A view of turtle beach, where the sea turtles come to lay their eggs, and where the babies just finished hatching only about a week ago.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I had a big day today!

I awoke in the turtle hatchery campground (the hatching season ended only a few days ago, so no baby turtles...turtlets?) at about six in the morning, with rain sprinkling down on me. I jumped up and put my sleeping bag, clothes, and everything else that needed to stay dry, into my North Face Waterduffelo (dry bag) and moved to a tree where I could set up a tarp over my tent and things. I rested a bit and watched the sunrise over the ocean from within my tent.

A bit later, I got up and went for a short 20-minute run on the beach. It was a great run, but my ankle was hurting. I went back, changed into my bikini, and put my laundry in the wash. I hit the beach for some body surfing and swimming for about a half hour and then tended to the laundry and took a shower.

I didn't have enough change for the dryer, so I had to hang everything on the clothesline to dry, which meant I had to kill another half hour. I grabbed a trashy gossip magazine and headed back to the beach. It was an amazing morning, and the beach was beautiful. Finally, I packed up, grabbed the laundry off the line, and headed out.

I needed to check e-mail before heading out to Childers, because I suspected a town as small as Childers probably wouldn't have Internet. I went seven kilometers in the opposite direction to use the net at Bargara, because I had to make sure the e-mail I had sent to our subscribers had gone through. It hadn't.

After using the net, I found a $7.70 salad bar and piled fruit, lettuce, cheese, vegetables, rice, and brussel sprouts as high as I could onto a plate in order to get my money's worth. I couldn't even eat it all...oops.

I didn't pull out of town until 1430, which meant I had to race to make it the 60+ km to Childers before dark. The race was on!

It was a nice ride along a country road, but I was disappointed that there was no shoulder. Luckily, traffic was low. I got to Childers at 1720, and all the pub rooms were closed for renovation. There was a disastrous fire at a backpacker hostel herenot long ago, and 17 or so travellers were killed. Because of that, all the lodges, etc., had to renovate to conform to new fire regulations, and they are still closed for those reno's. I had to go a couple of kilometers north to the other side of town to a campground.

The caravan park was full of backpackers who were employed as fruit pickers, so I was worried about possible noise from partiers. But, for $10, I couldn't afford to pass up this campground. Heck, the humor on the bathroom door was enough reason to stay at this campground. On the men's room door was a sign with a male stick figure and the word "MANGOES." I didn't think much about it, I mean, this place was populated by fruit pickers, afterall. And I was too tired to notice that it was misspelled. It didn't click in my head until I saw the sign on the women's door: there was a woman stickfigure and the words "NO MANGOES." HAHAHAH. Man-goes and No Man-goes. Too funny. I appreciate that sort of humor.

I set my tarp up over my tent using my bike and a power terminal as supports, and laid out my camp. I had fruit, cheese, crackers, and Vegemite for dinner and went to bed early. I went to bed with the Blackeyed Peas playing through my headphones.

I needn't have worried about loud fruit pickers. They were well-behaved, and I slept well until morning.

Mileage: 68
Weather: Brief morning shower/Partly cloudy/Nice
Final Location: Childers

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.

Neil and Adam enjoyed the beach and the waves in Florianopolis.

Journal and photo by Adam Burgess

Today Erica, our friend from Rio whom we met through Rolf, came to visit us down here for the weekend. It’s funny really how we all became acquainted. I guess Rolf, the writer who was with us, has a few published books out there. One of which is “Vagabonding”, a travel guide for the major budget traveler. Well, one of his fans wrote to him when she read in his daily online “blog” (online journal). He talked about going to Brasil for Carnival. She told him to contact her friend out there who lives in Rio. So Rolf dropped an email to Duda. Duda got the email and said to her roommate, “Hey I got this email that says, “Hey I am a friend of one of your friends, and I’m coming out there, would you like to meet me?” Duda was pretty confused and said to her roommate, “Do you want to meet this guy, Rolf, I don’t really know who he is and I think I will go away this weekend?” Erica said. “Ok I will meet with him.”

Rolf shows up to their house and brings a friend with him. They meet the two girls and then leave after a week of Carnival and hanging out with Erica. Soon after this, Rolf gives us her phone number and says, “Hey you can call my friend in Rio; she will show you around”. We call her up and say, “Hi, we are a friend of your friend Rolf” and later meet. She was extremely nice, and over the period of a week she showed us many different parts of the city and various night-spots.

One night we decided to cook dinner for the two girls and their neighbor. Over the table, it was revealed that the girl who originally sent Duda an email was just an American girl that met her once or twice during Carnival the year before. Erica didn’t know her, she didn’t know Rolf, and here we were sitting at their table thinking we were cooking for a friend of Rolf’s. So, although those sitting around the table had no connection with each other, we all spent a perfectly good week together, and Duda and Erica turned out to be very helpful and considerate. We saw a Rio and some of Brazil that other visitors would never see, the streets of the Lata, fountains above the city, and hidden beaches north of the city.

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.

I came across this huge spider and had to take its picture. It was the size of the palm of my hand! YIPES!

Journal and photo by Nancy Olson

I got up at 0730, and Gabbi left at 0830 to go to work in Bundaberg. Luckily, Ajay and I will be able to meet her at the cheap Indian buffet in town for lunch. Cool!

I got a lot of work done on the Internet while Ajay worked on the ute all morning. He had to fix the brakes and the clutch.

Finally, at about 1300, we were ready to go. We would probably miss the Indian buffet and Gabbi, unfortunately. We pulled into town right at 1400 and went into the restaurant with the buffet. We asked if Gabbi had been there, and she had not. Well, at least we hadn't made her wait! We went ahead and ate lunch, and then we headed to the bike shop.

The shope wouldn't have it ready until after 1700, so we killed time by driving to a marina nearby. We also scoped out a place for me to camp near a turtle hatchery on the beach.

Finally, we picked up my bike and then headed to nearby Bargara. It's a cute, new town on the ocean, and I suspect it will be like any of the nice Southern California cities in 10 or 20 years.

I had a deadline to meet, and I needed an Internet cafe. The one cafe in town was closed for the night, but the nice lady inside let me in when I showed her the most dejected and sad face I could muster. Whew! I had an e-mail to send to our Drive Around the World journal subscribers, and I had to get it out that day!

After the Internet, Ajay and I went to the pub across the street to eat. We shared an amazing seafood platter and sat and talked for an hour or so. Finally, after delaying goodbyes for as long as was possible, Ajay dropped me off at my campground, where I was bitten by no fewer than 23 gigantic mosquitoes.

Mileage: 0
Weather: Perfect
Final Location: Bundaberg

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.

This is not my happy face. Here I am, hopelessly broken down just 10 km outside of Baffle Creek. I need a special tool to remove the cassette and unstick my chain. I'll be loading onto the ute in the background for a ride into Bundaberg.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

Well, I am writing today from Baffle Creek, still. I tried to leave, but a mechanical failure caused me to be delayed another day. Here's how it all went down:

I got up late, and it was raining. Early in the morning, I'd had to jump out of my tent and cover it with tarps to keep from getting soaked. Fitful sleep made me want to sleep late into the morning. I got up and did a little work on the Internet, and then we had some breakfast.

I prepared to leave, and we said our goodbyes. Gabbi gave me some cool felt juggling balls that she made, and I gave Ajay a USMC sticker, because he's a big military enthusiast.

I finally got on the road at about 1240. Just as I left the driveway, I saw a huge spider camped out on my handlebars! YIKES! I quickly pulled over and flicked the uninvited hitchhiker off with a stick. Yech. I HATE spiders! (Speaking of spiders, Gabbi and Ajay have a HUGE huntress spider living behind a cabinet in their home. She comes out at night to catch flies near the light, but she never comes down to where somebody might accidentally get too close to her. She is big and beautiful and terrifying.)

