from New Zealand , around the world , to Australia , my 51st country and almost home .
She would never be sold , having the occasional ride to blow the cobwebs off , one day becoming an ornament in my garage or above the fireplace . Now that could never happen .
I ’ d named her Tess ; I ’ d never named a motorcycle before .
A conversation with the police when they arrived went exactly as I thought it would ; little more than a few insights . I was told that they suspected someone from the local community would have taken it , probably for a joyride , until it ran out of fuel . There it would be left .
With a full fuel tank , it had a 300 kilometre range . It had just been refueled . Where to start looking ?
I was informed that a shooting had taken place in Alice Springs a few weeks earlier and that the local communities weren ’ t open to talking to the police . They suggested that they would still go around the local community and have a chat with them . Local Park Rangers were also asked to help , suggesting that the people might be more open to speaking with them .
Left alone , I sat by my tent .
Everything started to sink in .
Feelings flowed through me , what I had done over the past few years meant nothing . I had failed . I wasn ’ t going to finish my Round The World journey on the same bike . I had lost the thing that had been closest to me through it all . I knew it was only a ‘ thing ’, but I had built a great bond with that ‘ thing ’.
Emotions began to flow . I was sat by my tent , in the dirt , waiting for the days temperature to reach 40 degrees , no bike , limited phone battery life . What the hell was I going to do ?
Just wanting to leave , I started
TRAVERSE 104