June 18: Where is Your Bike?
As I chug north in a regional train from Melbourne to Sydney for a four-day mini vacation, I thought it might be appropriate to answer the question, “Where is your bike?” After working two full time jobs for ten months and arriving in Australia two days ago, I had hoped at this point to be traveling with Adventure Baby along the Great Ocean Road. However, due to circumstances out of my control, when I will be reunited with my bike is still very much up in the air.
Last September I arranged to have Adventure Baby picked up in Frankfurt in November, trucked to London, and then sent by ship in a container in January or February to arrive in Melbourne in February or March, leaving plenty of margin to ensure he would be here when I arrived mid June.
Unfortunately, in an attempt to more fully fill the container, the shipper made the decision to delay the bike’s departure until late April, despite my repeated calls of concern about the timing. The bike missed its connection in Singapore by a day, sat in Singapore for over a week, and was last seen by air tag yesterday in the Indian Ocean west of Perth. When it does eventually arrive in Melbourne, it will still need to clear customs and pass a cleaning inspection.
I’ve spent the last several weeks reflecting on what I can learn from this disappointing situation. I’ve also been conflicted about what to mention publicly as I am doing my best to maintain a positive relationship with the shipper, who will most likely also be arranging the transport of my bike to South America this December.
At this point my focus has turned to how I can make the best of the time in Australia, with or without my beloved bike. Yesterday’s adventure gave me the opportunity to walk along Brighton Beach, pet a Koala, feed a kangaroo and Wallaby, and watch a magical parade of Fairy Penguins as they rose up from the sea, crossed the rocky shoreline, and made their way to their burrows inland.
Today’s almost 12-hour train ride from Victoria to New South Wales allows me to view the regional landscape right outside my window seat, chat with friendly Australians, and set myself up to explore Sydney by foot and boat. I’m looking forward to climbing one of the world’s tallest bridges, touring the Sydney Harbour, and taking in the sight of the Sydney Opera House. I also enjoyed exploring Southern Cross Railway Station this morning and watching the sun rise over the city from the stations’ top platforms.
I’m trying my best to remember that God will work all things for good. It has been a back-and-forth struggle for me as I alternate between having faith, wondering why this has happened, and then praying for the strength to have faith again. My good friend Kathy Nesper said to me yesterday, “It’s easy to trust God when everything is going well.” So true!
Although so far this is not the summer adventure I had originally planned to have, I hope to apply the lessons I have learned through the difficulties I have faced in my life so far, asking myself “What would I do if fear were not my first thought?” For me right now, that means doing my best to circumvent the continent regardless of how much time I end up having with my bike. Although my journey by motorcycle will now end up being more of an endurance ride than I had intended, I am hopeful I will make it back to Melbourne safe and sound in time to catch my flight back home.
