My Journey accross rivers and borders....

It was an early saturday of Summer 2008, even before sun rises my wheels were fully loaded to take me for a long jouney. The most trusted CR-V was waiting for me on the carport of my flat of Melbourne. It knew it's a just a begining of a long drive. The reason behind the solo drive from Melbourne to Perth was the relocation for the summer till I go back home backed by few other reasons and I had few choices such as 5 hours flying, a rail journey or a GreyHound coach tour to choose but I chose the hardest and probably most of international students even don't think about to encounter, solo driving.There is an interesting moral story behind choosing a Honda CR-V other than its features. The words still refreshes my memory with unsensored wording, " see I'm a perent but not yours, I'll recommend my son a CR-V for long destinations b'cos of its reliability, so its same for you, mate its Honda. I believe that some people have words in which the truth has been embeded and it's rather uncommon when it comes to basic sales. I visited Keysborough buddhist monestery just 30 km via Monash freeway on friday evening and it was the place where I truely loved to be in Melbourne. As usual I had last minute shopping for some stuff on the same night on Chapel street just walking distance from my flat. I tried to sleep early but it was just against the body chemistry and couldn't sleep till midnight. I didn't care though I slept for four hours. I got up around 05.00 am and spent about half and hour for morning coffee and it's more or less similar to meditation time and it has become a habit since recent years.I just loved it because it was the time to gather scattered energies on a focal point. Since the vehicle was loaded last evening I just had to bring the basic stuff including breakfast, mobile, navigator and etc.

The GPS navigator on the windcreen illustrated its 3474 Km, fastest and avoiding toll ways. The first longest journey was to Adelaide which was a shared drive with one of mates around 780 Km as final year test ended up and we wanted to escape from the busy Melbourne streets.I am someone who used to make pretty quick decissions and eager enough to see the outcome faster. Making off hand decissions have been resulted both positive and negative consequences and I guess pluses and greater than those negatives. I had no single reason to be worried to leave Melbourne, a tough guy :). But I do appreciate the sporty and artyness of Melbournians than any cirysiders that I have seen so far. Freindliness,courtesy and ethics specially when on wheels I do respect and this is my tribute to them all for being nice to me over two years of stay in the world's most livable city, Melbourne. Sometimes I felt amazed about me and my willpower which made me this strong.I passed Melbourne's iconic West Gate bridge, a curved hundred of meters of high over the Yarra river where some people scared to see the river while crossing. After four hours non-stop 110 km/h drive I reached to Nhill a beautiful victorian country where grain is grown. After the first stop I stopped for refuelling and short breaks and had some junk foods behind the wheel. I passed kaniwa's giant wind mill and some other places I visited with my mates last time. I enjoyed the lower-geared, most of the time second geared downhill drive within the tunnel which connects Adelaide metropolitan and other suburbs. I knew for sure the downhill drive wouldn't be enjoyable for tailored or long vehicles. I also noticed that number of vehicles of merging traffic were increasing and the freeway was about to saturate. There were speed cameras before, during and after the tunnel as well as speed indicators for drivers to get adjusted themselves. Speed cameras have agitated and raised some emotional conflicts in my mind eversince I noticed a "Highway patrol" cop was aiming a speedgun towards a motorway enterance in Adelaide country. I assume that I was faster than marked since it was closer to start point of 110 Km/h from 80 Km/h .I also had a bad experience, honestly I got fined for speeding in Melbourne and since then I have always tried my best to be in limits.I didn't want to repeat same mistake again and again. I reached to Adelaide earlier than I planned and my first stopover was Port Augusta which was 3ookm away from Adelaide. Few detailed stuff about motels were on my note pad and and had a quick look at it while roaming through Port Augusta. Such amazngly bautiful remote city facing Passific ocean and apperantly a surfer's city. It was still day and sun wasn't set c'mon it too early to anchor for the day,I said to myself. My index finger was working on the Navigator screen for the nearest fuel station while something else was woking in my head. Fish and Chips would be great for my delayed lunch in a ocean facing country town, I concluded. Zipping a Cappucinno was another cool and and fantastic idea which crossed my mind until the girl in the shop does the frying. She made a lovely Cappucinno for me and I started tasting chocolate-sprinkled froth by seating closeby the road and starring at the road. I collected my fish and chips walked towards the car and kept the bonnet open for rapid cooling of the engine enjoyed my meal behind the wheel. It was time to head further and I utilized the daytime saver of South Australia and drove around 120 km further and reached Iron Knob a tiny village with only one motel an extremly remote area around 1200km from origin. Iron knob had just few country houses and deserted heavy machinaries evidenced me to believe that its meant to be a miners country.