I finally got back on the road and realized that my shifting was a bit hesitant. I figured I'd fix it at my first rest stop.

Well...ten kilometers down the road is a small town called Rosedale, the intersection for which is at the top of a small hill. I climbed the hill and attempted to shift to an easier gear near the top. Just then, my sluggish shifting turned into disastrous shifting, and my chain went beyond what should have been its stop limit and ended up getting stuck between my spokes and the rear cassette. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but the cassette wrench is the ONLY tool I didn't bring with me on this cycling trip. Who'd have thought I'd need to remove my cassette? (The cassette is the pyramid of chainrings attached to the rear wheel of a multi-speed bicycle.) I removed a couple of spokes in hopes of making enough space to free the chain, but it was stuck. I also tried to take the chain apart, but the link I needed to access was inaccessible.

SO...I had to walk to the nearby school and call Ajay and Gabbi's place. Ajay said he'd ceme and get me. While I waited, several nice people pulled over to ask if I needed help, including a pair of Swiss tourists in a big camper van. In a few minutes, though, Ajay appeared in his "Ute" to rescue me. His utility vehicle, a flat-bed rear with a car front, had recently been in an accident and needed brake and transmission work, so we went back to the farm. I called around to bike shops in Bundaberg, the town I had been heading for when I broke down, and found one that could do the work immediately. It was about 70 km away. Ajay worked on the car, and we decided to wait until morning to head to Bundaberg. I was disappointed, but one more day with my new friends was a nice prospect, and we got to eat leftover Thai pumpkin soup for dinner! YUM!

After dinner, we watched Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and had a delicious desert. I even got to do some Internet work. Tomorrow, I will try to leave again.

Mileage: 10
Weather: Rainy morning/beautiful rest of the day
Final Location: Baffle Creek

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.

A cyclone south of where Neil and Adam were surfing in Brazil made the surf on their beach outstanding.

Journal and photos by Neil Dana

We are on our last week in Brasil and our friend Erika from Rio showed up to spend a few days with us. Adam, Erika and I have been going to the beach, walking around different areas, and exploring the terrain. All the walking is a bit difficult for me right now since my feet are torn up, but oh well. I am still surfing, but not as much, since I am trying to heal my wounds. Unfortunately, since they are deep, it will take many consecutive days, if not weeks, out of the water until they completely healed. The beaches around here are so beautiful, with green trees everywhere and white sand beaches lining the coast.

We are in a smaller town, renting a nice house, and we buy most of our food from the market and have breakfast at home. For lunch, we have been eating at this all-you-can-eat buffet. They prepare fresh fish or beef for you upon request, and then you have your choice of all kinds of various salads and vegetables, among rice and potatoes and beans, etc. And all this for 9 Reals, which is $3 in the U.S. Erika also made us some great pies too; one apple pie and one banana pie, mmmn, that was a treat.

And of course, the surf has been great, too. Unfortunately for people down south, there was a cyclone that destroyed many houses, but we were far enough north to receive the swells from the storm and benefit with great waves. We really got lucky the past few weeks with the surf. It usually is flatter during this time of year.

Well, this is a short journal entry, as we are just chillin', playing guitar, and enjoying our last week in Brasil. Adam and I are flying to Chile for a week before we head to Australia to meet the team. Until then, Ciao!!

Neil

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.

The beach at Agnes Water, where Ajay and Nancy surfed and surfed.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I woke up with Ajay and Gabbi's dog, Sera, sleeping outside of my tent. Ajay had tried to coax her to follow him when he went to move the goats from one pasture to the next, but she wanted to stay with me...how sweeeet... Ajay has five goats, including two babies whom he and Gabbi had to raise by hand when the mother died in labor. One of them is named Boof, and he wasn't feeling too well today. Boof's sister is PJ (I think...I get the goats confused). They have another bigger goat, an Afghan goat with beautiful, soft, white hair, who likes to shake his head and make funny noises at people. His name is Weasel. I forget
the oldest goat's name, but he is stubborn and rules over the other goats like a dictator. Ajay's male dog, Sheba, the pride-and-joy of Gabbi and Ajay, had to help move the stubborn goat out of one pen and into another by barking and nipping at his heels. A couple of times, I thought for sure he would get a big head-butt.

After we moved the goats, I went on a walking tour of the ranch with Ajay. He pointed out the dams and water sources, the big old primary trees, the old cattle dip (where the ranchers used to dip the cattle in insecticide), and an old shed full of junk and treasures. The cement cattle dip was etched with the date 1047...I can't imagine the history some of those giant fig trees have witnessed. They are the only living things that have been around for the entire history of the cattle property.

After the tour, I worked on the Internet all morning, and we finally decided to head to the beach at about 1400. All three of us headed out to Agnes Water, and Ajay and I rented long boards for surfing. The waves were inconsistent as could be, and the wind made them choppy. At times, they were huge and powerful and scary, and at times they were teensy.

After about an hour of catching short little mediocre waves, I finally caught a real beaut and rode it all the way in to the shore. It was awesome. I felt like Gidget! Unfortunately, the guy who rented me the board was there on the shore motioning for Ajay and me to return our boards. It was time to close up shop. We got half of our money back, so we ended up paying just $5 for an hour and a half of surfing! After paddling around on the board on my belly for so long with no rash guard and only my bikini-clad bare skin as protection against the deck of the surf board, my stomache was sore, red, and raw from the friction. Ah, but it was worth it!

Gabbi had been collecting shells and rocks and walking the beach, and we all met up at about 1730 to head home. A club next to the parking lot was having $10 dinner specials, though, and we decided to hook into some cheap grub. We ate and listened to locals jam on the guitar, and then we headed home. At home, we had a desert of pumpkin soup! It was so good that I'm afraid I'm going to crave it for the rest of my days. It had coconut milk in it. Anything and everything that contains coconut milk is El Numero Uno in my book. This "Thai Pumpkin Soup" will go down as one of my all-time favorite meals. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!

I really need to get on the road, so I'll leave tomorrow.

Mileage: 0
Weather: Beautimous
Final Location: Baffle Creek

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.

More than 100 years ago, at Barrio La Boca's start, the residents painted their homes with bright paints given to them by the shipyards. The bright colors are still used today.

Journal by Chanda Baggarly

With little resistance, Nick, Todd and I broke away from the chains of the Ethernet and spent the afternoon in La Boca.

La Boca is one of Buenos Aires' best tourist attractions. In the 19th century, when scores of Italians immigrated to Buenos Aires, some settled in La Boca barrio (neighborhood) and began a colorful tradition that is still carried on today. La Boca is a port city and there are many fishing boats and ships. One hundred years ago, for economic reasons, the residents of La Boca used left over corregated metal from the ship yards to build their homes and also used the excess paint from the ship yards to paint them. The ship yards sold them many bright and colorful paints, all of which were used by the residents. The neighborhood quickly became one of the most colorful neighborhoods in the world. This tradition is still carried on today, and at some point La Boca become a major tourist spot. Being tourists, we we grabbed our tourist gear----cameras, sunblock, and map---and headed out to see La Boca.

We happened to visit the barrio on a soccer game day. La Boca has their own team and thousands of proud fans. We saw some of the more zealous fans on the streets as we entered neighborhood---it was easy to spot the decked out fans in blue and yellow Boca colors. The stadium is just two blocks from the touristy area where we were, so we could also hear the game's high and low points. Boca fans take the game very seriously and have been known to go a little crazy after a game. In fact, our afternoon in Boca was cut short when the soccer game ended. At 3:00 the shopkeepers, cafes, and restaurants closed up quickly around us minutes before the fans---defeated or victorious---flooded the streets. We were sitting at an outdoor café, enjoying a cup of coffee, when our waiter packed up all of the tables and chairs and offered us a cab ride home. We reluctantly took the cab offer. Would have loved to hang out there a little longer just to see what happened.

