he gave a speech that actually formed the Australian federation, and the Cork tree, the largest tree in Australia which is 100 years old  since it was brought from England, and then I walked several kilometers to enjoy home cooking recommended by the lady in the tourist information office, as I have had good luck with this kind of local referral. The last good one was at the Tibuc gardens in the Warrumbungle National Park, that was  excellent home cooking.
This time the restaurant was The Maze, at the edge of the city, next to a very nice park (Millbrook park). The place is over rated, I had to wait close to an hour before I was served, the food was barely OK, the place had maybe three clients, therefore I do not understand why it took so long to get the meal, the lady forgot my salad, water is never offered, I am convinced that I could have done much better in a number of restaurants in the main street downtown, live and learn
It is obvious that I am out of shape for long walks, I was tired after going to these local attractions, besides I should decrease my weight by 20 kgs, that is reality!
At the Peter Allen Motel, I was able to finish cleaning the motorcycle, I hope I do not get rain tomorrow. Tomorrow to Murwillumbah.  Victor

                                         Could I go to Texas in Australia?  Yes I could.

                                         Beautiful tree in Tenterfield

                                         Old woman saddle, Traveling in the 1800's  not too comfortable

                                          Man saddle.

                                         Bedroom in the 1800's

                                         Children scale.

      

                                         Basin as toilet in the 1800's

                                          Military weapons from the Boer war era.

                                          Sword of an Australian General in the Boer war

                                         Cork tree   157 years old

                                          City disclaimer, a matter of luck, such is life!

                                         Nice Tenterfield neighbourhood

                                          The town received this name due to similarities between the
                                          dispute of yhe US and Mexico regarding Texas!

Arrived to Goondiwindy.


From Narrabri, it is only 3 hours without speeding and  I saw only farms, ranches and cotton.
At the tourist information I was told that the main attractions in this community are the museum and the statue erected to honor the most famous race horse named The Great Grey or Gunsynd, and the popular tours that take you to see the cotton plantations.
I saw the museum about the horse and his accomplishments, but I am afraid I will have to pass on the cotton tour.
Once more I encounter a farmer feeding his whole herd at the edges of the highway and there were hundreds of cows crossing in front of all kinds of vehicles.
I had a beer at the old Victoria Hotel bar and a good lunch of Thai food, my days are getting shorter and in two days I will be returning his bike to my friend Haydn,  Victor

                                          Cotton ready for harvest

                                          Main staple in Goondiwindy

                                          Cows everywhere

Hundreds of animals at the roadside

From Cobar to Narrabri, slowly return to reality and the end of the trip.




In the next six days I will be returning to San Diego, all good things eventually come to an end, returning his bike to Haydn and spending a couple of two or three days with him and Dianne, it is impossible not to be philosophical, this whole trip happened because of them and their help, in my experience traveling by motorcycle, these types of contacts happen and many times develop into lasting friendships.
The trip to SouthAmerica which happened 13  years ago, left a trail of human contacts whose effects will never dissappear.
When crossing the Andes from Nasca to Cuzco, I stopped another motorcyclist who turned out to be a Brazilian engineer, Nelson gave me his card as it was raining, very windy and very cold, it was foggy and miserable, and he just told me that when passing thru Curitiba his city, to look him up, which I did and he served me as a perfect guide of the area, he took me to buy new tires, and we traveled the Strada Preciosa, remained in touch and one day he came to visit San Diego and I lent him my GS Adventure and he took it for a 9000 miles trip around the United States, no problems.
Haydn approached me as I disembarked from the Ferry at Puerto Natales, again it was so windy that instead of docking at 9 am, the ferry had to wait until the wind was less violent and I was getting  off around 6 pm, and was looking for a hotel when a stranger asked me where I was going, and I explained him that I was on my way to Usuaia at the end of the Panamerican highway in Tierra del Fuego, Haydn explained me that he and his wife were in a year long Americas trip by motorcycle and told me that we should travel together, the next day we met and traveled for three weeks together having a wonderful time and finally separating after Bariloche, since then we have been in touch and this time he offered me the use of his newly aquired BMW R1200R, how could I refuse such an offer that would facilitate my trip to Tasmania.?
I have increased his Odometer by 8000 km, and the bike has been perfect, only needing gasoline 95-98 octanes , never nissing a beat.
Next August another friend brought to my life by traveling in the motorcycle, will visit me in San Diego, this is the second time, and like the first he will use one of my motorcycles for any travels he has planned, his name is Martin Howorth, and in Belgium I invited to share my hotel room in Bruges and he invited me for a week at his home in Manchester, I never imagined he was British as he speaks fluent Spanish with a South American accent because he grew up in Peru and has worked in Chile as well.
Meeting these men and several others would not have happened if I did not have this hobby, I am very grateful to them for being part of my life and enriching it. Of course, their wives were included in the equation, Dianne because she is a motorcycle partner, experienced world traveler, perfect guide and Martin and Nelson's wives even when they do not travel with their husbands like Dianne, I met them , they opened their homes to me  and provide the support to their husbands allowing them the trips they undertake.
Today I left Cobar and as I travel East, the vegetation improves, around Warren there were large cotton plantations, cattle ranches and farms, it is obvious that these areas get more precipitation, but still I have seen all the rivers that I crossed were dry.
After Coonabarabran I visited the Warrumbungle National Park where a very important celestial  observatory is located, it is called Siding Spring Observatory, and after coming down from the mountain I arrived to the Tibuc Gardens where I had been adviced to enjoy the best home cooking in the area, and it was correct, I had a delicious lunch of Garlic prawns and pasta acompannied by home made bread and all were excellent.
Now I am spending the night at the Albany Motel in Narrabri.  I will look for more things to see on my way back to Murwillumbah.   Victor

Excellent lunch at Tibuc Gardens

                                          View from the Siding Spring Observatory

                                         Main Observatory

                                         Private vehicles access is forbidden