Easy start to the day, coffee, shower and packed up. We went to the Parts place, who have a replacement mirror assembly for Dads bike for a mere $370, a bargain. I called the shippers while we were there and they have not fixed the crate yet. Rude word! I told them that it is a bit late and we agreed that we would come with the bikes tomorrow and dismantle and tie them onto the bases and they can attach the repaired sides later. They did offer to do the whole job but to be honest, after the approach to opening the crates with wrecking bars instead of a screw driver I am not prepared to trust them to do anything with our bikes other than accept them in a closed crate for shipping to NZ.
We had some breakfast at a Café across the road, as we are not in a rush anymore. After some breakfast headed into town to complete the circle of Oz. We rode to Mrs Macquarie’s Point through the city. It was very busy with traffic heavy and rushing in a way that you expect in a city the size of Sydney. We were riding down the three lane roads with trucks and cars all around and this is pretty intimidating when you are on a bike. We rode over Anzac Bridge and into Sydney city centre. This is yet another impressive structure passing high over the harbour. As we entered the high rise concrete jungle part of the city the GPS became a bit useless as it kept thinking that I had changed position and recalculating, and telling me to go down alleys etc. I ignored Karen, again and rode in the general direction until we came around a corner and…. Boom - Crash Toittiottoit Toittoittoit, Fvissst Boom, Fvisst Boom, Fvssittt Boom, Crack, crack , crack,… Crack, Crack, crack…..Fvisst Boom, Fvisst Boom, Fvissst Boom. A 21 gun salute, and Fireworks burst into the shadows of the high rise jungle, a brass band stuck up “For They’re jolly good fellows” and a huge marching troop started walking in front of us, as Sydney welcomed us back after our amazing adventure. The noise was phenomenal and it was hard to see as the ticker tape streamed down from the surrounding high rises, at one point I feared for everyones safety as a cluster of ticker tapes wrapped around Dads exhaust and burst into flames, but Peter Garrett, minister of the environment ran out of the crowd shaking a bottle of Bollinger and cracked it open spraying the bike and flaming ticker tape fireball with Champagne and extinguished the flames. We laughed as the crowds cheered we continued along with small Aboriginal children running along beside the bikes. Eventually we emerged from the high rise section out onto Hyde park where a huge stage had been erected and there was Mr Rude, Prime Minister, center stage waving us over to join him, while he gave a speech that was broadcast live to the whole nation, he talked of us being such amazing Kiwi adventurers, and Circumnavigating the Continent despite the odds being stacked against us, and despite all that the environment could throw at us, rain, heat, wild animals, dry desserts, huge sharks, Road trains and endless lines of Grey Nomads. His speech was very touching and honoured our country and gallantry, and ended with us being given Honorary citizenship! The people all shouted out that we should be the Australians of the year. Of course we responded with modest acceptance saying it was nothing really, anyone could have done it, at which the crowds cheered, women cried, young mothers held their children up for us to kiss, and the Men all wanted to shake our hands. It was great fun and fantastic that Australia acknowledged our endeavour in such a grand scale. I really only expected a letter of congratulations from the Prime Minister, but there you go…..
We rode down to the point where we officially started the trip and there were buses all around and a lot of people down on the pavement area that we took the start photos from. I felt that it was a bit inappropriate to ride our bikes down there with so many people around and then a bus pulled up behind us making us move on. As we rode around the corner a bit the Ranger was sitting watching us which seemed to confirm that we were being a bit naughty to consider riding down the foot path to get a photo. We parked up and weighed up our options and the crowd seemed to clear, Dad went back to ask the Ranger if he was happy for us to ride down there for a photo. “Yeh mate! Go for it, there’s hardly anyone there. Get in before the cameras go in next week!” So with that formal approval of our plans we rode down the footpath and got our photo with the Opera House and Sydney harbour bridge in the background.
Chatted to a couple of Argentine Guys who are travelling after 6 months of working in NZ.
We rode to the Hotel to check in, but when I chose this Hotel in the Rocks, I thought we would be free of the bikes so it was not ideal, in that it is right in the middle of the busy part of town and with no parking. Dad waited with the bikes in the loading bay while I checked in and asked about areas to clean a bike. They didn’t have a clue where to clean a bike.
We rode to the nearest fuel station, with the hope they would know where we could clean the bikes. They didn’t have a clue either. A new Audi was being towed from the station as it had broken down. The tow truck driver claimed the more expensive the car the more likely it is to break down! We rode in the direction of the shipping agent and called into a Mitre10 to get a drill to put the crates together and at last found someone who knew where we could wash the bikes.
Rode to the Car cleaning company who would not allow self-cleaning but was able to wash the bikes for us for a cost of $50 each, we agreed and settled down to a read of some magazines and a coffee while they cleaned our bikes. They did a great job and had over 5 weeks of accumulated grime off and had them looking like new in no time, well about an hour and a half. We talked to a couple of guys who weigh the trucks and issue fines for being over loaded. Dad asked them what they are called here “They call us Mermaids” I had a quizzical look on my face for quite a while as I tried to work that out, then asked “That’s an odd name?” “Yes, C’s with Scales, not very nice, but there you go” Not sure what C stands for, Cops I suppose.
We rode back to the hotel and settled in. Went next door to find dinner in Sydney’s oldest pub, no food there so went down to a restaurant with a cook your own BBQ, and threw a steak on the Barbie. This is a very historic part of Sydney with a lot of historical info and photos in these pubs.
So there it is Australia Full Circle, time to have a wee break from riding these bikes and get back to normal life I think.
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