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     Reports
 

 Mount Gambier and planting tree in Mulga st school
As I wrote before in Mount Gambier I am hosted by Glenys who is a member of Hospitality club. She is an old lady BUT!! Much more motivated and stronger than many young people I have ever seen. She has traveled a lot around the globe and has many stories to tell. I cant believe the way she is treating her guests. She even doesn’t let me to do my dishes and my laundry. I am getting spoiled here.
lets explain how the city looks like! The cist is located on the north side of an extinct volcano which is the only hill( but it called Mountain!) in this area. The name of hill is Mount Gambier and that’s the reason city is called Mount Gambier.
on the top of the hill there is 2 small lake that one of them is a shiny blue during the summer time and it called Blue lake which is the source of water supply for the city but it is not blue in winter time and another small lake which is valley lake.
on the first day Glenys drove around the town to show me around. It is a small town but very quite and clean. She gave me a very nice room with a big window opening to the garden. It is wonderful having such a nice place like this after a week camping and cycling. Thanks to Glenys.
When I arrived and after a short rest we talked about different stuff and I told her about my project. She is a retired teacher and just she called someone to organize a school to plant a tree and today we went there.

Mulga street primary school was the one we did plant a tree today.
I bought a kind Eucalyptus tree which is Australian native tree and after a small workshop with the kids we planted our tree.
many thanks to Glenys and Jenny to support me for today.
-------------------------------- 8/4/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Cycling through Great Ocean road
I left Melbourne after nearly 2 weeks. For 2 weeks I staid with Ali and I had a very lovely time in Melbourne. I met some very nice people but there was no way to stay longer, I was belong to the road and had to leave. Like always it was hard to leave but as I said there was no choice, I had to leave, I had to continue my life journey and go. There is some warm hands and lovely hearts waiting to touch what I am looking for.
So my first destination after Melbourne was Geelong where I could stay with some friends and also I could meet Zohreh again. It is just about 80km from Melbourne to Geelong so I was not in hurry and I left home about 12, I had left all my bicycle work just for the last day and it took me some times.
I started in a sunny day where there was no wind and a flat road, so I easily made that by about 4:30min.
I staid with Kambiz whom I celebrated my birthday in his home and later on Zohre and Samad also joint. After having a lovely night I left there early in the morning and began to cycle ahead to the Great Ocean road where I was thinking of a lot. Great Ocean Road is just amazing road along the coast and most of the time I had Ocean on the side and fortunately it is winter time and no more tourists and cars. It was so quite and peaceful.
I cant forget the joy of Ocean sounds. It was what I really like and I really want to live with and then I had it. I was like playing with my bicycle and no hurry. I didn’t want it to finish very fast, that’s why it took me several day to cycle just 450km. I didn’t cycle more than 90km per day.
The first day I touched the Ocean after 40km cycling. After about 75km cycling I arrived to a small town and found a changing room on the beach. It was the best place to stay and some table, BBQ and toilet.. they were all around and I had a room and no needed to pitch my tent. But I made a mistake and slept in that room without tent, so as the room didn’t has door it was a bit cold at night and just from the midnight I rolled my mattress around myself to keep warm. I didn’t have a nice sleep but it was so beautiful walking on the beach at night and listening to the sound of waves that were coming from the far from the Antarctica.
I woke up early in the morning and sat on the beach looking at sun raising from the water when the very tiny crescent of moon still was on the ski. I was sat on the beach with a mug of Indian tea staring at distance, staring at the red point which was getting lighter and was changing to the orange. I had my usual breakfast which is muesli with milk and then start to cycle again.