I was one and only guest for that motel and had a small function of country kids for Christmas. I collected the key from bar counter and walked towards the motel entrance where I had parked the vehicle and dorve it closer to the my room. I wanted to get rid of all stuff which were about to evade my mind to make me weak, for instance fears, risks, extreme and rapidly changing weather conditions and etc. I knew I was much more stronger than those since I believe myself. "Fear makes people small, Run towards fears and face it", Robin Sharma. I rushed to the bathroom for a hot shower since it refreshes mind, body and soul. I usually spend fairly longer time in the shower if I've got a tough schedule ahead or over-tired. I jumped to the bed switched on my laptop to have a look at regional weather forecast for the following day. The mobile broadbrand was roaming and it seemed that it gets longer to connect. It was time for me to plan route and stays for the following day. I wanted to off road in the bush and I assumed that Eyre's sandy bushes would be prefect and I pluged the navigator and it was tracking thirteen satellites and I noticed that signal coverage was very strong in the country. I was smarter enough to get the positioning and text it to one of my friends as a security precaution. I planned everything just for the following day and made some comments on my diary as well. It was a perfect rest and got up around 6.00 am spent few minutes for streching to make body fully prepared for 12 hours drive. I was offered breakfast for being their guest for the last night. I left the door unlocked and key n the hole and got into the vehicle. I even couldn't imagine such a country in SA. I realized that staying in motels cost me pretty much and was thinking other ways of overnight stays.

I should and love to mention something about probably the longest highway in Australia if I am correct, Eyer highway 1200km long which surrounded by grass and bushlands & connects SA and WA. The highway has been named "Eyre" as a tribute to Edward Johnn Eyre, the first European who crossed Nullarbor plateau in 1841. Amazing Eyre highway had five air strips for emergency flight landing and a straight of 146 km the longest straight in Oz.I enjoyed 4*4 in the sandy and slightly muddy area and missed my mates for wheeling but I did all by myself. I drove few hundred Kms and parked CR-V for whale watching by the sea. I was waiting for whales but I couldn't catch any of them and I guessed that it wasn't the show time for them. I was amazed to see "Nullarbor" ( No tree area in Latin) plain which was either sides of Eyre Highway.I couldn't believe that and so many questioins raised within and I had no answers or no clues to rationalize. I observed some anomalies in the soil and I wasn't a Geologist to reason thoroughly about the texture or composition. I took advantage of my scientific background and I could fairly evaluate its environment. I just loved and enjoyed it a lot. The second day I managed to pass Eucla the boader village of SA & WA where severe quarantine checks were accompanied for fruits, vegies and dairy products similarly in an international arrival terminal. It was Mundrabilla, 900 km away from first stayover, a road house which accommodate truckies and back packers with fully equipped camping site. I saw few couples and a guy who had ridden a HD was preparing their tents and etc. The camping site was twenty bucks with ten bucks refundable deposit for the key which is used to access common bathroom and shower area. I temporary moved lauggages including univrsity text books, cloths to front and rear seats to make enough space to rest and sleep in the most rear part of the vehicle. I brought a sliced bread and I had some pink salmon tins and it was my dinner for the second night. I kept 10 L of water dispencer on the rear monted wheel and released the hatch windcreen to get some fresh air. It was getting colder and and other campers were about to sleep only one back packers couple was still barbequeing. The quick shower I had before had made more more hungrier but no physical pain of being on wheels for half a day. I spent around an hour thinking about the day and followed by assesments and evaluations under the dimmed door light. I remember thatI shut the front windows fully which were left to get fresh air throughout the night due to unbearble cold. The heaters turned on for few minutes to warm trapped air and let it continued. It wasn't a comfortable night because of the limited space and troubling weather but I was happy since I probably used to satisfy on available resources. I got up pretty late and was the last one to leave the camping site. I refuelled and brought some snaks and few poscards to rememer the pleasent stay just next to boaders. The other end of Eyer hiway, Norseman just 600km away and I planned to reach it before same day evening. I further drove 200km and parked for the third day night at Coolgardie, the capital of gold mining. It was a colonized victorian architectured old small town and countable people had gathered around an old pub. I had the same arrangement for the third night as well in another camping site which was much more busier than the last camping site. I was fully tired up and didn't even want to have a shower before the sleep and straight away felt into sleep.