La Boca won, by the way.

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.

We caught some beautiful waves and beautiful sights at this beach at Agnes Water.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I was having a wonderful time at Baffle Creek, and I hated the prospect of leaving, but I had much work to do on the Internet. Knowing that my need for the Internet was the thing pulling me away from Baffle Creek, Ajay and Gabbi called their Internet service provider and connected to the world-wide web. Cool! Now I could use Ajay's laptop to get work done, and we could go fishing and surfing for a day or two longer!

I got a lot of work done in the morning while Ajay and Gabbi did their work around the farm, and then we decided to head to Agnes Water and the beach. On the way, we stopped by a surf shop to get wax for Ajay's boogie board, and he showed me some knit beanies that Gabbi had made out of wool and natural dyes. The beanies are in the surf shop for sale, and I am really impressed with how awesome they are!

We hit the beach with the boogie board, and I brought my goggles for body surfing, but we decided not to rent surfboards as it was too late in the day. I did catch a bunch of waves, though, and I was even able to stand up (briefly) on the boogie board. I definitely feel the need to surf! It's only $10 for two hours, so I think it's a must-do!

The sun set on our way home, and Gabbi had dinner ready when we returned. It was super-delicious, again, and we all ate 'til we were full. I also got a bit more Internet work finished, and I showed Gabbi and Ajay our website with the journals and photos.

Mileage: 0
Weather: Super
Final Location: Baffle Creek

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.

Rio's famous Pão de Açucar and beaches.

Journal and photo by Justin Mounts

Today is LONGITUDE Expedition day 149, and I have found redemption…Actually, I’ve finally found time to go to Corcovado to see statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer).

This famous statue of Christ with his arms outstretched has sat atop Corcovado (Hunchback) Mountain since 1931, and it is visible from everywhere in Rio, night or day. It is particularly impressive at night, simply because the way it was designed and lit: Jesus appears to hover over the city in the darkness, granting his protection and guidance to all Cariocas below.

After beginning my day by visiting the Flemengo futebol training camp (my new favorite team, if you remember), I borrowed a car from a friend and headed off to the Parque Nacional da Tijuca. The drive through the park and up the mountain provided ample opportunities to see not only the greener side of Rio, but also some spectacular peeks through tree lines to the city spread out beneath me.

Arriving at the base of Cristo Redentor was nothing less than amazing. Here I am face-to-face with the icon of Rio, a 30-meter tall sculpture of Jesus. His arms are outstretched, welcoming visitors from all over the world to the fabled beaches of Rio. In short, it is an awe-inspiring place. Immediately, you recognize the pose from postcards of Brazil, with the statue facing Pão de Açúcar. To his right, you can see the Jardim Botânico gardens, Ipanema, and Leblon, while to his left the city expands beyond Maracanã with the Serra dos Órgãos Mountains in the distance.

Another sight from Corcovado is the collection of favelas, where the poorest four million of Rio’s population live. In a city that contains immense amounts of beauty and culture, it is difficult to imagine a group of people so destitute that they almost exist as a community of exiles. These shantytowns that blanket many of Rio’s surrounding hillsides have no schools, no doctors, and no jobs. What they do have is copious amounts of violence and drug abuse coupled with police brutality and corruption.

In spite of knowing all of Rio’s problems, when you look down on the Cidade Maravilhosa, you are immediately filled with a sense of peace. You are separated from the noise and pollution that accompanies every large metropolis, and you are alone with the city and her aura. Corcovado is a placed revered by all Carioca’s, and it is only after visiting it that you feel Rio. It is then that you began to understand a small portion of the Carioca’s spiritual fibre.

In my time in Rio, I have had the opportunity to meet people of every different class. I have met poverty-stricken families that live in apartments the same size as some peoples’ closets, and I have met Brazilian celebrities from an Oscar-nominated film, and what I learned is that every person, regardless of his or her social status, cares deeply about Rio, about Brazil, and about other Cariocas. The rich regularly give to the poor, and the poor regularly give to the poorer, because the social infrastructure does not exist to provide assistance to those who need it.

So, more than I have seen in other places of the world, the people are looking out for the people. Through a conscious choice, they are all linked together as a community, and many feel guilty for having an easier or better life than the others. Sure, less help is given to those who have self-inflicted problems, but for those who simply have not had the opportunity to make a better place in the world for themselves, the others are there helping, even if only in a very small way.

The Encarta Dictionary (it’s the only one I have available right now) defines redemption as, “the saving or improving of something that has declined into a poor state.” Whether it’s the Carioca way to make up for the gluttonous celebrations they have, the governmental deficiencies, or something more personal, it seems to me that Christ the Redeemer is the perfect role model for the city, and perhaps Rio is a good source of inspiration for us all.

Until next time, I wish you all well from the far side of the world.

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.

Colin and friends have rented this house on the beaches of Jericoacoa.

Journal and photo by Colin McAuliffe

Ok,
Well, I know I keep talking about how I'm going to write this big thing about my first horseback riding experience, but it's just too hot, and I'm on vacation. I'll just say that it was tons of fun, and since then, I've been riding horses almost every day. In fact, when I'm done with this email, I'm going to go riding.
Lee and Rob(aka Dave) left this morning on a buggy going up the coast toward Belem. It was a sad departure, and I'm going to miss those guys. We had lots of fun together, many a joke was told, many a good time was had, and many a hammock was laid in. I think I laughed more in the last week than I had in the last four months of my journey. Now it's just me and Jasmine, the Isreali girl. Apparantly, John, the crazy American I met in Salvador is on his way up here, but who knows.
So now my main question is, where do I go from here? I really don't know what to do. I suppose I should fly down to Sao Paulo for a while and see my buddy Leo, one of the subjects of the film I made in Australia, or I could just go back to Rio and hang out with Erika and Duda, but 10 more days in Rio would be a little extreme, I think. I could also hang out on one of the islands outside Salvador for a few days and then go back to Rio. The Sao Paulo deal sounds like the best one, but I have a feeling it would be a little costly. Ah, I just can't make any decisions right now.

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.

New friend Ajay Parmanand sits on the shores of Baffle Creek, Queensland's last pristine river.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

Ajay and I had grand plans to do some early morning fishing, but nobody was awake and ready early in the morning. Instead, we went down to the river at around 0900 and tried our luck. It was too late to catch the good ones, but Ajay got a catfish on about his second or third cast. We let him go, though.

After more than a half hour of waiting, my attention was distracted by what I thought must be a silver-dollar-sized turtle swimming near the bank. I put my pole down to investigate, but I ended up stirring up a lot of mud with my feet and clouding the waters too much to see. I was unable to locate the mysterious "turtle." I went back to my pole and began reeling it in. Just then (and isn't this always the way?), I felt a tug on my line. I valiantly fought a six-inch brim and pulled him into shore. I ran over to where Ajay was fishing and had him take my photo and then remove the hook (Ajay also put the stinky chicken bits on my hook for me, because I am a GIRL, and girls don't have to touch the bait or the fish!). Unfortunately for the little brim, he had swallowed the hook. It was too far down in his throat to remove without injury, and Ajay had to practically rip his guts out to remove the hook. I would have let him go, but he was a goner. I promised the little fishie we'd enjoy every bite of him so his death would not be in vain. As Ajay was cleaning him, an big aquatic roach-like bug came out of his mouth and tried to swim back in. Apparently many fish are the host to such parasites, who feed off of what the fish eats! He was a disgusting little sucker!

So, we brought the prize fishy up to the house and put him in the fridge for later. Meanwhile, Gabbi and Ajay and I decided to head to nearby Agnes Water to see the beach and to have lunch at a Thai restaurant in town. Next to Agnes Water is the Town of 1770, where Captain James Cook arrived on the shores of Australia when he discovered the continent in that year. It's a beautiful place.

