Day 556 | Almost Belsar Island: the day the world ended

94 km | zzOz total: 17,976 km

True confession: I still haven’t stayed in paid accommodation since I left Adelaide.

Or shaved.

I was getting close to shelling out some dosh here in Mildura but a Triumph bike rider, motorised type, alerted me to the Traveller’s Hub, a $150,000 white elephant constructed by the local city council, nicely appointed for your average bike tourer, complete with a superb hot shower, even a decent stainless basin for clothes washing, and an accessible tap that’s actually intended for the purpose of water bottle refilling.

So I washed the lot, myself and most of my clothes, not much drying time required at 40ÂșC.

I have been using the river periodically for some aspects of ablution, not always fully immersed, although when the conditions present, a non-muddy entry and safer swimming, I’m in up to my neck.

I’m surprisingly disciplined for a libertarian anarchist but notwithstanding that I’ve developed a few strict rules for my travels, so I guess I’m not.

The rules are simple, if obvious.

  • Keep the tent zipped up.

  • Move my only pair of footwear inside at night.

  • Don’t move anything over food.

  • Don’t be distracted when eating, ie, notice what you are sticking in your gob.

  • When cleaning teeth practice a little mindfulness.

  • At any time, even during adversity, or boredom, be thankful to be alive, realise how privileged I am to be doing what I’m doing.

That’s it, not so onerous.

Oh, there’s one other:

  • don’t take photos of bizarre home decorations, or whacky letterboxes, no matter how ridiculous.