In Brisbane I had a nice host who I’ve met via warmshowers.org, it was my first time using this possibility to find a free accommodation. After a week at his place I decided to leave the city and look for a farm job. Later I want to come back to Brisbane. On 11.04. I started to cycle by heading north. My first sleeping place after Brisbane wasn’t comfortable. At first I stayed under a shelter in a small park, but then the police came around midnight and made sure that I didn’t stay overnight. It was raining and I didn’t had the passion to go somewhere else. So I went to the disabled toilet, which is big enough for my cycle and to sleep on the ground. But at 4:30 in the morning the cleaning staff knocked on my door. This was a very short night.
I went to the next restaurant, ordered a tea and waited for the first daylight. Then I cycled to Sunshine Coast. On the way I had a lot of heavy rainfalls, I did some breaks to wait till their passing by. In the afternoon I reached the Sunshine Coast. At the seafront I’ve met a cyclist from UK. He cycled in 2009 from England to Australia. On the way he met a women from Russia, they cycled together trough the Outback and both living in Australia now. What an wonderful story. His name is Greg, he wanted to invite me to his home. But I already had an invitation from another Greg from warmshowers.org. I stayed two nights by Greg’s family in Marcoola. He is married with a Thai. Greg worked as a fireman and got retired this year. I was suprised to hear that you can become a fireman in only two months, in Germany the education takes 2 years. He is a cyclist legend. He already cycled through India in the 70s. Near to his home is the Mt Coolum where I hiked to the top.
After the Sunshine Coast I wanted to reach Gympie in one day, but one the way I felt that my crank is loose, but all screws are tight. I suspected that the bottom bracket is broken. Before Gympie I found a free campsite and decided to stay here to fix my bike on the next day. In the morning I dismounted my crankset and the bottom bracket. I saw that the inner bearing is over, it hold for 17.000 km. As a typically german cyclist I have all the spare parts with me. I replaced the bearing with a new one and cycled to Gympie. Then I wasn’t in the mood to go further, because it was already midday. I contacted Susan from warmshowers.org, my request came in short time. Kindly she received me at her home. She is living on a hill with a wonderful view. I found her very sympathetic, she has a great charisma. Some of her friends are German and she is trying to learn the german language.
From Gympie I cycled to Maryborough. I don’t like to cycle on the Bruce Highway (A1) and I tried to find a alternate route, but the suggested bike route by google maps ended in a blind alley. So I stayed on the Highway till Tiaro, there I found a quite sideroad that brought me to Maryborough. In Maryborough I camped in a park. Before I’ve got the affirmative by the residence that camping is allowed here. As I left Brisbane I often stopped to ask people where I can find a fruitpicking job. Most of them told me around Childers is now season for picking citrus. Then near to Childers I found a farm and got a job.