OZ: DONE AND DUSTED

I guess this is it for me in Australia. After about 6000 km in 3 months I finally arrived in Sydney yesterday afternoon. As it was Sunday the traffic was mild, but I still had to contend with one or two nasty hills (as was the case almost the whole way from Melbourne). At least it wasn't raining, as I've certainly had my share of the unseasonal cold and wet weather on this stretch. However, this part of the coast is also very scenic, with lots of (hilly) State Forests, and beautiful lakes and ocean inlets. I've met a number of long-distance cyclists along the way, and all of them had some gripe about the hills (one or 2 of them looked like scarecrows or hedgehogs, with all the stuff they tie to their helmets in order to avoid being attacked by the cheeky Magpies). Now that I've seen the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, I'll fly from Sydney tomorrow into a whole new world - I guess I'll have to brush up on my Spanish (not that I have any Spanish to brush up on). I still have to find a bike box, and then cycle to the airport where I'll "set up camp" tonight. Distances cycled on the 12 days since leaving Melbourne were:- Warragul 122 km; Sale 112 km; Lake Tyers R/A 118 km; Murrungowar P/S 67 km; Genoa Forest 93 km; Eden 81 km; Quaama R/A 84 km; Waldrons Swamp R/A 99 km; Burrill Lake 71 km; Bomaderry 78 km; Coledale 97 km; Sydney 69 km. Total distance cycled in Australia is 5 942 km. Total cycled since leaving Cape Town is 66 449 km.