While waiting for our Tom Ka Gai soup (my absolute favorite meal in the universe), I got online to check my e-mail. I'd been in dire need to do that for several days, but the last few places had problems accessing my mail server.

In my mailbox were several old and looming taskers from Nick, including some hate mail urging me to get my rear in gear and get some work done, (because Drive Around the World comes before bike riding and being a bar maid). Ugh! Because we were all just in Central and South America, where there is a great Internet cafe on every corner, nobody quite understands that this First World country (or Queensland, at any rate) has very few internet access points and very slow and unreliable connections. That's why I end up spending a day or two in the towns that have good Internet. Anyway...

My failure to perform my duties put me into a funk, and Gabbi told me to go for a swim to get over it. That was excellent advice. I went into the waves and body surfed with Ajay until both of us were exhausted and water-logged. It was awesome! Tomorrow, I want to come back and rent a surf board.

After a couple of hours, we called it a day and headed back to the farm on Baffle Creek.

Gabbi cooked up a dinner of yummy chicken curry, and we ate teh sad little perch as an apetizer. Boy, was he gooooood! Mmmm! His excellent flavor allowed me to get over the guilt I felt over having killed him before his time, and we planned to fish for some more of those tasty brim tomorrow morning, before I have to leave.

Life is GOOD!

Mileage: 0
Weather: Brilliant
Final Location: Baffle Creek

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.

It was difficult saying goodbye to new friends Suzanne, Maddie, Sam, and Chris Dougall.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I had a lazy wakeup at 0800 and met Suzanne and Chris downstairs for breakfast. Suzanne made a wonderful Texas dish of egg, cheese, and tortilla chips scrambled together and placed inside of a corn tortilla. Last night, Suzanne and I discussed the difficulties of finding proper Mexican-food ingredients in Australia. Her biggest regret is that she cannot get Velveeta, and it is impossible to import it. Actually, you can't even find orange cheddar cheese here. It's all white. She said it's also impossible to find ingredients for making real tamales, which is a bummer because I wanted to give her a good recipe.

I really did not want to leave my new friends. I just felt a real connection with them, and it is sad to have to move on. I think I'll see them again, and the Realfs, too, when my team comes back through Miriam Vale.

Suzanne surprised me with a CD by Shannon Knoll, runner up for Australian Idol (their version of American Idol), and they gave me an "I love Australia" koala keychain, too. I gave them my Nora Jones "Feels Like Home" CD, and it was a very teary-eyed farewell. We have a very special connection, and I am so thankful to have made such a wonderful new friendship.

On my way through town, I stopped by the visitor's center to say goodbye to Greg Realf. There, he gave me the name and address of some friends near Baffle Creek and said I should pay them a visit. Since the other introduction he made went so well, I said I'd stop in on Ajay and Gabbi at Baffle Creek.

My chosen route will take me off of the Bruce Highway (YEA!) and along a smaller country road to the coast, and then it will shoot me back onto the Bruce Highway to the south, at a town called Childers. Childers is three days from Miriam Vale that way.

I enjoyed biking along a quiet country road for 50 km until I came to Baffle Creek, where Greg had told me I was to make a right onto the driveway just over the bridge.

I turned onto a driveway covered in tall grass and came to a closed gate. I went through the gate, closing it behind me, and greeted the goats I passed along the way. About a hundred meters up the drive, I came to another gate, behind which stood a small storage shack and a house under construction.

I timidly yelled out, "Hello? Ajay?" I was praying Greg had called ahead to warn them of my arrival.

I needn't have worried. Ajay Parmanand came out of the storage building, which was converted into a cozy one-room home, and introduced himself. He gave me a generous lunch and then we did a short tour of the property. Ajay has several head of cattle, a couple of horses, five goats, and two dogs. He and his partner, Gabbi, have planted all sorts of fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs, and are working on getting certified as an organic farm. Ajay impressed me with his knowledge of grasses, insects, trees, and all the species of plants and wildlife on his property. Ajay's ethnicity is Indian, and he is from Fiji, where his ancestors were brought to mind the cane fields. I asked if his knowlege of farming comes from his life in Fiji, but he said it comes from reading books, researching on the Internet, and experimenting.

By the time we finished the tour of his property, Gabbi had returned from town, and they invited me to stay the night. I accepted, and Ajay and I went down to Baffle Creek, which borders his property, for a swim. The water was refreshingly cold and full of jumping fishies. Tomorrow, we will try to catch some.

After our swim, we each enjoyed a hot outdoor shower and a delicious meal prepared by chef Gabbi. I set up my tent and went to slept under a big mango tree in the yard, thankful for all of my new friends. Missing the Dougalls, I fell asleep to the CD they gave me.

Mileage: 50 km
Weather: Perfect
End Location: On the Baffle Creek, just shy of Rosedale

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.

Chris and Suzanne Dougall (and dog, Kid) survey their property from high on a hill. Their cattle ranch, or "station", is a pleasant home where young cattle go to grow up into big, strong, beef cattle.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

We had an early morning at the Realfs. This disciplined family wakes up early to prepare for work and school, and it felt good to be getting an early start. The whole house was awake by 0600, and I was treated to a delicious bowl of Milo cereal, which is a little bit like Coco Puffs crossed with Frosted Flakes. DEE-Licous! Over breakfast, we discussed the possibility of me going to meet friends of the Realfs, Chris and Suzanne Dougall. Suzanne is a transplanted Texan, and she, Chris, and kids Maddie and Sam live on and operate a cattle ranch (which, in Australia, are called cattle stations).

Torn between getting on the road and going to see the Dougalls and their ranch, I had to remind myself that I had plenty of time and only one opportunity to meet the Dougalls. Greg phoned Suzanne, and I received an invitation to go and see them.

I NEVER travel in any direction other than South, whenever I can help it, but I actually went about six kilometers back up the road and out of town to the north in order to pay a visit to the Dougall family. When I arrived, I was greeted on the long dirt driveway by Kid, a beautiful cattle dog with a friendly disposition.

Suzanne and I talked for a bit, and I explained to her a little bit about what I was doing in Miriam Vale, and then I met Chris and got to know the two of them a little bit. I also had the privilege of meeting their two terrific kids, big brother Sam and younger sister Maddie, before they left for school.

Later, Suzanne and Chris and I went on a 4X4 driving tour of their property. They have acres and acres of grazing paddocks full of cattle, most of which are a type of Brahman. We were on the hunt for some kangaroos, because I wanted to see them, and Kid had fun running around in front of us and scoping out shortcuts and places to swim. We saw quite a few roos, but they're difficult to snap photos of. Chris pointed out the differences in the cattle breeds, talked to me about his ranching practices (he works with the cattle's natural herd instincts, rather than against them, creating a happier animal, a better job, and a better product), and showed me the blue gum, iron bark, blood wood, and paper bark trees. I learned about the importance of bugs such as the dung beetle and dung fly, which help to fertilize the soil and break down the cattle excrement. We saw where the cattle graze and drink, and I learned the importance of rotating the paddocks to keep the nutrient content high in the grass. I also learned about the importance of checking the watering holes for dead kangaroos, which end up there as a result of dingo chases, and create a danger to the cattle who might drink in the decaying animal's bacteria.

I am going to arrange for an educational visit to the Dougall ranch with my team, and I hope school kids will be interested in learning more about Australia's beef producers and life on a real Australian cattle ranch (station). What do you think?

By the end of the day, the Dougalls and I were fast friends, and I was pleased to accept an invitation to stay the night. The guest room was fantastic, and I enjoyed an incredible steak with au gratin potatoes for dinner, prepared by the host with the most, Chris.

I am so glad I decided to go and meet the Dougall family. I feel certain they will be lifetime friends of mine--and not just because Suzanne is a Texan, like me. They are just amazing people. I have to thank Greg and Phillipa Realf for introducing us. Amazing people always have amazing friends. Thanks, Realfs.

