"I WOKE
COVERED IN PISS AND SPEW"
I
t was the turning point when Benji Brundin realised
that his life was spiralling out of control. Eight months
earlier his life seemed over, he’d lost everything, his
wife was asking for a divorce. Deeply involved with-
in the fitness industry Benji did the unthinkable, but
something so many do, he turned to drugs and alco-
hol. The spiral had begun …
The party life seemed to be a great way to block out the
pain, to mask what was really happening, Benji fell into it
comfortably until the day he awoke, on a park bench, and
as he openly admits not in the best of shape.
Something clicked, Benji realised that if he continued
down this destructive path there would be a very good
chance that he wouldn’t come out the other end. A de-
cision had to be made, he chose something that many
would think crazy. To travel Australia and mostly by mo-
torcycle, something he couldn’t even do. Benji had yet to
ride a motorcycle.
Within a month Benji was riding and had secured a
Yamaha WR250R, he was off, travelling. The bike was
strapped to the back of his van, Benji’s destination un-
known, he was just travelling, discovering Australia, dis-
covering himself, as he fought to get his life back on track
after his divorce had been finalised.
With no real destination in mind, Benji decided that to
touch all points of the compass on the Australian main-
land seemed like a good plan. The southernmost, Wilson
Promontory in his home state of Victoria was easy really,
it’s mostly all bitumen however, Benji had taken the first
step and was making progress.
He headed west and ticked off Steep Point in Western
Australia however, it didn’t come easy. Overwhelmed and
fearful, Benji started the 160 kilometres of dirt out to the
point.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” explained Benji.
“I had to hide fuel and food in the bush to complete the
trip.”
With no real idea how to ride on dirt Benji spent a sleep-
TRAVERSE 17