Log One Hundred and Forty Eight – The Cycle is Complete

23 August 2026

Our adventure has come to an end and we are back home. Home means no more waving to fellow travellers and the UHF radio can be put away.

We covered over 15,600 kms and were away from home for 88 days or 12 weeks. While that seems a lot of time and a great distance there is so much more to see and experience in the country we have just traversed.

I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the high points of this trip while these memories are fresh.

Starting with the classic tourist activities, bike riding around Uluru was special. In fact riding around Alice Springs and out to Simpsons Gap was a memorable experience.

Heading north and swimming in the crystal clear waters at Mataranka is always something to look forward to. The Kimberleys are a must for any visitor. The ruggedness and remoteness of this country makes it unique. For us the Horizontal Falls encapsulated this region.

After the Kimberley’s, bike riding 80 Mile Beach was amazing followed by snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef.

Swimming with whale sharks is a lifetime experience that can only be enjoyed in very few locations around the world and Western Australia offers a fantastic experience.

Karijini is an ancient landscape and its right where Australia’s iron ore deposits are exploited.

The real high points however for this trip were the people we met along the way. I thought I would end with a quick summary of some of the characters that added so much to the trip.

The remote country, gold prospecting couple we met a Halls Creek gave us so much assistance in setting up our Starlink system. They had all the power management and advanced battery systems you could imagine.

All the young backpackers we met from countries including Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, the UK, the USA, Japan, Spain and Brazil. They were the baristas, dive guides, chefs, receptionists, road house staff, waiting staff, boat captains and more. All very professional, with a smile on their face and loving their jobs.

The chap from Tasmania working as a census collector in Central Australia.

The Italian waitress in Fitzroy Crossing who was going to marry the chef. I think he was aware of this arrangement and his pasta was amazing.

The farmer of 40,000 acres from the wheat belt of WA.

The five chaps we met at Curtain Springs who were headed to the Finke Desert race. A great night of story telling.

The young man who joined us at our table in the Tom Price pub just to chat about where we had come from and where we were headed.

The young man from London managing the bar at Kulgera roadhouse.

Our star watching guide at 80 Mile Beach.

The couple who were connected with the Isle of Mann TT race.

The motorbike rider who was camped beside us in Alice Springs who completed the Finke Desert race.

The chap who caught a freshwater croc on his fishing line at Mataranka, at the back of our camp ground.

The most memorable couple however we met at Devils Marbles on 13 June. We met them again at Elliott, Mataranka and Katherine, without any forward planning. They headed off to Darwin and we assumed we were unlikely to see them again. Then over a month later there they were, camped on a site immediately behind us at Nanutarra Roadhouse in WA. Our journeys seemed to synchronise for a while and we bumped into them in Coral Bay and Kalgoorlie. Our final parting was on 13 August at Ceduna, South Australia. They headed to Victoria and we headed home in NSW. Who knows when and where we might meet again.