Manly to Batemans Bay

May 4th

Manly was actually a real nice place, lots goin on, well plenty of bars and places to eat, another surfers lair. But as I said the backpackers was pretty grotty and they charged me $10 to park the bike in their garage!So on I go, heading towards Sydney city. It actually took me a wee while to find my way out of Manly, for some reason I just couldn't get out, wrong turns, dead ends until I eventually did a very un-man-like thing, I asked a bloke for directions :) I got out! followed signs for Sydney, heaps of traffic everywhere comin from every angle until I hit the main motorway and before I knew it, I was riding over the harbour bridge, its quite a sight I must say and an image that will stay with me for a very long time.

Glancing over to my left at the opera house and the harbour, then the road sweeps left and real close to the opera house, I wish I could have stopped and took a photo, but you all know what it looks like and I didn't fancy losin my way around Sydney for the sake of a dodgy snap! I've been to Sydney before and seen it all up close and took pics, it was a great feeling though and continued out through the city on the motorway.

Out on the south east side the traffic had calmed and I was on the road to Wollongong and pulled over at a bike shop as the oil needed a bit of a top up. I think these KLR's have a tendency to burn a bit of oil at least I hope its not anything more sinister, though it does have a tiny oil seep from one of the engine cases that I should have attended to. Demitri at Scotts Motorcycles (who had some very nice Yamaha SR500 specials on display, topped the oil up will enough to put it on the upper level, a quick chat with him and off again.It was basically a blast down the main highway to Batemans Bay. I wasn't sure it it was a bit far for the day's travel, but I got to Batemans in plenty of time and settled on a campsite again, with no undermat, I must get one :) I met a French guy who was cycling from Sydney to Melbourne who was also checking in to camp, what ever posesses someone to do that? I just dont get it, doesn't seem like much fun to me. I think I should be across the Victoria border tomorrow.