Cycling The Globe

When I first arrived in Alice Springs I had planned to stay for 3 months. But, with several jobs at hand, a free house to stay in, a bank account that looked healthier by the day, and good friends around, I thought it wouldn’t much much sense to leave.

The first two weeks without cycling was certainly the most difficult. After a year on the road the body gets amazingly used to spending those 6-8 hours a day in the saddle – a healthy addiction. At the same time it is very tiring to always be on the move, to sleep in a new bed (or whatever you end up) every night. One of the few things I miss on the journey is a place I can call home, feel at ease, a place to rest the body and mind.

I never feel alone when I’m cycling, but with people coming and going some new friendships will inevitable end up superficial. In Alice Springs I found a place, if even just for a while, I could call home. The feeling of walking down a street and randomly run into old friends, or the feeling that you know all the cashiers in the supermarket… those are nice feelings that you will not experience if you are always moving from place to place.

Alice Springs is located right in the center of Australia. When I first arrived I couldn’t understand why there would be a city in such an isolated place. A part of the answer is tourism, with a huge amount of tourists stopping by on the way to or from Uluru. The city also functions as a hub for the small communities and cattle stations spread around the outback.

If there is one bad thing to say about Alice Springs its the summer heat. 40°C is the norm. Luckily its a dry heat so you wont sweat much. But, it does feel hot. Even a short 5 minute walk from the shopping center to the library will leave your brain in a fried state, making it difficult to think straight thoughts. Only a dip in the pool will solve that problem.

After 5 months that felt like 5 weeks I parked my bicycle at a friend’s place and went to the airport. It was time to get moving again.