The second day after about 25km riding the road went to the forest and I left the coast. It was a hilly road and I had to cross the Otway national park. I think no need to talk about its beauty but the most magnificent part of that day was the very quite road and sounds of birds. Here in Australia there some common birds that you can see almost everywhere are some birds like parrot but white or gray with a red color underneath or very strong Red and Green or someone they are very big and black with some yellow underneath. There is some different kind of them and many other birds that I saw them for the first time in my life.
In that day I cycled 93km but I didn’t reach the coast again. It was very hilly and the rain were there reasons that I couldn’t cycle very much. Rain began in the afternoon and it was a bit cold but it was fine. It was enough beautiful to tolerate the cold. In the afternoon rain was faster and heavier and due to that some cars stopped by to give me a lift but I was enjoying and didn’t like to miss that nice ride.
near the dark I was still looking for a place to stay and just I found a dirty road on the left heading to the heart of forest. I took that and after just a couple of 100km I was in the middle of forest of pine trees. So peaceful and just the sound of birds. It was one of the most beautiful nights I have ever had( I remember that I have told this sentence for many times…) I pitched my tent and changed my cloths and sneaked to my tent the lovely home. After I cooked something for dinner just I slept to enjoy energy of that place. I slept about 11 hours!!!!! That’s is true when there is a beautiful and peaceful place like that you don’t like to wake up. Just when I woke up in the morning I realized that there is some fallen trees around and I looked up at the trees. They were so tall and a strong wind at night could fall them and I had slept just under all those trees. However I am sure that at least I wont die under a tree!!!!

I left there about 10am and after a short ride again I was on the coast line heading for a town called Warrnombull where there is whale nursery and I could watch the Whales on the wild. I had about 100km to the town but I was passing such a amazing coast line. It was the most magnificent of the road just around Port Cambel where the twelve apostles are located.( you can see some of them in my gallery).
I looked at my watch, it was showing 3pm and still I had cycled 35km. every few km there was a look out point and some wonderful scenery that it was pity to miss. I stopped by all of them to have a look at take some pictures. Just after that road again got far from the coast and I began to cycle faster. Again rain in the afternoon and some cold wind. It was dark, but still I was riding and didn’t like to stop before the town. Just a few km before Warrnombull I saw the sign for Whale nursery and I took that back road to find a place to stay around and watch the Whales on the next morning.
I was passing a very big garage that I saw a man is coming out, I stopped by him and asked him some questions about the road and the place of Whales. He looked at me…wet, tired and cycling at dark…oh so poor guy he asked me where do you want to stay? And I told him I am looking for somewhere to camp. He had a very small room in front of his garage and he offered it to me which was just great. Then he invited me to have dinner with them. Lets tell you that in that day and from the afternoon I was telling myself that tonight I should have a place to take shower and some place to stay, I wont sleep in the tent.. I then I had it. Just it happened as always it use to. I took shower and after that John came and called me for dinner. We had a very nice chat and dinner with his lovely family. I told them  I can go to a hotel and have a nice meal in the restaurant but having something that comes just like this is so pleasure and nice and I don’t like it to change it. I am looking for having some times with people and staying with them and learn from them and make more friends. They were really kind and lovely and their kindness really touched my heart. In the morning I didn’t see Emily who is a friendly Korean girl adopted with Johns family. she  sent a text to her father that say goodbye to Mohammad because he was asleep when I left home. it was great to know her dream about being a teacher and help the other people to elevate and educate them. After that I packed my bags but it was rainy and John offered me to give a short ride and show me around. We went together to Whale nursery but the ocean was rough and strong current and wind was the reason that the Whales didn’t show off. I missed them and then I started cycling again. I hugged John and said good bye to him and began to hit the road.

By the time I started cycling a very strong storm came and hit me. The wind was straight ahead and hitting my face. Very strong wind, rain and cold…I knew another very hard day is ahead but I was not going to give up. I was totally soaked and cold but just telling myself the wind will drop, the rain will stop…the rain will stop, the wind will drop…and was encouraging myself to continue. Fortunately after about 4-5 hours the wind dropped and the rain stopped and after that just every half an hour there was shower. However all those showers were enough to keep me wet.
I pushed myself to cover at least 90km and pass over the Heywood which was the last town before Mount Gambier. I passed the town and after about 6km I was looking for a place to camp. I found a nice private road and after getting permition from the owner I pitched my tent and sneaked to my tent. So lovely after that hard day having a safe place to stay and some food to eat and for sure there was a heavy sleep. I didn’t like to wake up in the morning but it was the last day before having 2 days off in Mount Gambier so I packed again and began to hit the road again.

