{"id":2220,"date":"2025-06-25T08:39:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T06:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velonord.blog\/2025\/06\/25\/cycling-through-the-australian-wilderness-my-wild-journey-5\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T09:28:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T07:28:02","slug":"cycling-through-the-australian-wilderness-my-wild-journey-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velonord.blog\/en\/2025\/06\/25\/cycling-through-the-australian-wilderness-my-wild-journey-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling Through the Australian Wilderness: My Wild Journey 5"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A stop at a gas station caf\u00e9 for donuts, ice cream, and refueling with food and drinks before continuing my journey. I strike up a conversation with a guy working there and learn that he emigrated from Slovakia to Australia in 1998 &#8211; so at a very young age! He likes it here, but starts talking about the country\u2019s politics\u2026 That\u2019s something we\u2019ll elegantly skip over in this blog.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I notice again and again that Australians travel incredibly little! Not just long distances, but even short trips are like expeditions for them. When I ask about the road to a town or village, I often hear they haven\u2019t driven there for SEVERAL YEARS &#8211; and we\u2019re talking about a measly 40 kilometers! Completely different from Northern Norway, where most of us from the M\u00f8rsvikbotn area know the roads to Bod\u00f8, Narvik, and Lofoten like the backs of our hands &#8211; not just the E6 highway, but also all the winding shortcuts across the sea.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Time flies, and I see the poor guy behind the counter starting to stress because he took too long a break with me. I jump on my bike and pedal off into the darkness. It\u2019s dead silent around me, almost no traffic, and then &#8211; BAM! &#8211; after just 10 km, my back tire suddenly goes flat. Typical! Nothing to do but stop and fix it. I don\u2019t have any more tubeless sealant with me, so I decide to put on an inner tube instead. Fortunately, that goes fine.       <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>My Honest Australian Travel Advice: <\/strong>Going to Australia and through the desert? BUY TELSTRA! But not just any SIM card that claims to have \u201cTelstra coverage\u201d &#8211; no, you need GENUINE Telstra! Companies like Telsim, Boost Mobile, Woolworths Mobile, and ALDImobile all boast about using the \u201cTelstra network,\u201d but they only get access to a limited part of it. The others have such limited coverage that it\u2019s ridiculous. ONLY Telstra actually works in the wilderness. Don\u2019t be fooled by the smiling salespeople at the airport saying, \u201cOptus or Virgin work just fine\u201d &#8211; they DON\u2019T! I\u2019ve fallen for that trick several times. Yes, they\u2019re cheaper and offer more data, but that doesn\u2019t help when you\u2019re standing in the middle of nowhere without coverage!       <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Penong &#8211; More Than Just a Stopover<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First stop is Penong, about 50 kilometers later. This small place is actually home to Australia\u2019s \u201cwindmill museum\u201d &#8211; a collection of over 20 historic wind pumps reaching towards the sky! I indulge in coffee, ice cream, and donuts, and surprise absolutely no one when I say it\u2019s only 8 o\u2019clock, but it\u2019s already scorching hot.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I notice police checkpoints everywhere. Speed limit or drunk driving checks? It\u2019s Saturday morning, so maybe there\u2019s a local problem with party-happy drivers?  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I pedal on with a bit of wind at my back &#8211; delightful! &#8211; but the heat just keeps rising and rising. I stop at all gas stations, but they\u2019re so insanely far apart that I have to lug water barrels on my back. The water in my backpack stays okay, but the water in the bottles on my bike? It gets so hot it burns my mouth to drink it! Next time I\u2019ll bring a steel or titanium bottle &#8211; a smart investment when the temperature creeps up to 38 degrees and there\u2019s not a single tree providing shade!     <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nullarbor &#8211; Where the Trees Said Goodbye<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve decided to reach all the way to Nullarbor today. This isn\u2019t just a small stopover &#8211; it\u2019s the gateway to the world\u2019s largest karst plain! \u201cNull-arbor\u201d literally means \u201cno trees\u201d in Latin, and when you see this endless landscape, you understand why. Hardcore cyclists from around the world dream of crossing this stretch!   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 100 kilometers before I arrive, I find a tiny place with a gas station and &#8211; HALLELUJAH! &#8211; mobile coverage. I call and book a motel, but receive strict instructions: \u201cAfter 8:00 PM, NOBODY is present, so you MUST arrive before then!\u201d I look at the clock, calculate my speed, and take a chance. Will I make it?    <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a close call! I arrive around 6:30 PM, exhausted but happy, and manage to buy food and drinks. At the motel, I discover warnings about deadly snakes everywhere, with detailed instructions about what to do if I see one, and reminders to shake my shoes before putting them on. Just another day in Australia!   <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"886\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=886%2C886&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?w=886&amp;ssl=1 886w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0D7A8B53-50B0-4F3A-BECA-988740CD7B70_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/9B6E9BD9-D31E-476B-BC6E-D2C85D17D6AD_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"2162\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E99A60AC-F100-4D0D-BBBD-09854822D3CE_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E99A60AC-F100-4D0D-BBBD-09854822D3CE_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, 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class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"2185\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A40394EB-78B9-40C9-99F6-AD5D758A04E0_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"2170\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D82C1518-CC4D-4994-9DC3-A4E9CAEF0CA6_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"2178\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7F17F63C-AE8E-4EE2-B51B-B18762520179_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eucla and the Incredible Encounter<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Up early the next morning! The plan is to reach Eucla, across the border to Western Australia. The first 50 kilometers go like a dream, but then &#8211; WHAM! &#8211; the headwind hits like a wall. It\u2019s so brutal that I can\u2019t maintain more than 14 km\/h no matter how hard I try. At that speed, I\u2019ll never arrive before doomsday! There\u2019s 130 kilometers left, and I\u2019m fighting for every single centimeter on the bike. It\u2019s so tough that I\u2019m cursing in three languages.       <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2165F3C4-1CBE-41FF-905C-3037B7496C60_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately, the wind begins to ease after a few miles. At the border, I stop, eat ice cream, and guzzle water as if it\u2019s my last chance. There\u2019s a border control here &#8211; just one mile left to the motel!  <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E492CD09-8040-4388-9CA7-3622CB159D6E_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E492CD09-8040-4388-9CA7-3622CB159D6E_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E492CD09-8040-4388-9CA7-3622CB159D6E_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E492CD09-8040-4388-9CA7-3622CB159D6E_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/E492CD09-8040-4388-9CA7-3622CB159D6E_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1182&amp;ssl=1 1182w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fascinating fact about Eucla is that this tiny place has its very own time zone \u2013 Australian Central Western Standard Time (UTC+8:45) \u2013 an unusual 45-minute offset used by only a few hundred people, which made my clock suddenly jump to a time I\u2019d never seen before!<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the border control, the most incredible thing of the entire trip happens. A young woman checks my luggage, sees the Norwegian flag and &#8211; seriously &#8211; starts speaking NORWEGIAN to me! Oslo dialect!  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAre you from Norway?\u201d she asks in perfect Oslo dialect.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes! Are YOU Norwegian?\u201d I reply, completely shocked.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We start chatting, and she tells me she lived in Arendal for a while.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve actually also lived in Arendal,\u201d I say, \u201con Trom\u00f8ya! I worked at Agderposten, but we moved north in 2016.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She looks at me with wide eyes and asks: \u201cDid you live in the last house on Ugelsmyra?\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Ja,&#8221; svarer jeg forbl\u00f8ffet, &#8220;Skareveien 303!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She smiles broadly and says: \u201cIt was my boyfriend and I who bought your house in 2016!<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m almost speechless! Imagine meeting the person who bought MY HOUSE &#8211; at a border control in the wilderness of Australia! The world isn\u2019t just small, it\u2019s MICROSCOPIC! I ask if we can take a picture together, and she\u2019s totally fine with it. This needs to be documented, otherwise nobody will believe me!    <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/D4FA9A0F-1760-4109-B70C-B0F3AA3B4153_1_105_c.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With my head full of this incredible coincidence, I cycle on to the motel. There I order a steak so big it hangs off the plate, and chat with a guy from Perth who\u2019s driving his newly purchased used motorcycle from Adelaide. We exchange travel stories late into the night.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way, Eucla isn\u2019t just a border point &#8211; it\u2019s also home to the mysterious \u201cEucla nymphs,\u201d the world\u2019s only white cockroaches that live in the sand dunes by the beach! But after today\u2019s experiences, even white cockroaches seem pretty ordinary\u2026 <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of this long, adventurous day, I discover to my horror that my charger is gone &#8211; I left it at the motel in Nullarbor! In the midst of the joy about the incredible encounter and the delicious steak, panic sets in when I realize my digital lifeline is now on borrowed time, and the adapter is several hours of cycling back at a motel where nobody knows me. How am I going to document the rest of my trip without power for my phone? Typical that such a thing happens in the middle of nowhere!   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The adventures continue, and tomorrow new challenges await on this wild cycling trip through Australia!<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A stop at a gas station caf\u00e9 for donuts, ice cream, and refueling with food and drinks before continuing my [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94265162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[780965767,780966022],"tags":[780966129,780966125,780966127,780966130,780966124,780966128,780966126],"class_list":["post-2220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-australia-sydney-perth-en","category-bike-trips","tag-australia","tag-eucla","tag-nullarbor","tag-outback-australia","tag-penong","tag-sor-australia","tag-vest-australia"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgopLa-zO","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1123,"url":"https:\/\/velonord.blog\/en\/2025\/05\/12\/cycling-across-australia-a-christmas-adventure\/","url_meta":{"origin":2220,"position":0},"title":"Cycling Across Australia: A Christmas Adventure part 1","author":"sykkelnord","date":"2025-05-12","format":false,"excerpt":"Then the day came \u2013 the day before Christmas Eve. I was heading to Australia to take on the biggest challenge of my life so far. 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Pack\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Australia Sydney-Perth&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Australia Sydney-Perth","link":"https:\/\/velonord.blog\/en\/category\/bike-trips\/australia-sydney-perth-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/velonord.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Uten-navn-2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1973,"url":"https:\/\/velonord.blog\/en\/2025\/05\/27\/cycling-adventure-in-australia-heat-uphill-battles-and-empty-water-bottles\/","url_meta":{"origin":2220,"position":3},"title":"Cycling Adventure in Australia: Heat, Uphill Battles and Empty Water Bottles","author":"sykkelnord","date":"2025-05-27","format":false,"excerpt":"The heat is so intense after 10 o\u2019clock that I\u2019ve decided to get up earlier. I set the alarm for 3 AM, and it hurts to wake up and get out to start cycling. 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Me iba a Australia para enfrentar el mayor desaf\u00edo hasta la fecha. Esta idea loca la hab\u00eda estado planeando durante mucho tiempo, despu\u00e9s del espectacular fiasco del a\u00f1o pasado en el que la bicicleta nunca apareci\u00f3. \u00bfEstaba preparado para esto? 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