My Mighty Steed

01/14/2013

Today I caught a ride into Palmy with Fiona's neighbor, Austin. I took the road code test for my license about five times (extra $200) but I finally got my license... Why did it take me five times? You can miss three but I always seemed to miss four or five until the last time where I got 100% - I reckon it's rigged. I've spoken to many since and they all laugh until I give them some examples, ie: what do you do at the yellow line? If you said stop, you're wrong! You only stop on the white line... there is no yellow line. Another question is about parking on dashed yellow lines to which you are given two valid answers. The correct answer is that none may pass, but I put that I may not pass because I reckon many of those spots are kept clear for emergency vehicles. The other questions I got wrong were mainly about distances which I mostly knew but, again, found the question to be phrased in a way which prompted me to choose the wrong answer... After walking out with my temporary motorcycle license, and a massive dent in my budget, I visited Cherie at the backpacker hostel to ask about her receiving some mail for me then took a bus to Fielding. When I arrived I bought some beans and walked 2.5 km to the campsite there. After I set up my tent I watched TV till late then tried sleeping in my tent till about 2a... but it got so cold/damp that I had no choice but to sneak back into the lounge and sleep on the couch.

01/15/2013

The next morning the manager saw me lying there and, while he seemed a bit perturbed, he left me alone. On the way back to Fielding I took a wrong turn but eventually arrived and bought a helmet and tie downs for the bike. They also gave me a learners plate that they had lying in the display, for free! Mike called me at this time and we talked about the conditions of our agreement as well as the fact that they still hadn't found the key for the bike... Next I went to apply for my tax number then spent the rest of the time hanging out waiting at Maccas. Later Mike's mum called me to say that she was still having trouble finding the key but that she would pick me up at 5p. At about 5:15p she called me to say that she had found the key and was on her way! Ten minutes later we were on our way to pickup the bike. We pulled it out of the shed and I took a minute getting oriented with the bike. At first it wouldn't start but then I remembered riding dirt bikes and how we sometimes had to pull the choke to start them up. Sure enough I was on my way and 50km later I arrived in Woodville to sort out my stuff at Fiona's. After I somehow managed to pack everything I needed into one bag I went down the road and camped for the night.