Across the Nullarbor: Day 1…

The Nullarbor Plains seem to have a special significance in the minds of many Australians…

The sun rises over Esperance Bay....

Looking west towards the small harbour...

To some, it is a mythical place, spoken of in whispers, to others, it is a place to be avoided at all costs, especially seeing that there were frequent flights between Adelaide and Perth, and nobody in their right mind would want to spend two to three days driving across the place whose name is derived from the Latin nullus, (no) and arbor (tree); the place with no trees…!!

When I mentioned I was heading across the Nullarbor to get to Adelaide, apart from the raised eyebrows I usually got, there were also the inane questions such as:

“On this bike…??” (No, on a banana skin…!!)

“On your own…?? (No, with the eleven other non-existent bikers you see surrounding me…!!)

“Why…??” (Because it stands between me and Adelaide…!!)

After a 210 km ride from Esperance to Norseman, we turned East and began the long haul to Adelaide... Getting to Eucla before nightfall was our first priority... I figured 920 km on the first day would do just fine as a first stab at the Nullarbor...!!

I have submitted an application to have the name of this part of the world changed to “The Nullarboring”… The authorities have promised to consider my request with all the gravity that this matter deserves…

I could sense another "No Hands" record attempt in the offing... (But for a spiteful gust of wind, I would have made it all the way...!! But 126 km is where the new mark stands...!!)

"Yep... It looks pretty straight from here...!!"