Day 5

Day 5 Cairns - Gordonvale


Weight: 64 kgs

kms a day: 19.28

total kms up to a day: 126.28

total kms to go: 4189.72

media: interview for channel 7 and Win TV

The mobile phone rings. It is Renee from channel 7. She wants to get an interview with me.We agree to meet at 11 o'clock at the peer on the Esplanade in Cairns. I want to make it on time. There would not be much time to scoot before but I still want to manage a few kilometres. You never know what surprise every day brings you.

I am at the esplanade on time. The pier is "U" like and I am not too sure at which entrance to wait. I am circulating from one side to another unit I spot TV - channel 7 and Win TV interviewing someone at the cafe on the pier. Someone is waiving at me. It must be Renee. Good I am here I just have to wait until she is free.

I hope that Peter makes it on time and will fim a bit of this interview. He is wondering the shops now and he knows that interview is set up for 11 am. Unfortunately when I finally bump into him it is all over. He was waiting at the other side of the peer. It is not a big drama. Ranee promised to send me a link.

We need to get some supplies before we leave Cairns. Peter is making sure that he has everything for his cooking and a few things from hardware. There is a hardware shop on Mulgrave road. It is walking distance from the parked car. And we pass the Win TV building. It would be worth to knock on the door to ask if they want to interview me. Today I feel like an emu and I wish to put my head into the sand. But I set myself up on the mission already and I should not miss this opportunity. After I ring the bell they are letting me in. The lady at the reception is going to check out if there is an interest in my sory. And it is. I am running quickly to get my scooter. When I come back the cameraman is ready. Before Peter does his shopping I am done. I have to repeat a few times that I was already interviewed and It is time to waive Cairns city goodbye.

Hmmm... It seems like a beautiful town I wish I could stay longer. In a couple of hours I would be wishing otherwise...

Anyway.. I am hoping on my scooter about 10 kms away from Cairns. The weather is in my favour today. The sun is hiding behind the clouds. I will have a smooth run today....
Peter would be waiting for me at my next 15th kms.... when I spot the car I see him resting on the mattress.... when I get closer I realise that he is sleeping in the grass aside the road. The "old" man looks like a cute baby... I do not want to wake him up.

There is a car pulling off the road. The "stranges" are waiving at us.... I wonder what they want...small world....Cathy and Mark... my friends from Portland in Victoria are hopping out of the car. I am so pleased to see them.

Peter is hopping on his legs and I am introducing him to them. He sometimes presents himself as a grumpy "old" man. I have to correct this impression. He has a big and warm heart. You do not meet many people like him. We chat for a little while but Peter is looking at his watch, pushing me to hop on my scooter again... It is getting late. I have more kilometres ahead.

After my 3rd kilometres there is another car pulling off the road. Is it another coinsidence. I am going to bump into some friends again?? It is a stranger giving me my visit card advising me that I need to come back to the base because the "white horse" ( the car) is not behaving well. Apparently it does not start.

I could not be faster coming back. While pushing my scooter strongly ahead my mind is jumping from one possibility to another what could be wrong. Is it a spare key?? Early morning when I played with GPS I tangled my leg into the lace we have a key placed on and I bend it. It was the original key. We have a spare one. THe car was bought with only the key and the spare one was arranged before we went. A spare one apparently does not work properly. It does not start the car. I am in turmoil what to do. The only idea I have is to ring my friends in Cairns. I have not seen them for 13 years. It is a time to visit them??!!

I get Milada on the phone. She sounds very busy but she agrees with no hesitation to come to pick me up. She is an angel. She arrives in 40 minutes. I need to have a dring... I go to have the key checked up early morning. I am getting behind the schedule and I need a drink.... early morning I was disappointed to leave Cairns... here I am... back in Cairns.
We stay up until mid-night. After all it was good to catch up with them. I believe to sort everything out next day...