This morning we were treated to a home cooked breakfast. Our hosts in Gladstone, Jenny and Richard, were up and in the kitchen before 6.30am boiling the jug for a cuppa and getting everything ready for 15 hungry runners. They were soon joined by Charubala on the egg station ...
... and Oh what a breakfast we had – it was one of those breakfasts that you wanted to stay and enjoy for a couple of hours. With 15 of us in the kitchen all at once it was organised chaos!
First up this morning we were greeted at the City Hall ...
... by the Mayor of Gladstone, Gail Sellers.
She had warm words for the Peace Run and thanked us for including her city on our journey.
Gladstone is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia and home to many industries, such as gas, cement and coal. Despite all that industry, the city has been able to maintain its calm seaside feel.
Inside the City Hall we were treated to a delectable runner’s buffet of fresh fruit and juice, the perfect food to start our running day.
The Councillors and staff showed us around the council chambers ...
We’re very grateful to mayor Gail and her staff for their hospitable reception.
Today was an easy day runningwise, with ‘only’ 150km for the whole team. Our first boys team had to cover the first 60km, still on the Bruce highway, while the other teams traveled further inland along quieter roads ...
... our journey took us through beautiful undulating terrain, almost pastoral in its rugged simplicity of trees and hills. It was a real treat to breathe in the fresh air and feel the cool breeze on your face.
Aion looks like he is getting stronger every day. Our youngest member (13 summers old) logged a respectable 6 km today ...
... he’s also in charge of tonight’s cooking, which proves him a man – or rather youth – of many talents ...
Further along the highway, our other boys team started in the delightful hamlet of Miriam Vale ...
Arranged only yesterday by Jenny Linwood, a Miriam Vale local and friend of the Peace Run, our visit this morning to Miriam Vale State School was rather spontaneous ...
Most of the Primary students gathered in the music room to hear our presentation and learn the World Harmony Run song ...
... before we brought the Torch outside for each child and teacher to hold in turn and make their wishes for peace.
Then the oval beckoned, and the kids took off for two pretty fast laps over the lush green grass.
Craig, the Principal who is originally from Canada, arrived towards the end of the function and happily held the Torch before bidding us farewell ...
... but not before lining up a group photo for their school magazine!
Just as we departed, we were spoilt by Jenny who offered us a tin of her superb pumpkin scones baked fresh this morning, to speed us on our way towards Bundaberg ...
... thank you for organising such a wonderful meeting at such short notice, Jenny – and your scones were also very much appreciated!
As respite from the intense traffic of the Bruce Highway, we took the back road from Miriam Vale to Bundaberg, through beautiful bushland and rolling hills.
Further along towards Bundaberg ...
... our girls team were also most grateful for the more scenic, less trafficked route this afternoon ...
As we were pulled up on the side of the road next to a sugar cane plantation ...
... the farmer, Alan Bush, pulled up in his four wheeler. He is one of the councillors of Bundaberg and pulled out his iPhone to show us the invitation he has to our function there tomorrow morning! He was impressed we were running the whole way, and could hardly believe that we had pulled up on his land to wait for our runner.
We arrived at St Patrick's Catholic School in Bundaberg, to be led in by a select group of students to the assembly ...
... where there were about 450 students who all turned to watch us arrive.
They had set up the data projector and we could show our DVD. Before it was started a challenge was issued: there was one of our present team of runners who featured in the video, and the children had to concentrate really hard and at the end of the video tell us who it was.
All throughout the video you would see the school turn and look at the runners lining one side of the assembly area, trying to guess which one of us it was. I have to admit I didn't know who it was so quickly took a seat and tried very hard to guess as well ...
... there were many a hand raised at the end proclaiming who it was!
Yes, it was Samalya, our German runner, who is seen in the video running along a cliff-top on the coast of Ireland ...
With so many students, we lit up two other Torches to have anough to pass around for everyone ...
There were a number of students who had made their own Peace Torches and we loved the addition to our three torches. Thank you so much!
... then all the students filed past in three big lines, all held the Torch and made their own wish or prayer for Peace.
All our meetings done for the day, and with one team off shopping, the other two teams went to Elliott Heads Holiday Park, where Mark warmly welcomed us and offered the team free camping for the evening on behalf of the Bundaberg Regional Council, owners of the Park.
This holiday park is right next to the ocean, so after setting up our home away from home for the night, some of us went down to the beach for a quick dip to soothe our legs ...
