Day 19 and the first rain (and Birger’s bday)

11 April, 26km



I had the best night’s sleep- it wasn’t too cold (well, I was sleeping in my thermals and with a beanie) and I guess I was pretty hammered from walking 43 km yesterday). 

I sent Birger a birthday message via the Garmin and realised that it actually looks a lot like the phone I had when we first met 😂 anyone remember the Alcatel with a bulky antenna?!


As I was leaving, I noticed the sign showing the path in the other direction. Yeah, it’s going to Kalamunda...in like...555km... 






It was a bit overcast as I took off and started to drizzle- and looking at the sky, I was pretty sure that it was going to be a question of when, not if I was going to get rained on. 


The trail was easy this morning, and it sometimes looked like I was walking through a green tunnel - less burns, more undergrowth. I crossed over some very green farmland, saw an emu running along the path ahead of me and made pretty quick progress towards Pemberton. 

I took a break at Big Brook Dam around 11am and when I started walking again, it started to rain. To pour. It was the first time I’ve actually taken my rain jacket out of my pack, so I guess I can consider myself very lucky. 
At first I thought “oh, well, just part of the experience”, but it only took minutes for me to be pretty soaked as the rain was running down from my jacket on my pants...  

It took me an hour and a half to get to Pemberton where I changed in a public toilet because I was just dripping before walking into a cafe. If you ever come to Pemberton, the Wild at Heart cafe is awesome! 
I had been contemplating whether I might actually take a rest day here, as the weather forecast looks horrible for the next 24 hours and will then improve significantly. I haven’t felt the need for a rest day so far, and I kept thinking that I should toughen up and not be a princess (it’s not like I haven’t walked in rain before), but then again... 

After cake and coffee and a chat to 2 guys cycling the Munda Biddi trail and being just as soaked as me (the Munda Biddi is a 1000km cycling trail that crisscrosses with the Bibb), I felt strong enough to tackle the outside world again. 

I walked another 15 minutes to the motel I had booked where the guy at reception obviously took pity on me and my very “soaked rat” look and upgraded me to an “executive room”. He also informed me of the treadmill in the gym if I felt the need for more walking and the swimming pool if I wanted more water. Nice sense of humour 😃. 

I finally got a chance to call Birger and also got to chat to Kit, Lauren and Dhruv. So nice to hear the voices of some of my favourite people from such a world away (I.e. they were on the way home from the Blue Mountains) . 

After a hot shower and doing my laundry, I set off into the rain again for dinner at another local pub. 

Comments

  1. JodyApril 12, 2021 at 6:21 PM

    i think looking at the cyclone looming or going past on the coast you deserve a night pass in an exec room! enjoy !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JuliaApril 18, 2021 at 2:58 PM

      It was very glamorous 😂 Reminded me a little of the Best Western in Epsom (if Irene or Inders are reading this, they will know what I mean...)

      Delete

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