I got up around 6.00 am and steped to the common wash room of the caravan park and whilst met a retired guy driving alone with his wife and a tailered caravan from Perth to Brisbane. We shared about our routes we passed and things interesting and good places to camp overnight and etc. He knew much more better than me and revealed that his average milage was around 500 Km per day backed by facts, for instance hard cross winds and tailered caravan had reduced his speed below 100 Km/h. I have never tailered a caraven and thought it sould be harder to drive faster with changing weather and terrain conditions which could be observed dramatic diffrences throughout the day. It was time to start for the last day as usual I had a quick look at the dashboard indicators and everything was alright and fuel level was just behind the half and I assumed it might carry me around 300Km further. I opened up the bonnet for radiator coolent and the level remained unchanged and observed lots of bees, insects and etc trapped dead on the front surface of the radiator those had come through the shell. I said I'm sorry to myself it wasn't my fault. Anyway I was happy since its the last day and I knew the destination is just half a day ahead. I passed a fuel station after 5 Km and a roadside hoarding said that the next service 145 Km ahead. I scanned the fuel indicator again I wishpered 'come on its nothing' and thought to myself about my next break and at the next service station. I assume that whenevr an interstate driver sees a hoarding of a bed, fork and knife & a fuel pump makes him happy since it has more or less a psychological compensation and relief a critical supportive factor of solo run. Another sign indicated next service 5 Km ahead and within next 2-3 minutes I reached the the service station and it was shut down. I knew for sure that next service is another 150 Km away and I was on assumptions, estimations and calculation in short in a mind game to comepete next 150Km with less than one fouth of fuel level. I maintained speed between 85-90 Km/h for a sustainable fuel consumption rather than sppeding 110 Km/h. I double clicked on the navigator POI icon to search for the distance while behind the wheel. The fuel pump icon of the dashboard started blinking before 35 Km to the next service. I inhaled a deep breathe and murmured to myself again 'please don't let me down take me to next service'. It took me to the service station and it was shutdown too. A saying, " When you are in a deep shit say nothing and try to looks like you know what are doing" crossed my mind that instance and anyway I was well-trained patient personality who doesn't shake for reasons or effects and my will power blocked all the negative thoughts started to infiltrate to my mind. I parked it and switched on the mobile, no signals observed and low-battery alarmed. I had a membership which covers Australia wide road side assistance and I knew that it wasn't the end. An interstate truck stopped other side of the road infront of the fuel station. I approached the truckie and I told him that I want to talk to roadside assistance since I run out of fuel. He told me that he can give me diesel because he had few diesel containers in the back but my vehicle was petrol. I guess the truckie's mobile is a satellite phone and he got connected with RAA few seconds. He called me on behalf and he just wanted to know my membershp number, I was lucky enough it was also written on a sticky paper and kept it in my vallet. The truckie told me that fuel will be carried from a close small town around 40 Km away. I thank him a lot for the great help and he smilled replied 'No worries mate'. I forgot to keep his registration number but even this second I heartly appreciate for the great job. I know that a good thing we've done will back as a disguise blessings when we are down. A ute came after half and hour with a petrol can which contained around 20L,more than enough for me.

It was the last lap of my historical tour and my mind was filled with mixed feelings and it kept me in deep thoughts. Thoughts were more or less similar to water bubbles, they born stay micro seconds and vanished. I tried to realized the impermanancy of them and made me moderare and compassionate. I had neither attachment nor collision to them. I can remember I took few deep breaths and released them gradually and mind became calm and quite and I looked through the right window. I felt proud of me but didn't want to attach either. I traced myself and realized that I have become a change that I want to see in the world. I knew that I am a tough personality who dare enough to take a challenge no matter how hard it is. And I assume that life ahead may not be smoother and preparation would leave pluses in the mechanism of evolution. I tuned up the car radio to catch "Nova" 99.3 Frequency Modulation waves broabcast from Perth. It was exit of the Great Estern highway to Tonkin freeway which connects both demestic and international airports. I took another left turn to Leech Highway which was just few Km away from Wilson according to the navigator where I am going to anchor temporary. I ended up my four days journey with up-spiralled gut feeling by saying to my self " You are a man".....( open for your comments :)