Ted Talks

Well, it's about time Adeena finally let me say something! Jeepers!! - I get lugged around the freaking planet for four and a half years and dragged through all sorts of shit being tied to bicycles and motorbikes and yachts and then she goes and shares her side of the near death experience (because lets be honest, every adventure has a near death experience) seeing some positive light and being all optimistic about our failed suicide attempts that I tried to talk her out of... what the flip?

Central Coast, Australia

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Somewhere, Vietnam

Martinique

Colon, Panama

No, I think the only reason she keeps me around is because nobody else is stupid enough to venture out with her. Don't get me wrong, she really is a lovely girl; but she's clearly flipping unlucky, or got terrible karma, or something!
I mean, how many people do you know who have been shipwrecked and marooned on a desert island, been attacked by both dogs and pirates, fallen into a volcano, had far too close for comfort unplanned encounters with sharks and lions and komodo dragons and molestorisers and a leopard and cassowaries, been involved in 8 motorbike and 9 bicycle crashes, lost their rigging and got stuck at sea for months...!? The answer I'm sure you'll agree is one: Adeena.
Actually, I'll be honest - the only reason I stick around is because I can't run away - my legs are stuffed!

You don't have to look hard to see how I've deteriorated over the years

No, I really don't get it! She's on this big mission to flightlessly travel from Australia to Spain and after 5 years and a month, she's 3944 km further away than she was when she started.
Yes, okay I'll give her credit - she's gotten close - she's dragged me through some 27 countries and we've been around the world once, but how do you just miss Spain? It's right in the middle!

And don't even get me started on accommodation!
Adeena's happy to sleep in a cave or on a beach, or in a weed plantation, or a cinema, or restaurant, or on a strangers floor - but that's only because I'm her freaking pillow. Give me a night at the Hilton for once?? Although they probably won't let her in - she doesn't have shoes.

A bar in Malaysia

On a stranger's floor in Lankawi when she lost me for 3 days.

This is not okay!

Yes this looks like an ideal setting, but after the sun disappeared, this transformed into a bed for the night.

Adeena's definition of luxury accommodation: camping

Yes she got me my own passport - but I know they're thinking it every time I walk through border control- "Wonder what he's laced with?" - Right? No normal grown up carries a teddy my size with them unless they're up to no good. Do you know what it's like to be scanned and dogged and constantly probed by weird men and hairy ladies in uniforms?
And on that note too - it's thanks to her that I've had so many run ins with the law and it's upholders.

Orange isn't even my colour!

Okay, it's not all bad.
I've seen and experienced some amazing things that most people can only dream of.
And being the cute furry co-gypsy has some perks

I'm not normally into men, but I'll tolerate this kind of thing

No, it's a hard life being the side-kick; but Adeena promises that this year will be different!
It's only January and she has already locked in 2 flights (which is a lot for someone who doesn't fly), a bicycle tour, a family reunion, and a shower.
She's even talking about finishing both her circumnavigation and this crazy mission to Spain.
It might actually be a good year.
No, stuff that, it's going to be freaking fantastic! 

Tasmanian Angels

When you and your mate randomly find yourselves on the same flight, you know your adventure is off to a great start!

And our plane didn't even crash, so it really was!!

(Although I think the rest of the plane were quite confused when I knelt down and licked the ground on arrival)

Hobart greeted us with some awesome things to lick. and with some exceptionally inspirational new friends.

And great parks.

After a midnight Kmart run to get a $9 tent and $4 camping matts, we were all set to hitch out into the abyss

We were constantly stupified by how easy the trip was and how friendly the locals were.

Some of our rides even doubled as tour guides and took us to explore hidden wonders like the Tasmanian equivalent of stone henge.

Even people in a hurry were happy to give us a ride and go out of their way to make sure we went in the right direction!

And after 8 rides, we eventually arrived at Lake St Claire, the start of the Overland Track

We camped out for the night and woke up to a world of wonder.

Only minutes in, I found my first living echidna (the rest of Australia's roads are paved with dead ones)

There were fresh water creeks everywhere! 

(So it probably wasn't the best idea to be carrying 4 litres of water each)

At the start of the trail, when we were still newbs, getting used to hiking and pack lugging, the happiest part of the day was arriving at the evening's huts.

But as we got fitter and adjusted to the freezing weather, the best part was starting the day because the trail (like the weather) changed every few meters

Georgia stupified by endless beauty

We climbed to great heights.

And explored beautiful valleys.

Every day brought with it encounters with people from all over the world who had many lessons to teach and adventurous escapades to share.

While it was horrible to keep saying goodbye to people, the best part of being the only people walking in the wrong direction (winter is the only time you can hike from South to North - so we did) was getting to meet everyone heading the other way.

Every day we awoke to new adventures

The better parts were done barefoot.

But some days the chicken wire paths cut your feet open or there were other reasons to wear shoes...

After 5 days of mud and sweat and tears we finally reached the end of the overland track

And we got rid of the rubbish we'd carried along the trail

(not bad for 15 meals)

The day was drawing on and we were quite excited for a shower so we decided to hitch to the closest town. 

We wound up in Queenstown, which sounds lovely but...

No, we were very very very glad that we survived the night in the random town (I don't think the legends of cannibals and hostilities are as made-up as they sound).

And we were even more glad that Canuck eventually picked us up to help us escape! 

In truth it was one of the best hitch hiking days of my life!

It might have taken over 2 hours to get the first ride, but when we stepped out of the first car, Georgia and I both overflowed with zest for life and basically stepped straight into Pat's van.

 Pat was a chef and volunteered at a YWAM base, so he had a whole guest house to put us up in and prepared a three course meal to go with it.

We left Sorrell in style

And continued to be taken in by legendary human specimens.

We explored more and more wonderous places

And were gutted when we finally had to hitch towards the airport.

We arrived in Launceston with time to spare and after exploring the gorge and making a plethora of wonderful friends, we hitched to the airport faster than we should have.

Being early has its perks though, we both secured window seats and got complimentry airport meal vouchers. 

They wouldn't let me on the plane without shoes (and I'd checked my only pair in with my luggage) so I had time to construct these from cardboard and hair ties.

Our plane was delayed by an hour... then two... then four... and when it got to the point that we'd definitely missed our train from Melbourne to Sydney we got quite perturbed

We argued for ages with Virgin staff about making an alternative arrangement for us to get home, but because we weren't catching a connecting flight, they said it wasn't there problem.

We were sentenced to arrive in Melbourne at 1 am with nowhere to go and nowhere to stay and no transport to Sydney.

And then, against all odds,  Toby came through for us.

He walked up to us and handed us a 5 star hotel booking, with taxi vouchers to get there and back, meal vouchers, and new plane tickets direct to Sydney for the morning. 

We love Toby!!!

And we quite like Virgin.

And just like that we were back in Sydney.

Straight from the snow to a heat wave!

We stopped to find snacks for the train ride to Newcastle and found a $20 note in a fruit basket....

And then, as I hitched the final 50 km home, I got picked up by the first car that passed who just happened to be my good friends Liz and Pengu and they just so happened to be heading to the beach :)

It was the perfect end to a perfect trip.

Everyone's heard of Tasmanian devils - but I think it's the Tasmanian Angels that are far more prevalent!!