I had 80km within the forest through Princes HWY and it was a easy ride. I arrived to the town about 4:30pm and followed the address I had from Glenys who is my host here.
I will write about here later..
-------------------------------- 8/3/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Planting tree in Iranian school in Melbourne
There is an Iranian cultural school in Melbourne and they try to teach kids how to speak Farsi( Persian) which is their mother language.
They born in Australia and they are grown in Australia as well, so their first language is English as they are studying here so it is very important for their parents to teach them how to speak their own language. As there is a big community of Iranian living in Melbourne they have one they a week to teach the kids Farsi which is every Saturday.
I met Mr.Afkari in Iranian Society of Victoria meeting last week and he kindly invited me to go to their school and plant a tree with Iranian kids.
It was so lovely spending time with all those lovely kids and I really enjoyed. We planted a tree in front of school and we called it Iran to respect our mothers land.
After we planted our tree then I showed them some pictured from different countries which I have traveled through and there was a hip of questions from the kids. Like always kids had nice questions and for sure there is some funny questions as well.
Very much thanks to Mr Afkari who is the principal and Mr Ali Kouklan who helped me to hold this class and the kids parents who supported me to continue my journey.
I wish the tree grows in the kids mind and their heart as Iran will grow in their hearts.
-------------------------------- 7/26/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Planting tree in Grovedale primery school in Geelong
When I arrived to Australia I contacted Red Cross and Mrs. Kylie Hay answered me. Since then I was in touch with Red Cross and she helped me to organized a school for tree planting.
on Friday 26 of July 27, 2008 we had an appointment at 8:30 in front of national office of Red Cross in Melbourne and I went to Geelong which a town 80km south of Melbourne for a workshop in Grovedale primary school.
Mrs…….drove us to the school and there we had a lovely class. I was surprised the way that the kids practice and how they learn practically.
Schools in Asia is totally different and kids just spend a couple of hours in the classroom and just learn some books. But the kids here in schools learn how to make what they learn. They had a small garden and even they had a worm farm and they produced worm and they sell it to make some money to improve their garden.
However there is a big gap between the education system in first worlds countries and third world or developing countries. It is easy to understand why western country grove very fast and third worlds countries still are busy with providing the basic for themselves.
However after our workshop we gave them a tree to plant. The next day was Australian national day for planting trees and they were going to plant a couple of trees.
Thanks Mrs. Pamela Heane for her assistance
-------------------------------- 7/26/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Planting tree inMelbourne
When I was in KL I met Mr Khoshkhabar and after a while he emailed me and told me that he is in Melbourne. He gave me a contact for Iranian Society of Victoria and it was the beginning for making some new friend and some support as well.
Mr.Soodi contacted me when I was in Sydney and they were tracking my movement till I arrived to Melbourne. They provided me an accommodation and in fact they introduced Ali to me and he kindly is hosting me. Also they organized for a tree planting with council of suburb of Manningham and on Sunday we planted a tree in front of Ruffey lake park in Melbourne.
After that and in the afternoon I went to their meeting which was the general meeting and I had a short talk there. I found some very nice friends there and also they gave a good support which is very valuable for me and I am very grateful for their concern.
Thanks to all the members of Iranian Society of Victoria for their kindness and thanks Mr Soodi and Ali for their help.
-------------------------------- 7/22/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Melbourne...Birthday and meeting some wonderful friends
As I wrote before I arrived to Melbourne very early in the morning when the sun was still illuminating the other side of globe and people were still dreaming. I was so tired but happy for what I had done. Ali came and picked me up in one street near the city center.
The first day was my recovery day and I did nothing except sleeping, taking shower, eating and just resting. It was around afternoon that Ali came back home and we went out for spa. After that long riding having sauna and spa is the best I could imagine and after that it was time to celebrate my birthday. We went to a very nice restaurant inside a casino where the food is very cheep and very nice.
it was just wonderful having very nice accompany and nice food in my birthday.
I am still in Melbourne and now I have plenty of very nice friends that I am spending time with them and we have fun.
When I was in Lao I met a Japanese girl who was traveling with her boyfriend and now after more than a year it was time to meet her again. I knew she is in Melbourne and contacted her. We met each other in her apartment and then we went out for lunch and walk on the beach. Yas was telling me her stories of traveling with Matthew in Asia and about her dream to travel in Asia again.
One of the best part of journey is meeting people who I met before on the other side of world. It is so nice meeting them and share our stories and Yas was one of those who I was happy to catch up with again.
There was someone else who I was waiting to meet him again. Alex a very special person who I met him in Melaca on the last day of my journey in Malaysia.
Alex was traveling with Peter and we had a couple of hours time to talk and also we shared our breakfast as well in Melaka in a very old and small gust house.

