better way out made me realise that you guys do it much tougher than people in four-wheel drives . I ’ m keen to learn more .
“ Do you mind if I travel with you down the road ?”
My sigh must ’ ve been audible . Oliver looked dejected . I thought he was going to ask if we could teach him to ride .
“ No , that ’ s cool ,” he exclaimed excitedly when I suggested that we were slow travellers , taking in everything we can , and could be on the road for a week . “ That ’ s perfect , that ’ s what I want to experience .”
The experience was enriched for all three of us in vastly different ways , as we discovered the land through the eyes of each other . Oliver laughed as we prepared our ‘ prisoner food ’ each day , we laughed when he pulled out a wok and created a stir fry , his mums ‘ best advice ’ to make sure he took a wok with him .
Each evening the beer would be offered , and we laugh as I turned my nose up at yet another XXXX Gold , before asking for another one .
We headed south-east and after four days of travelling , exploring , and experiencing , we came to a defined line in the road . The red , dusty earth blended into one of hard , black bitumen . We ’ d essentially reached the end of the Tanami Track .
“ Well , that was fun ,” Oliver laughed . “ My bloody car has been shaken to pieces .”
As if reading my mind Oliver offered a sort of retort , “ but I ’ m amazed at how guys do it . The bikes get thrown all over the place , the back end seems to skip from side to side .”
We both just shrugged , suggesting it was just a part of the ride . I filled my bike ’ s tank from what was left of our fuel reserves , just 2.5 litres , it would get us to Alice Springs .
TRAVERSE 133