Mileage: 6 km
Weather: Beautiful
End Location: Miriam Vale

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.

Chanda, Todd, and Nick, out and about in B.A.

Journal by Todd Borgie

Work was on the agenda all day today. Yes we are fairly boring here in Buenos Aires, working on Education stuff, sponsor deliverables, and generally anything that comes up. Nick, Chanda, and I are trying to get ahead of the game so the next half of the expedition will be a lot less demanding. We are certainly looking forward to all the upcoming sights.

I have been working on the educational pages, trying to get a better format that will be easier to use, and a more straightforward design in terms of navigation. After traveling for four months, I have realized the difficulties in keeping stuff updated from the road, and also what I have to do to get ahead of the game in the future. I have also had time to reflect on what has worked, what is confusing, and how I can improve the site. The education program is a lot of fun, but web work is extremely tedious.

In the mornings, I am usually the first one who wakes here; occasionally Chanda will wake up before me, but not usually. Chanda has been patiently waiting for her laptop to be repaired; a mishap with gravity has led to great agitation for her. She has to wake up before Nick in order to use his laptop; Nick usually gets up at about noon, as he is synched up with the workday in the United States, in particular he is synched with California, which is five hours after us.

Anyway, after five or six hours working on the computer, three cups of coffee, two cups of mate, and a Roquefort calzone, Chanda sprung me from this cyber jail. I am the Spanish speaker for all of us, so I get to go on all the cool and not-so-cool errands. Today we were headed to the American Airlines offices, trying to secure inexpensive flights to Australia for the team. The great thing about these errands is when I go with Chanda, we always get coffee and desserts; when I go with Nick, we either get coffee or a beer. Besides the treats, I think it is just nice to stretch the legs and check out this beautiful city. I am always up for the adventure, and I love quests.

Anyways, we started out with dessert; a nice lemon merrangue gave me enough juice to talk to the airlines. Unfortunately, American Airlines couldn’t help us out unless we were to fly through the United States, kind of a long way around to go from Argentina to Australia. They were sorry and sent us off to Lan-Chile and Qantas airlines, as they have direct flights. Unfortunately, the airlines keep more regular business hours than other stores. Oftentimes, stores close here in the afternoon for a siesta, and then reopen at about 4:00 p.m., at which point the stay open until about 9:00 p.m. Unfortunately, this was not true of the airlines, which closed at about 5:30 p.m. We got directions to the other airlines, but found them all to be closed.

There is a giant obelisk in the center of town. It looks a lot like the Washington Monument in D.C. A couple of weeks ago, we met a fellow named John who said there was a hostel here called the Lime House that was a lot of fun. Getting tired of hanging out with the married folks, I decided we should figure out where this place was. All we knew was that it was somewhere around the obelisk. We walked to the obelisk and started asking around. Once I ask more than two people, it becomes a mission to find whatever I am looking for. Much to our dismay, no one had heard of it. We started asking in the Internet cafés, frequent hangouts of travelers, but after two of them, we found no love. Finally, we ran into a fellow that sent us in the direction of a number of hostels, a couple of blocks away, but we still couldn’t find this seemingly fictitious Lime House. It was then that we ran into a Norwegian woman and guy from Saratoga, CA. After talking to them for about 10 minutes, we told them of our mission to find the Lime House. They said that the Lime House was just around the corner, less than twenty yards away. Having gone this far, Chanda and I ducked in to see what it was all about.

This place, although not very fancy, was great. It had a big common room where everyone could hang out, a pool table, and couches that various people were sitting in reading books. It was not hard to strike up conversations with fellow travelers, despite the loud music playing on the stereo, and before I knew it there were about eight of us in the front room playing guitars and chatting. There were people from England, Germany, South Africa, Peru, Australia, Ireland, and the United States. We all spoke English, and sometimes we would slip into Spanish. We had a ball just hanging out, being goofy, and swapping stories from all over South America. Talking to travelers is always fun and informative. Everyone has wild stories, and laughs are guaranteed.

Topics ranged from politics, the plummeting dollar, to travel spots, and making fun of each other’s countries. Chanda introduced the topic of birth order and found that the crowd was mostly made up of youngest kids, which in psychology is characterized by a do-your-own-thing, playful attitude. Hanging out with the young ones is always fun, sometimes much to our older siblings' dismay.

I began giving a guitar lesson to a Brit (British person) named Jo; we had a lot of fun just goofing around. Suddenly hunger struck, and people began to filter out for dinner. I had no idea what time it was, but I had caught the hunger vibe as well. Jo and I had to complete our guitar lesson, but we said we would meet up with everyone a little later. Chanda went home at one point, but I was having too much fun to leave. Apparently Jo and I missed the rest of the group but found another corner restaurant and had raviolis and grilled cheese. I am always surprised at the hours people keep here, because as Jo and I were walking home, I looked up to see a clock reporting 4:30 a.m.; I was surprised but then remembered were I was. The restaurant had just closed at 4:00 a.m. We got back to the hostel and things were still in full swing with at least half-a-dozen to a dozen people hanging out.

Jo is heading down to Patagonia, but she offered to let me take her guitar while she is traveling down south. Great, I hope she has a wonderful trip there, and look forward to seeing her when she returns. Soon after, I was on my home, with a guitar and another great evening under my belt. I love traveling!

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.

A country ant (left) and a city ant (right) each have five cents. If the city ant steals the country ant's nickel, how much money does he have now?

Journal and photos by Adam Burgess

I’ve got a newfound interest in ants lately and confessed to Neil the other day that I could spend a lifetime analyzing them in all their differing forms. Or lets say if I were to wake up an entomologist tomorrow, I would choose them as my focus. In Rio, the sugar was extremely fine grained, and the ants were minuscule, absolutely tiny and jet-black. I drew the conclusion that ants had evolved to the size of sugar grain around the world, but Praia Do Rosa threw a wrench in the theory. The sugar is the same grain as Rio here, but these ants are among the largest I’ve ever seen and have legs so long and powerful that they belong on a spider. Their heads are huge and black, while their bodies are a wicked red. This flaw in my sugar-grain theory led me to draw a new conclusion.

The city ants have it really easy, and the need of such a machine-like body has become obsolete. Instead, they work in shear numbers almost effortlessly through your tiled sink crack, pouring through in throngs, invisible in size. Whereas; in the countryside, the terrain is a little more demanding what with dirt roads and wild animals. The lack of infrastructure offers less shelter, and so when it pours, these hybrid ants need long legs to hold their torso and massive heads above the puddles.

The benefit to these massive walking heads is that they take away that chunk of food by the sink almost immediately and single-handedly, while the city ants call in an army and work on it for a couple of days. For this reason, I have more respect for the larger brothers, whose ant trail consists of two or three workers. Obviously I’ve got time on my hands. Little is happening here other than relaxing days of surfing and the occasional email.

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.

Nancy with Phillipa, Greg, and Kelsie Realf at their home in Miriam Vale. Through Greg, Nancy has made nine new friends.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I left the camp ground at about 0900, and I was feeling like I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There just isn't alot to see along this stretch of the Bruce Highway, and what you do see isn't always that pleasing to the eye. I saw a spider whose abdomen was the size of a 50-cent piece, and it scared the heck out of me! As gross as it was, I still had to get a picture of it.

I was getting pretty hungry a little after one, and I decided to pull over for some lunch, even though I only had about 20 km to go. I had some pita bread with cheese, Vegemite, and chutney, and then I got back on the road. Just as I pulled onto the pavement, I realized my tire felt low. Dang! I had a slow leak. Rather than patch it or change the tube, I decided just to pump it up and hope it would last me to Miriam Vale. As I was stopped on the side of the road, two cars stopped to see if I needed help. See, Australians are awesome people. The second car offered me cold water, and they gave me a big bottle of H2O with ice in it. That was an incredible treat on this hot day.

