The Spoked Traveller | Melanie Chambers
Trails and advice cycling around the world as solo female cyclist and adventurer
mountain bike, adventure travel, cycling travel, bike tours, outdoor, solo travel, female mountain biking, badass female cycling, female travellers, women travel, adventurous
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Author: Melanie Chambers

19 May

Posted at 17:34h in Blog by
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Camper van life is simple (campah van in Aussie). It's what they call motorhomes. But, navigating the camper van campsites in Australia is a bit complicated, at first. I arrived half an hour late to my reserved site in Port MacQuarie. Lights off; no one home. Parking in a random lot made me feel a bit uneasy so I drove across the street and asked a motel owner if I could stay. Not only did they let me stay, free, they let me use their WIFI and washrooms. vam Warning: don't even THINK of speeding in Australia. Undercover cops and unmarked cars are everywhere! They even have random alcohol and roadside drug tests (not that I was going to pull a Rob Ford or anything). So much for laid back, eh?

15 May

Posted at 08:23h in Blog by
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MEL: "What is a traditional Aussie meal?" PETER: "A meat pie and a six pack." Sigh. Peter is a relative of a friend and I am starting to believe him. Asking Aussies about traditional meals is much like asking Canadians the same question. Maybe because we're both relatively new countries? But, south of Brisbane, west of Byron Bay, the touristy hippie beach, is an area called the Northern Rivers where tiny roads weave precariously through the eucalyptus trees; so much rainfall means flooding is common, and the red soil produces some yummy things. IMG_1573 Row upon row of macadamia nut trees, lemon myrtle bushes (used for soaps and food flavourings) and coffee beans! Yes, Aussie coffee.     IMG_1630IMG_1645

13 May

Posted at 17:28h in Blog by
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Off the coast of Brisbane, there are three sand dune islands. It's crazy to think that without the tree roots to hold it together, then the entire island would be swept into the ocean... IMG_1503 The less touristy version, Moreton Island, is the third largest and more hippie like-- sign me up. Without paved roads the only way to get around is a 4WD. You can either hire one or go on a tour with a group. IMG_1214And because the barge going over to the island (an hour and half) is down to one boat versus two, the cost is crazy steep: $300 for two days, transport included, and camping (with really stinky sleeping bags, I might add, and hamburgers for supper!)

07 May

Posted at 07:12h in Blog by
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More hiking outside Brisbane, because really, there isn't too much to do in Brisbane other than shop for bad clothes! Yikes, did I say that? I'm not too keen on their style. But hey, who am I to talk? My reasoning is that Aussie's must wear uniforms to school-- and that means they cannot wear a scarf, or piece of jewellery. Heck, they get expelled if they dye their hair. So much for self-expression. But I digress. We drove north of the city to The Glass Mountains. It was the series of 16 volcanic crags that I saw from the plane--the ones that rise dramatically from a completely flat surface and shoot back down. IMG_9112         Tres cool rock climbing opportunities and caves.

05 May

Posted at 05:00h in Blog by
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  kangerooI'm exhausted from almost 20 hours in transit from Toronto to Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia, but I want to share my first day. It's 4:30 am back home, but I have just enough energy to tell you a few things. Arriving over Brisbane, the mountains looked like piles of sugar on a flat surface. Little strange peaks. In Brisbane, the roads don't make sense. Turns out convicts built part of the city back in 1900's, when the British thought Aussie would be a great place for their overflow of prisoners. Eucalyptus trees at Coot-tha Park. IMG_8994