Now I am remembering that guest house. A very small hall with a big table and travelers who were gathering around the table every night to chat or play card. A very strange dog who used to pray 5 times a day. In every single Azan the dog used to go out and look at sky and pray. The owner told that the dog is use to do that for ages. Ohh my GOD reminding that dog and that atmosphere put me to a very special feeling. I am missing Asia where I could touch peoples heart easily…..I was telling that Alex kindly kept in touch since over and even he was concern about my Australian visa and now it was time to meet him again. We met at Flagstaff station and then began to walk and talk. We had a lot to talk about and just were filling our souls. We had dinner in an Indian restaurant and then we went to a pop where a photo exhibition and a traditional Japanese music was going on.
On the weekend I went to Geelong where I could meet Zohreh. Almost 2 and half years ago I contacted Zohre via flicker and informed her about my journey and since that time we were in touch, so after such a long time it was time to meet. She is living in Geelong 100km south of Melbourne. I took a train and after an hour she picked me up on the station.

Directly we went to her friends house. They invited us for dinner. We had a lovely time and after dinner I found that Zohre has provided a cake for my birthday. Wooow such a surprise. I was so happy to have all those wonderful people around and celebrating my birthday again in Geelong with my friends.
the next day Zoher drove me to the forest and then we drove along the Great Ocean Road where I suppose to ride next week. It was just beautiful road, fantastic. I am so excited for riding along that road. It is a road about 700km all the way along the Ocean.
We went back home and in the next day she drove me to Melbourne for planting tree.
I am still in Melbourne and waiting for some schools to talk and plant some trees.  
-------------------------------- 7/22/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Canberra to Melbourne
Finally I left Canberra on Saturday morning and Hamid dove me back to Yass where I stopped cycling. There was 580km to Melbourne and I was serious to be there on Thursday which was 15th of July and my birthday. I didn’t want to celebrate it on the road alone.
I knew that there would be a few very hard days ahead and I was ready to make it.
It was all the way highway and nothing special there. Just a road and no more shop, house ….nothing just some service center along the way.
the first day I cycled 126km and after that I found some trees and I snaked behind the trees and slept. I knew that for those days I have to work very hard, that’s why I was just like a machine and cycling during the day, eating dinner and just sleeping for about 9 hours at night to get back the power.
The second day I cycled 165km to Albury and just after the town I jumped off the road to find a place to pitch my tent. I had cycled till late about 7pm and I was very tired. I pitched my tent and then began to cook dinner. When I am doing a hard job there is a way to make myself happy which is shopping and eating a lot. I bought too many things which was enough for 4 person. After dinner just I died but the sound of rain on the middle of night woke me up. I had to fix the tents mattress to keep it dry as much as possible and after that again I tried to sleep.

there was 305km to Melbourne and in the morning when I jumped on my bicycle in a very first moments I felt that I am going to cycle non stop to Melbourne, so I had to make my mind ready to do that. I knew it would be very hard work. the longest day I had cycled so far was 190km which was a very long and tiring day and now I was about to cycle 305km. regarding to my speed average which is around 18km/h I saw that that day would be around 18hours cycling. Oh my GOD such a long day but I was determined to make it.

