About 25 kms from Cheela a car pulling a small caravan was stopped on the road ahead of us. As we pulled up the occupants waved us down and offered cold cans of soft drink. Heaven! They turned out to be more than the standard grey nomads. When the husband retired aged 62 they had hopped on their bikes and ridden through China and central Asia to London despite not having done much riding before in their lives! Top effort guys and very encouraging to the rest of us.

We arrived at Paraburdoo about 4 pm. This is completely a mining town, one of the first in the iron industry. We stayed at the big workers camp for non-company contract workers. Basically a lot of single bed dongas placed around a toilet and shower block. As all the ground seemed to be gravel we rolled out our sleeping bags on the rubber mat surfacing the children’s playground!

We had dinner in the workers mess in town. I had a four course meal, Bruce had three first courses plus four types of ice cream, for $25/person. Not much happens in a mining town after dark so off to bed.