looking up flights to the Gold Coast where one of my closest friends lived . Then a voice asking what I was doing ?
“ I have no bloody idea ,” I looked up to reply .
The voice introduced himself as David , the manager of the campground . He had heard about what had happened and without hesitation said that they would put me up in something more comfortable to sort thigs out . He came back after 15 minutes , enough time for me to pack up , and took me to a local hotel .
On this , the worst day , things took a positive turn .
Checked into my room , I looked at my phone and could hardly believe what I saw . A huge number of messages on my social media platforms from all over the world .
The Facebook post on the Australian Motorcycle Camping page had hundreds of views and shares along with a mass of comments . It was a similar result on Instagram .
A nerve had been hit , followers of my journey outraged , Australians were angry that this had happened in their country .
Replying to messages become somewhat of an exercise in damage control as some of the comments became quite racist . One page was forced to turn off comments .
My concern wasn ’ t about who took Tess , their ethnicity or race , it was 100 percent about how to get my most treasured possession back . The outpouring of comments and shares was overwhelming , word was out , even radio in Darwin called me to do a live interview .
A message from Chris Birch ( Birchy ), a legendry rider from New Zealand , offered to set up a GoFundMe page to help . I was grateful yet uncomfortable . For years I had done this journey
TRAVERSE 105