When I arrived in town, I checked out the first caravan park I came to. It looked a bit crowded, and the spot that wasn't crowded was next to the stinky bathrooms, so I moved on. There was a visitor's center one kilometer further south, so I went inside. I was met by smiling Greg Realf who, after a brief conversation, invited me to stay with his family just down the road. He has hosted a number of guests from all over the world, and I immediately took him up on the offer.

We both had errands to run, so I got directions to the house and agreed to meet there at 1730. By then, wife Philippa and daughter Kelsie would be home. I stopped to use the Internet in town and was offered a place to stay by another nice Aussie local. When I told her I already had a place, she (Melissa) said I should stop by for some barbecue, at least, and I agreed. Unfortunately, I couldn't find her house after using the Internet, and I had to get over to Realf's. I know she must think I stood her up, but, well, I didn't mean to!

The Realf's live in a cool eco-friendly home that Greg built, and their hospitality was warm and genuine. We had a delicious spaghetti dinner and got to know a bit more about each other. This is the part of solitary travel that is so enriching--I've made wonderful new friends all over Queensland. Phillipa teaches mentally and physically-challenged children, Kelsie is an aspiring gymnast, and Greg is running for city council. One of his biggest concerns is preserving Queensland's only pristine river (meaning it has no dams and is 100% natural), Baffle Creek. They own quite a few acres along its banks, and active/caring citizens meet regularly to try to keep the river pristine.

The Realfs have invited my team to stay on their property and have a barbecue when we swing back through on our way north to Cairns. Now, that would be fun!

Mileage:
Weather: Fair/Partly Cloudy/Extremely windy
End Location: Miriam Vale

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.

Neil Dana shredding it on the outrageous surf of Brazil. (The name of the surf spot is being withheld to protect the sanctity of the location...)

Journal and photos by Neil Dana

Alright, this is Neil coming at you from Brazil on a beautiful cloudy day filled with epic surf!

The day started out in the early AM, about 5 a.m., to be exact, when the generous pousada attendant knocked on our door to wake us up. I told him the night before to wake us up this early so I could go walk up and down a huge hill for an hour to reach the surf before anyone else did. Adam wasn't feeling so hot; his back has been bothering him for a while now, and even though the surf has been helping his back, today he took the day off and decided to be a bro and take some photos of me surfing. We awoke and Adam grunted and moaned a few times before we grabbed our grocery bags filled with bananas, apples, crackers and water and headed out the door. It was pitch dark when we left. We actually took a bus to a different town than we are renting a house in right now because the swell picked up and there is a surf spot that picks up the swell and, quite frankly, GOES OFF!!! ("Goes off", for those of you non-surfers is surf slang for when the waves are epic, fantastic, unreal, dreamlike, or incredible.) This town is closer to the surf spot than where our house is situated. If I were to take the earliest bus from our house to the town that is an hour walk from the surf spot, I wouldn't arrive until 9:30-ish, and that is unacceptable when the crowds arrive a little after dawn.

So it was an hour before dawn, and we were walking up the dirt road to this great surf spot, and I was hoping to be the first one in the water. The walk was long but fresh and filled with biting mosquitos, soon to be called "mozzies" once we're down unda. A quarter of the way there, a car passed, and a big "darnit!" resounded through my head. I guess I wasn't going to be the first in the water; oh well. We finally arrived, and the surf was cranking, and to my amazement there were already 6 people on the bluff getting ready to go out. By the time I ate some bananas and apples and waxed my board, there were two people in the water. So I gave Adam the lowdown about my camera and told him to click away.

I headed out towads the point, which is lined with boulderous rocks that are slippery and encrusted with barnacles and moss. It is really beautiful and set up perfectly for waves. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't exactly sure where to enter the water, so I headed down to one section of stones that looked like a good place to try and jump in the ocean. Jumping in the ocean may sound easy; however, when you have waves smashing against the rocks and you have to time your entry just right in order to jump in as the wave is crashing on the rocks, it becomes a challenge. Also, part of the game is that you can't get too close to the water's edge when the waves are smashing or else you will get pummeled. So you need to wait for an opportune time, and rush down slippery rocks to the jump-off point before a set comes. Well, when I chose the moment to go, I rock danced down to the edge of the rocks, but there were still too many rocks just beneath the surface, and it wasn't a good place to jump in, so I had to turn around. But before I turned around, I was checking out another area to jump off from. A wave was coming in, and I thought I was clear of any danger, but sure enough, the ocean wanted to slap me in the face, so she crashed on the rocks and swept me off my feet and slammed me into the rocks. It all happened pretty quickly, and I stood back up and jammed back up the rocks out of harm's way. I felt fine, a bit shook up and angry with myself for being an idiot, but I wasn't hurt...well not really...as I looked at my bloody feet!! Oh well, I had a big gash on one side of my left foot and other pieces of fresh, gleaming flesh (tongue twister) shining into the sun on the backs of both of my feet, and one slice on the bottom of my right foot.

One of the nice things about surfing ist that if you get cut up by reefs and rocks and your board, you can still surf and not feel the pain and have just as much fun. So I looked at my wounds and laughed at myself, and also watched a few other people get in the water 50 yards up from me, so I saw the good entry point and headed over there. Once I was there, I waited for the right moment and scurried down the rocks and jumped in the water, simple and easy.

So I paddled out to the boil on the point and tried to get some waves. Now, I say "try" because the locals here are pretty cool and friendly, but they still own the surf spot and will paddle around you every single time and sit deeper than you no matter what. And that is cool, and to be expected, I am just a foreigner there for the day. Everyone has to pay their dues. And sure enough, I caught plenty of waves! The first hour-and-a-half was the best; there were no more than 10 guys out, and it was possible to get a fair amount of waves. Once 9 a.m. rolled around, it started to get more packed. It just becomes a fierce arena to get the set waves, and I don't really dig being super aggressive trying to get waves. I'd rather find a spot with fewer people. But I had a blast out there and surfed until I was exhausted, then walked in the blazing sun for an hour back to town. Not to mention, I had to wrap a plastic bag around my foot to keep my sandal from rubbing into my wound. It makes you feel alive, I tell you!

I could describe the waves and the day in even more detail, how it is right point break and hollow at the take off, and describe how the locals here drink mate too, and all the other subtleties. Oh, and how the sun sets beautifully and the local restaurants are empty, and the children are practicing capoeira, even doing flips, and young young kids are jumping off of benches having fun carrying their homework, etc. But, I will leave the pictures to describe many of these details for you. It is yet another day and time for me to go and be a part of it in a more pleasing way, mentally and physically, than sitting here reminiscing about past events in front of the computer screen. Oh, and I am sorry I didn't name the place I surfed. Some things are better left unsaid.

Ciao,

Neil

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.

Ken and Carmel O'Dowd displayed remarkable hospitality and generosity when I was a guest of their beautiful O'Dowd's Irish Pub. They are impressive people and wonderful friends, and I wish Carmel could have come along with me for a leg of my cycling tour.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I'm leaving today.  I got up at eight and packed.  I realized the blank CD's I bought yesterday are defective, but, luckily, one of the guys staying at the pub is a computer geek, and he burned my images to a disk of his own for me.

I said goodbye to Swampy, Bernie, Cora Lee, and Bill, and I got all of Bill's contact info. I went by O'Dowd's Irish Pub to say goodbye and take a photo with Carmel and Ken.  Carmel said she wants to go with me, and I wish she could.  I think I'll see them again when the team swings back through Rockhampton.

I went by the store that sold me the defective CD's and exchanged them for a Black-Eyed Peas CD.

