Hanging in Goulburn 7.21 to 7.23

Prep and Acclimatization in Goulburn

Success, I’m in Australia at my friends home for a week prior to the big drive to Perth. I feel lucky that all the travel to here went well, baggage check in, flight to LA, re check in and then the 14 hour leg to Sydney. It’s a super long time on an airplane, lucky to have reserved “Comfort Plus” so there was a little more space to call home for the trip, still “cozy” though. Clearing customs went smoothly without having to produce extra Covid related documents and the best part, not even a hint of quarantine in Sydney prior to heading to Goulburn. My friend, Chris, AKA Bushy was waiting for me as I exited the baggage pickup zone. Shocker though, $39.00 parking fee for the ramp for the hour or two he spent waiting at the airport for me. Thanks matey, I owe you a beer, or maybe more than one as he spent the night in a hotel prior to pickup so he didn’t have to make a middle of the night drive up to Sydney from Goulburn.

I’m going through some temperature and time zone shocks though. High 80’s and low 90’s back home to mid 40’s and high 30’s here. Windy as always. I’ve learned to try and stay awake when arriving at a different major time zone shift and just try and get used to the time it is where you are rather than arrive and go to bed to catch up on sleep. Makes for a long day but worth it. The challenge is a few days later I am waking up in the middle of the night, middle of the day MN time wondering if I can get back to sleep.

It’s fun riding and driving around Goulburn and remembering past visits and sights. Arrived on Sunday, coffee shop/breakfast stop, bike assembly and meet up with co rider Scotty, dinner with family put an end to a long Sunday. This week is very flexible as Bushy is feeling “a bit crooked”, other words a bit of a cold virus he picked up last week. Our planned bike ride to Canberra on Tuesday has turned into a drive there on Wednesday. The good part is this will be a relaxed week getting a few more local details in order before we arrive in Western Australia, Perth and then just about open space between Perth and Adelaide.

I’m feeling relaxed and ready to have a go at the big ride