4 4 4 k m: december 2010

After arriving to Brisbane, Australia in the end of November me and Karol decided to head out on a few weeks hitchhike trip south, we started right in Brisbane center, Close to stanley st. Some traffic light there and we managed to get a ride on the M3 fairly quickly, a few rides south and Byron bay became our destination that day. That place filled up with tourists, we had an nice evening thought.. Next day heading further south south, caught a couple of rides, mostly waiting between 5 and 15 minutes for a car to stop.
Somewhere around grafton we meet another hitchhiker from Wales, so suddently we are three guys trying to catch a ride on a 80km/h road, not the best odds, but after a few minutes one car stops and we get a 500 km ride with a man that liked to talk.. alot. Set up a tent outside Newcastle and next morning we get to Sydney where we are supposed to stay with a couchsurfer. Before that we almost get mugged by a guy with a knife in a park, long story short, a dutch guy saved us(and he also gave me a job the following day, how about that?! Thanks Meindert!) A few nights at gabs place, in Bondi, true couchsurf appartment. After a few days and goonsacks later we head for blue mountains, spend some days hiking and looking at views. Beautiful.
We ask a man where we can set up a tent in Wentworth falls and we end up staying for free for two nights in his Bed and breakfast(a house for ourselves, food in the fridge, thank you Ian!) Hitch down to canberra and have a fun night out with backpacks and everything, end up setting up a tent right in City hill(the pumping heart/roundabout/picknick park of the city), good night sleep. Spend some hours trying to get out of canberra, walking, walking, short ride and bang its allready dark. Now who would pick up two guys in the outskirts of canberra in the dark(reflective wristband) A 70+ year old woman, very kind of her, Almost hits a kangaroo on the road and takes us to Cooma. Setting up the tent for a cold night in the old courthouse's garden. Next day we slowly manage to make it to Thredbo and the Kosciuszko National park. Our month long goal, to climb the massive mountain, the peak of Australia(its just a hill ( 2228 m)) Spend one night half way up, and in the morning walks up to what they call the top. Then down, finished.

Hitching towards the coast, we are about to split up, karol is heading south then to Adelaide then to Alice springs(where he is on his way as im writing this i guess) Im heading back to Brisbane for christmas. However we get a ride with Cal, who convinces us to come with him to his mothers partners farm outside Tathra, seems like a fun place and we go with him, spend some great days with great people, eating good food, fishing, surfing, riding. From there i continue alone, North. Get a ride with David and his wife who invites me to stay in their house in Jervis bay, beautiful place and nice people, thanks for the beers! Next morning up to Sydney where i stay with two girls i met hitchhiking, Thank you Rachel and Caiti, Some nice days, drawing and relaxing..

North again, aiming for Coffs harbour to search for a job but end up going inland, Walcha-Armidale(cold cold up there, standing in thsirt waiting for the ride when sun is coming down, cold wind. Some kids try to help me get a ride, wants to bring me back a sandwich but i get a ride before they return) Small kangaroo filled roads to Grafton, hunger, mashed potatoes, dodgy tentspot. On my way to Coffs harbour again, feels wrong going south, walks over the road, ask a man in a bus/motorhome if he can take me abit north, he takes me for several hours and offers me a job. For one and a half day i were digging holes for a fence in Kyogle, putting in poles, cement. Rain is on its way and i decide to hitch back to Brisbane on the 23rd of December. rain for a week. Me and Lukasz make christmas food. Drink a bit of goon. Now new years, we're having a party.

Happy new year!