I finally pulled out of town at 1040 to begin my 75-km ride to Mt. Larcom.  The headwind was absolutely FEROCIOUS.  It was worse then ever, by far, and at times I was barely able to make forward progress.  Somehow, though, time went by quickly.  I was just happy to be on the road again, I think.  I was pleasantly surprised during my ride to see the O'Dowd's drive by me, not once, but twice!  I don't know where they were going, but it was super-cool to see them.  They honked and waved the first time, and then they pulled up next to me to talk the second.  Oh, it was great to see them.  From there, I had only 15 km to go, and I was getting tired.  With the wind, I was twice as slow as normal.

I arrived at a camp ground at 1530 and paid $6.60 for a spot.  The weather was windy and a bit chilly, and it looked like rain, so I set up my tarp.  I cooked vegetable lasagna, the last of my freeze-dried Mountain House meals, and coffee.  I spread some cheese and Vegemite on a piece of pita bread and topped it with fruit chutney.  Wow!  That's pretty good!

I finished up my day's journal entry and went to bed at 1830 with Nora Jones' new CD, “Feels Like Home”, playing in my headphones.  For a while, that was the only CD I had, and I can listen to it all day, every day, without getting sick of it.  It's all the music I need on this cycling trip.

Mileage:  73 km
Weather:  cooler, windy
Final Location:  Mt. Larcom

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.

Nick, Chanda, and Todd play near the shore in Colonia del Sacramento, Uraguay.

Journal and photo by Chanda Baggarly

Nick, Todd and I went to Uruguay for the day. A three-hour boat ride across the River Plate from Buenos Aires can get you to a little town in Uruguay called Colonia del Sacramento.

We left Buenos Aires without a clear plan. We decided to just wing it; I knew of a good hotel and had read about some good restaurants. The historical town is small; you could walk through it and stop for ice cream in an hour, so there is not much to think about planning-wise.

We arrived at 4:00 a.m. Although there were a few people out and about, the town was quiet and calm. We walked about 8 blocks to Posada Don Antonio and knocked on the door. Pablo, the owner, greeted us with a smile as if he was expecting us, and let us in. The Posada Don Antonio is a 200+ years old, fully restored, Spanish villa. Beautiful. And only $15 USD per night.

Colonia is a UNESCO historical site. It is a charming little coastal town dating back to the 17th century. Colonia has wonderful old Portuguese colonial architecture, sycamore-lined streets, cobblestone lanes, and the oldest church in Uruguay, the Iglesia Matriz del Santisimo Sacramento, which dates from 1699. We hear that there is an old bull ring worth checking out, too, but we didn't make it. The bull ring is the only one in Uruguay and apparently never used, as bullfighting was abolished shortly after the ring was built.

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.

The Fitzroy Hotel, also known as the "Swamper's Pub", is located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

Today was supposed to be the day I left, but I realized I needed photos of all the characters here at the Swamper's Pub.  So, I decided to stay one more night.  I have a ton of notes on the regulars at this pub, and I've tons to write about, but I don't want to say anything that might be misconstrued.  Instead, I will just say that this is a really interesting lot, and I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  The people who are staying in the hotel, and the people who work here, are really wonderful.  They are good, caring people, and they would do anything for their friends, myself included, except give you money, because they don't have a lot of that.  But they'd give you the shirt of their back, and I do feel privileged to know them.  They've really welcomed me into their family here.  I wish I could say more about the amazing people I've met here, but that stuff is for my personal diary...and maybe for the book I might write about this experience one day...

I could write volumes on Robin, the middle-aged woman with a face full of piercings and a see-through mesh tank top that revealed another piercing. She's facing a third conviction for stabbing man with a knife, so she was closely monitored by the bar staff that night. I didn't mess with her. I believe that if someone is scared, he or she should say he/she is scared. I was scared. I wish I had a photo of Robin.

I spent most of the day updating journals, taking photos, and burning images to CD's so I could take them with me.  I also stopped by O'Dowd's to see Carmel and Ken, and then I went back to Fitzroy's to do more Internet work.  I even worked the bar for about an hour when the bar maid became ill. That bar maid, bless her heart, asked the question I had been dying to ask of the patrons at the Swamper's Pub. Out of the blue, she piped up with, "What happened to all of your teeth?"

The question was directed at the people at the bar, in general. When nobody answered, she asked again, "What happened to all of your teeth?"

Dumb looks all around, and then, "What do you mean?"

"Your teeth. You're all missing teeth. What happens to them?" she asked, more clearly.

Nobody really answered the question, probably because it was directed at no one in particular, rather than directly at somebody. Swampy did mention that his tooth had been broken by a beer bottle inadvertently bumping into his face.

That evening, Bill treated me and about five other friends to a wonderful dinner at a nice Thai restaurant.  I had some incredible yellow curried chicken.  My favorite!  Thanks, Bill!

When we returned, I had to get back on the computer to finish updating my journals, and I finally got to bed at 0245.

Here are images of my new friends:

My Rockhampton angel, Bill Duguid. He is the "publican", or owner of the Swamper's Pub, and he is my new friend. His hospitality is amazing.

This is Wally the Walrus. He lives in Gold Coast, but he was a guest at the Fitzroy for a while. He's totally loveable. Likes to whistle. Very polite and sweet like a big teddy bear.

I can't remember their names, but these two are regulars at the Swamper's Pub.

Regretably, I can't remember his name, either. He's the "Seafood Guy." He's the one who supplied me with my first taste of mud crab my first day in town. He pays his way at the pubs, etc., with fresh seafood.

This is Bernie. He's a great guy who frequents the Swamper's Pub and often helps out the owner, Bill. I am now privileged to call him a friend, and he went with Bill and the group to the Thai restaurant on my last night in town. The night before, he knocked out a guy who was drunk and tryin to pick fights with the clientele. One punch.

This is Gary, Cora Lee's significant other. He tends bar at the Swamper's Pub and helps out around the place. Cora Lee also works there. Gary is a real sweetheart, and he's a great friend to have.

Mileage: 0
Weather: Cool, Windy, Rainy
End Location: Rockhampton

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.

Journal and photo by Justin Mounts

As part of my life in Brazil, I have started a new chapter this week. I am officially taking Portuguese lessons. Now, for those of you who know me, you know that I’m not really the type of person to go sit down in class for two hours a day to learn a language. I prefer my guerrilla-phrasebook tactics that have served me well all over the world. Rather than spend a couple of hours in a class with people who probably know less than I do, I would rather go to a local market and struggle through my interactions with the merchants, forcing myself to learn as rapidly as possible. I have found one thing to be true when you are in a foreign country that uses a different language: when you learn how to say something that is essential to you, you remember. Period. I don’t know why the brain works this way, but I imagine it is closely related to our sink-or-swim mechanism.

This is the second language I have studied so far on this expedition, and I know that soon I will be learning bits of Malay, Thai, Burmese, Hindi, Nepali, Mandarin, Uyghur, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Nepali, and Russian. As the navigator, I frequently have conversations with people on the fly with three other cars waiting to hear what I found out. As such, my ability to absorb a language quickly has become paramount. While in Australia, I am spending time every day studying the essential things I may need to say or hear. I learned a lesson the hard way in Latin America. I knew for months that I would be traveling in Spanish-speaking countries, but with everything going on before the expedition departure, I neglected to study any Spanish. That came back to haunt me many times, and I stared at people blankly while trying to receive directions. In fact, I never even bought a phrasebook before we left. I will never go anywhere that unprepared again.

Volta a Portuguese…Portuguese, when written, is very similar to Spanish. And truthfully, as I thumb through my Portuguese/English dictionary, I am amazed at how many English words translate directly. Sure the pronunciation is different, but that’s the rub. Portuguese sounds very different from Spanish or English if you haven’t had any exposure. I am also finding that my Lonely Planet guidebook is correct when it says that, “most Cariocas speak little or no English.” I feel comfortable saying that ninety-nine percent of the time, if I can’t say something in Portuguese, I can’t get what I want. Similarly, if I can’t understand what is said back to me in an exchange, the lines of communication break down instantly.