In some circumstances I like to push myself a little bit just to do some training for my mind and my body to make sure still they are enough strong. Also I am not satisfy with what I have and I have to improve it and make it more stronger so all these reasons were pushing me to make it.
I packed my tent and got ready to start that I saw my tire in flat and I have to fix it….such a funny day. When you are about to fight, the universe also began to push you back, so there is time to be strong and determined and don’t give up. I fixed my tire and began to cycle. After 35km another flat tire and again I fixed that. my rear tire was so old and almost it is finished and the roads shoulder was full of glasses and gravel which is so bad for the tire. However I fixed it again and began to cycle. It was about afternoon and after 145 km cycling another flat tire. So funny. In all of my journey I had just 8 flat tire and just in that day I had 3. it was completely dark and I saw that I cant trust to my rear tire anymore so it is better to change it with the front one. I changed my tires and I began to cycle again in a dark night. Moon was on the sky and it was illuminating the road. It was very nice to cycle under moonlight. I was just cycling and each few hours I stopped somewhere to have a coffee and some snacks to eat.
it was about 2 in the morning that I had my 4th flat tire. ohhh I cant take it anymore but it was a game and I had to finish it. Again I fixed my tire. It wasn’t a very easy day and fixing tire at midnight where there is too many trucks and no town, shops and nothing but I was happy that I am doing that. it was really hard but I knew there would be a very deep joy when I finish it.
it was about 2:30 in the morning that I stopped by a service center to have some rest and a coffee. I was so sleepy and after I drank my coffee I put my head down on the table to have a short nap. I remember my appointment in Melbourne with the guy who was willing to host me, I had to be there around 6am and still more 70km. I told myself that there is no time to rest and just go, I knew if I nap I would be heavy and would be hard to start again.
fortunately the road was just flat after that and no wind so I could cycle faster. It was around 6am that I saw the town. Such a wonderful moment. But to rwach that moment I had passed a very difficult night, specially after 3am when the truck started again to move and every single minute there was a long truck passing through and the sound of the trucks in my head was like a hammer biting to my head. I was so sleepy and my mind was asleep for a while. The edge of the shoulder of the road was full of glasses and I had to cycle near the white line and I had to be very careful about the trucks. But I made that. I called Ali who was my host and is my friend now and told him I am arrived. He gave me direction and after half an hour I was at home lying on the bed but I couldn’t sleep due to tiredness.
that day took me 22hours and I had 4 hours rest between. I covered 307km and my speeds average was 17.8km/h which was very good for such a long distance like that.
I know it was crazy but I am crazy as well.hahahahaha
-------------------------------- 7/16/2008 12:00:00 AM



 Canberra
In Canberra I did nothing very much and almost all the time I was at home. It was fine for me to spend time just with an old friend and I was happy with that. However Canberra doesn’t have much to do and it is just an official town.
after a couple of days I was about to leave. Hamid drove me to the out of the town and then I began to cycle in a very windy and rainy day. For the first time in my journey it was really hard to leave and I was not happy to leave. We hugged and said goodbye to each other and I left him. I was pushing my bicycle against the wind but I found that I am crying. There was something missing and I was feeling that I am not finished there and I have to stay longer. For a long time I was thinking about that but it was already too late. Hamid was gone and I was cycling.
I arrived to Yass which is 56km north of Canberra where the road meet highway and from there I could take the Hume highway all the way to Melbourne.
I stopped by a super market to buy some supply for dinner and then began to cycle again.
I was wet and very strong wind straight to my chest. All the time I was struggling with myself, my heart still was in Canberra with my friend. Finally I made a right decision and I called Hamid. I told him it is rain here and cold, I want to come back and stay there longer please come and pick me up.
rain and wind was just an excuse and the reason for going back was my heart. I was happy to make a right decision and after 2 hours we were at home laughing and talking.
I am use to leave everywhere and everyone in my journey. It is true that always it is hard to leave but it never was as hard as leaving an old friend. On the way back I was thinking why it is so hard. There was a deep root from the past.
-------------------------------- 7/16/2008 12:00:00 AM