The last ride I have planned for Australia...
Anticipated ride in New Zealand Route, starting in Christchurch and ending in Auckland...
Getting to Brisbane with time to spare before my quick trip to New York, will hopefully allow me the opportunity to not only get some writing done, but also to plan the final leg of my Aussie Tour, a 4 800 km loop to Port Douglas and back to Brisbane…
I will also decide whether or not to fly the Big Fella to New Zealand for a 5 000 km ride there…
I am keen to make this ride, but once again, it will take time away from the rides I want to make in South America…!!
I have managed to have my new passport linked to my old one in which my Aussie visa resides, and also seem to have had my visa extended to the end of December, without actually requesting the Immigration authorities to do so…!!
Seems that when I returned from Bali on the 30th of September, the 90 day visa was rolled over to start up again as of that date…!! Overstaying my welcome here is therefore no longer a problem I need to concern myself with… The Immigration office here in Brisbane was super efficient when I walked in unannounced yesterday…
Pleasure to deal with people who know exactly what they are doing…!!
Cuddly Koala in Brisbane.....
My host and old friend, Mark Behr, took me to buy some semi-decent clothes for my upcoming trip, as I was pretty sure that the kit I have been wearing for almost two years will not pass muster in New York…!!
I am afraid I will likely be put back onto a plane and sent to some third world country as a refugee…!! My elbows and shoulders are not the only things that are beginning to fall apart…!!
With time to spare before he was needed back at the office, we popped into the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary close to the city, where I was able to cuddle up close to a Koala Bear…
Smelly things, Koalas…!! Reminds me of the public toilets in Park Station on a hot day…!! Not pleasant…!!
Mark avoided touching one for this very reason, wrinkling his nose as the strong acidic smell filled the air near the Koala enclosures…!!
But it was a thrill to hold the little female, and feel her sharp claws digging into my shirt as she hung on…!! I stared into her intelligent little eyes for a while, wondering what she made of all this attention…!!
I would have liked to take her home for a quick shampoo, and then spend some time studying her more closely, but the rangers would probably not have agreed to this request, so I did not bother to pass it on…!!
In a large open enclosure nearby, we strolled across a wide expanse of lawn until we came upon a small group of Kangaroos, and went closer to see if they were in the mood to be touched…
Keeping a beady eye on the larger Red Kangaroos, I bent down and scratched the back and ears of a smaller Grey Kangaroo…
Tickling a Gray Kangaroo... Their fur is as soft as a cat;s...!!
This Red Kangaroo did not bother to get up...!
It’s fur was much softer than I had expected it to be, almost like that of a cat… While I stroked and scratched the ‘Roo, it began munching thoughtfully on the brochure I was carrying in my other hand…
They are used to being feed rabbit pellets by visitors, and finding none in my hand, probably figured that the brochure would do just as well…!!
The larger Red Kangaroos eyed me with interest as I crouched between them and petted them… The larger one did not bother to change his position in the depression he had clawed out for himself, and barely glanced up as I touched him…
I have seen footage of a Kangaroo laying into a guy at a petting zoo, and using both front legs to pummel the dude, it then gave him a hefty kick in the jewelry box for good measure…!!
Suffice to say that the man went down in a heap and muttered things such as, “Oh my goodness, that hurt…!!”, while the Kangaroo sat quietly nearby, waiting in vain for the bell to signal the beginning of the second round…!!
I kept the vision of the incapacitated man in my mind as I squeezed the ‘Roo’s tail to see what it felt like…
Turns out it is solid muscle, and has a velvet-like texture… As I squeezed a second time, the ‘Roo lifted an eyebrow and eyed me speculatively…
I did not give him an opportunity to inquire which division I usually fought in, as with a muttered apology, I took a quick step back and out of range of both tail and paw…
The Pine Tree Koala Sanctuary is a place where you could easily spend a day wandering through the cages filled with birds, snakes, and various species of lizards, as well as almost every other species of Australian mammals…
We even got to watch a Platypus swimming around in it’s darkened tank, hunting for food under sunken logs and in rocky crevices… An amazing animal this, remarkable in so many ways… Duck-like bill, webbed feet, beaver-like tail, all attached to a furry animal that resembled no other on earth…!!
It was certainly a pleasant few hours we spent at the sanctuary, and I have made further plans to visit the famous Australian Zoo, established by the iconic Steve Irwin, later this week…
©GBWT 2011
Been great catching up on 30 years and hearing how your life has turned out – I am excited about the future for you!
Look forward to a few more days of news.
Oh you lucky bugger you, she looks so fluffy and cuddly. Glad to hear that you and Mark are catching up on all the years spent apart. Can’t wait for your visit to Australia Zoo; you might even bump into Bindi. You will also be able to see their new African Safari exhibit that opened in September this year, so you can feel right at home with the Rhino, Giraffe, Cheetah etc. Have fun.
Great photos and stories Ronnie! It will be great to see you and Patty-whack in NY! No worries!!!
Donna
Ha…!! No worries, Donna…?? You think…!! Looking forward to seeing you again too….!! R.
Good to hear you are considering NZ. Defintely gets my vote. great country, amazing people and I would think an ideal biking destination. RTW wouldn’t be complete without a visit to land of long white cloud!
Hi Ronnie
We have all thinking about you lately and wanting to call but it is always too late with the time difference now. Been following your movements and happy to see you are still doing well. When do you leave for New York? Will call you over the weekend. Lots of love, John, Michelle and girls.
Hi Ronnie, Should you make it to NZ you will be rewarded with many awesome roads “with corners” especially down South. You are most welcome to grab a bed at our place in Tauranga if that works out. My wife (Yanina) has been in NZ 10 years since emigrating from Capetown. I have followed your trip and very humerous blog for many months with much jealosy. Can’t wait for the book???? Cheers Geoff.
Thinking about you hanging out in that big city of NY without the Big Fella, I would imagine you cant wait back to the ride, Oz is pretty nice riding country. Say hi to Patty from us.
hugs
miss yah
Trev and Chenty
Ronnie, where art thou?
Hi Ronnie
Still alive? everybody’s wondering whether you’ve now disappeared off the face of the earth?
hmmmmmmmmmm New York must be fun!
Ronnie is still in New York and will only be back in Brisbane roundabout the 25th November to continue with his journey. We all look forward to hearing from him again and that includes his family. We have not heard from Ronnie in more than two weeks, so for his followers out there, we know how you all feel. We also hate the time difference…..when we awake he is asleep and vice versa…..it sucks!!!!
Big Fella called us this afternoon and said he was starting to get concerned….he has not heard from you either. He says the dust that has settled on him is disturbing, he needs a good clean…..he is also thinking of pulling the plug on his battery if you don’t return to him soon!!