Australia Day 3: I've arrived!

I made it to Melbourne today after the longest travelling day(s) I've ever had. Thankfully there were no issues with flights or baggage or delays of any sort, though I did get "randomly selected" for additional screening both on my way to San Francisco as well as between Sydney and Melbourne for the first time ever. (They admitted it was the bright blue hoodie - they're going to keep an eye out for me on the way back in March!) 3 hours from Edmonton to San Francisco + 6 hours in SFO + 13.5 hours from San Fran to Sydney + 1.5 hours at SYD + 1.5 hours Sydney to Melbourne = a very long trip.

So far, I've noticed the following:
- it's REALLY hot... hotter than I expected, but much less humid than I thought it would be. I may manage to get my first tan ever here! (It is supposed to cool down in the next couple of days, but not before a signal that "summer has arrived" with +39 degrees C tomorrow)

- the cars drive on the other side of the street. I knew this before I got here... but wow, I can't believe how difficult it is to remember and to look the right way while crossing the street. This may be the most dangerous part of the cycling tour - I keep looking the wrong way while cars come at me from behind. It's already hilarious for one of the crew members.

Outside of that, I'm having a pretty low key day, hiding from the sun, eating nectarines off of trees in the backyard where I'm staying, meeting roommates and burning through the rest of the books I brought. I read Jamie Clarke's "Everest to Arabia" on the planes and was inspired for my own adventure with a team of people from different cultures. Working my way through "Greasy Rider" a story of two friends' journey across the US in a used food oil-powered vehicle. I've got Kapuscinski's "Shadow of the Sun" packed to take with me on the bike - if I've recommended this as my number one travelling companion book, I really ought to read it myself on a trip! :)

All in all, things are getting exciting! (Or maybe it's just the heat!)
Cheers,
Candice

PS> If you're interested in reading more travel blogs, a fellow cyclist Lalo Porto was in touch after he heard from the people at Twisted Rider Cycle (the place where I got my solar panels) about my own cycling for sustainability effort. He's riding to promote environmental conciousness and cycling in a loop through the Americas. InfinityCycle.blogspot.com