Many of you are probably thinking that sign language or body language probably come in handy, and while that is true, I usually find that I feel dumb or that I am insulting the person I am talking to if I can’t keep going in Portuguese. You can only give the thumbs-up of “Tudo bem” so often before you just look like another grinning idiot who learned how to say one phrase before coming to Brazil.

So, determined to overcome my Portuguese deficiency, I have taken it upon myself to go back to school. Classes are four days a week from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, and I have 6 other people in my class. As it turns out, the studying I have been doing on my own (I currently own 4 books on learning Portuguese), combined with the pocket dictionary that I carry with me more (I actually carry it more often than my passport) have resulted in me learning a wealth of Portuguese. Granted, when I speak, it is all in present tense, but people understand what I am saying. And on a handful of occasions, I have actually been asked if I was Brazilian. Now, before you even have a chance to ask if I am kidding you, I’m not. And let me tell you why…

I have mastered the art of looking Brazilian. When I am in a conversation with a group of people, I look them in the eye and make all of the appropriate body language to indicate that I am listening and that I understand. I have also learned one other secret that is widely used by Brazilian men everywhere. When listening, all you have to do is grunt every now and then. When combined with an effectively timed, “uh-huh,” people have no reason to suspect that you are not Brazilian. It’s as simple as that.

Of course, it could also be this great tan that I’ve gotten here, too. Regardless, I will continue my classes at 8:00 am, four days a week, until I learn to correctly conjugate at least one word. I think I have enough money for that. Of course, conjugating one word requires learning 20 different variations of that same word. Good thing I have so much time in Rio.

Until next time, I wish you all well from the far side of the world.

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.

At the horse races in Rockhampton, Nancy's new friend the jockey, Craig, won first place in the first race of the day...but the horses were so fast that nancy chopped off the winning horse's head...

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I woke up groggy, at about eight.  Four hours of sleep is insufficient for me.  I've always required a lot of sleep, and I consider sleep to be the absolute best thing on Earth.

I got dressed and ready, because I knew Bill wanted to show me the ropes at the rugby fields.  I ate some Rice Krispies for breakfast, but here they call them “Rice Bubbles.”  You have to love the subtle differences...

After an uneventful trip to the rugby field, I jumped back on the Internet.  The problem with the Internet at the Fitzroy is that it uses the same phone line as the debit system, which, in Australia, is called EFTPOS.  Don't ask me what that stands for, 'cause I haven't a clue.  All I know is that, every time somebody needs cash, I get kicked off the Internet.  Likewise, my Internet use causes the machine to reject the first try.  I feel bad, because I know it's a pain in the tushy for Flame and Bill and the clientel to have to tell me to hop off the net every time they need to run a debit.  Sorry, Bill!  After a little while, Cora Lee came upstairs and told me I couldn't use the Internet at all today.

Well, that's alright, because today is race day.  I stayed here in Rocky to see the races, and that's what I needed to do.  I rode to the tracks with one of the hotel guests, Warren, who owns and trains trotters.  They are the horses that trot really fast around the track and pull a little buggy behind them.  He and I went to watch the thoroughbreds, and I was excited to see Craig, the jockey from O'Dowd's Pub, race.  He was in the first race, so I put two dollars on his horse and two dollars on another.  Craig's horse won, although the other horse lost, and I ended up winning $5.00.  How 'bout them apples?  I only had time to stay for one more race before it was time to go help Bill at the rugby matches.

It was a slow night.  The population of Rockhampton is too small to fill two separate venues, and it seems most of the town was at the races.  There weren't many people at the rugby matches, and I didn't sell many drinks.  By nine p.m., I was ready to go to bed.

I put my earplugs in, and I was able to go to sleep very easily.  I slept blissfully through the night.

Mileage: 0
Weather: Sunny
End Location: Fitzroy Hotel, Rockhampton

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.

Colin (center) enjoys beautiful Jericoacoa, Brazil, with new friends Lee and Rob.

Journal and photo by Colin McAuliffe

Well, I'm in a new locale, a small town called Jericoacoa. Its a cool little place surrounded by huge sand dunes and ocean. I'm having tons of fun. I've rented a house with two crazy English guys, Lee and Rob, an English girl, Beckie, and an Israeli girl named Jasmine. Tomorrow we are going to try and find a place right on the beach, but for now our crib is pretty sweet. Anyway, I think I can throw some new pictures up soon.

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.

Nancy found a job as a bar maid at the Fitzroy Hotel for a couple of days while resting in Rockhampton.

Journal and photo by Nancy Olson

Reluctantly, I checked out of beautiful O'Dowd's Irish Pub this morning.  I hated to leave, because it was such a comfortable, clean, safe place to rest.  Carmel, who, along with husband Ken, owns the pub, mentioned maybe putting on a fundraiser for the team when we pass through on our way north.  Ooh!  That might be a good possibility!

I cycled over to the Fitzroy (About two miles) and moved into my new room.  It's a no-frills place, and my room was private and cozy.  Yesterday, Bill asked if I want to work for him on Saturday, because he needs somebody to sell beverages to the spectators at the rugby matches.  Huh.  Ok!  Sounds good.  It'll be fun, and I need the cash.  I worked on the Internet in Bill's office most of the day, and then he asked me if I wanted to learn how to pour a beer.  Well, I guess I need to learn before the matches on Saturday.  I worked the bar for half an hour and then returned to the Internet for a few more hours of work.  At about nine, I was summoned to the bar and worked until closing at about 0130.  I am a bar maid.  (They are not into political correctness here in Australia; bar maid is not considered rude or degrading...) Not my chosen profession, but it's an interesting change of pace.

Even though I was extremely tired, I had difficulty falling asleep in my new surroundings.  I think I just wasn't comfortable in this pub environment.  It's sort of a sketch part of town, and I'm unfamiliar with the clientel and the general vibe.  Outside, a man and woman were screaming obscenities at one another for several hours.  I finally fell asleep at around four in the morning.

Mileage:  0
Weather:  windy
End Location:  Fitzroy Hotel, Rockhampton
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.

Bill Duguid (pronounced "do-good") stands in front of his Rockhampton pub, the Fitzroy. Bill provided me with several free nights accommodation and lots of wonderful new friends and memories.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I awoke in my lovely new surroundings at around 0800, did my laundry, did some quick window shopping, and hit the library to try out the Internet.  Wouldn't you know it, my e-mail was down.  That was a bummer, because I had big plans to get some much-needed work done!

I called Bill over at the Fitzroy pub and went over there to try my luck on the net again.  Still no luck, so I went downstairs to hang out with the people in the pub.  Bill bought me snacks and refreshments all day until he decided to show me Yeppoon.  Yeppoon is a beautiful city on the ocean, not far from Rockhampton.  I drove, and we had a nice tour of the area.  It was really strange being behind the wheel after riding my bike for so long, and it was stranger still driving on the wrong side of the road!  In a right-hand-drive car, everything is reversed.  Even the lights and windshield wipers are on the opposite side.  Every time I went to activate the turn signals, I ended up turning on the windshield wipers instead.  It was a big mess, and I just couldn't get it right.  Without fail, I turned on the wipers every time I went to make a turn.  Ugh!

I was getting tired, so we finally headed back to Rockhampton.  Bill dropped me at O'Dowd's by nine.  It was then that I had my first Australian beef.  I ordered a steak, and it was the size of my plate.  It was accompanied by delicious mashed potatoes and vegetables, and it was more than any human should consume in one sitting.  Delicious!

Tomorrow, I will move into the Fitzroy and, hopefully, work all day.

Mileage:  0
Weather:  Hot
End Location:  O'Dowd's Irish Pub, Rockhampton

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.