Here it is: the finish line of my East Coast of Oz Bike trip, the Palace Hotel in Brisbane.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I was up by 0800 and had to decide whether or not to visit the zoo. I decided to save money and just go with the team on our way back through town.

I headed south at 1000, and the weather was cloudy but clearing up. The road was narrow and scary, with absolutely no shoulder. I stopped at a bus stop to eat a salad and saw a local on a bike going down some sort of a path through the woods! Huh! I checked it out and found an old rails-to-trails-type path along the road. I hopped on the trail, and it was nice to get off the narrow roads and out of traffic for a little while. I had that sort of trail on and off for much of the first part of my ride today.

Coming into town, I stopped at a bike shop to ask the employees a good way in to Brisbane. The nice shop owner wrote out directions for me. I'd be on the Old Gympie Highway most of the way in, and then I'd be on some city road.

As soon as I reached the city, I was nearly killed twice in the first few minutes. First, a guy tried to pull onto my road from a parking lot, without looking right. "Don't hit me!" I yelled. He stopped just in time. A moment later, a guy tried to turn right and cross my lane right in front of me. Jerk store! My adrenaline was pumping, and my senses were on high alert.

I rode right into the city on the main drag, where I encountered some mega hills. Sensing that I was getting close to the area where hostels would be, I pulled onto the sidewalk to check my Lonely Planet guidebook and get my bearings. I was unpacking my book when I looked across the street and realized I had stopped, completely by chance, directly in front of the only hostel I'd read about--Palace Backpackers. The Lonely Planet said it was in the heart of the city and was a partiers hostel, and I remembered reading about it, very clearly. I am not a partier, and I don't like the idea of staying in a hostel with a bunch of young kids, but I didn't care at this point. It had been a long ride, and I wanted a room and a safe place for my bike and gear.

I paid for four nights in a 9-girl dorm at $20/night. I found my bed, showered, and was moved in by 1330. Right next door to the Palace, I found my favorite Australian Internet cafe, Global Gossip. I spent some time on e-mail (I e-mailed the Australia Zoo) and then walked around the city and window shopped in the three huge malls just down the block. I bought a book, as I was in dire need of good reading material, and headed back to the Palace.

I was reading and in bed by 2200.

I can't believe my East Coast of Oz Cycle Trip is over! What will I do with myself until my team arrives?!?

Alert: I have suddenly developed tiny red dots all over my legs, arms, and stomach, and I have no clue what it is.

Mileage:
Weather: Hot/Nice
Final Location: Brisbane

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.