All our runners departed our accommodations provided by the Bundaberg Regional Council at the Elliott Heads Holiday Park early at 7:20am for our meeting with Mayor Mal Forman ...
... in beautiful Bundaberg ...
... when we arrived, Mayor Forman was speaking with Emily McCowat from the local WIN News about the Peace Run, while Andy Ward manned the camera ...
The meeting took place in Buss Park, in front of a monument honouring Bert Hinkler, Bundaberg's most famous son. Bert was a renowned aviator and inventor. He was the first to fly solo from England to Australia, and also first to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean. During the First World War, he solved a problem that many of us never imagined existed: whilst flying upside down in a biplane during combat, gunners would get burnt by red hot shell casings falling on their chests. Hinkler's adaptor allowed shells to be ejected to the side. This not only says a lot about Bert's inventiveness, but also a lot about the kind of person who flew WWI biplanes.
While the TV crew continued to film, the Mayor officially welcomed us to the Bundaberg region ...
... he spoke warmly and with great heart of the purpose of the Peace Run, and of the community of Bundaberg which suffered so much from massive flooding earlier this year ...
Letters of greeting were exchanged ...
... and the Mayor, accompanied by Councillor Vince Habermann, who had turned up in his running gear, took a few steps with the Torch for the cameras.
Emily and Andy from WIN News were happy to hold the Torch before embarking on the rest of their busy schedule for the day.
A few of our team, accompanied by the Councillor, Vince, retreated to our running start point 7km away. On our way to the starting point, Vince gave us details about the significant flood damage sustained by the town six months earlier. Most of the town was almost completely underwater at that time. Thankfully, no lives were lost. Bundaberg appears to have tremendous resilience since most of the area appeared to be back to business as usual. Vince and Roos set out to run the first 4.5km of the day ...
... Stacey then ran the remaining 3km to our second visit of the day, Bundaberg Central State School.
The students of Bundaberg Central State School welcomed the runners (accompanied by Vince). After introductions and a viewing of the Peace Run DVD, the runners taught the kids the World Harmony Run song ...
... Vince then thanked the Peace Run for coming to the school and spoke about the suffering the kids had endured as a result of the recent floods. Vince presented the Certificate of Appreciation to the school on behalf of the runners.
Everyone then went outside to run with the Peace Torch around the oval. The kids ran around the oval and had a chance to express their enthusiasm about us being there ...
It was only a short time ago that this oval was under nearly three metres of water!
The teachers also had a chance to run with the Torch. Paige and Tammie circled the field while Margaret and Rosalie watched.
A big circle was formed and the Torch was passed from hand to hand ...
The whole school community were wholeheartedly involved, and we found ourselves feeling totally at home in this wonderful school ...
The school chaplain presented each of the runners with a special momento of our visit – a hand-made heart symbol made from plastic drinking straws.
Some of the students presented their artwork to us, to carry with us as we continue around Australia.
We were also very excited to receive a copy of the 'Bundaberg Central State School Magazine’ for 2008 from Sandra Senyard which included a segment about the World Harmony Run visit that year.
The kids meanwhile taught us all the real meaning of peace – exuberance!
We were also joined by Dan McLaren, who started teaching at Central State School in 1958 at the age of 19. He was pleased to say that Central is the oldest school in the Bundaberg area.
Principal Shane Brogden was also pleased to greet the Peace Runners and hold the Torch.
After a group photo with all the teachers and kids, it was time for us to depart. Sadly, we said our goodbyes ...
Today's report from Abhinabha ...
Some days on the Peace Run are just magical – there is no better word for it. Everything clicks and flows and the only thing you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Today was such a day for Samalya and myself (Abhinabha).
After being welcomed by the wonderful mayor of Bundaberg early in the morning, we visited an absolutely marvelous school with some of the loveliest, most enthusiastic kids we ever met. We lingered on after our presentation just to play with them some more. Nobody wanted to leave, it was so much fun!
Then council member Vince Habermann joined us running – after he had already accompanied the girls team for 5km earlier in the day. He now teamed up with us for 4km to escort us out of Bundaberg. He was all appreciation and concern for the Peace Run, and he absolutely loves running. What a great person he is!
These were all just starters and appetisers for Samalya and me, because the main course today for us was a 30km long run that we had planned for today – keeping in sync with our marathon training.
The Peace Run team generously catered to our needs and supplied us with a van and a driver (Prachar) to accompany us and stop every 6 to 8 km to give us water.
The run was absolutely fantastic! In the beginning we ran alongside endless sugarcane fields, preferring the soft grass as a welcome change from the asphalt we’d been running on for weeks ...
... later we joined the highway again and sped along forests of fragrant gum trees. We maintained a pretty fast clip throughout and the miles just flew by ...
... before we knew it we were down to our last 5km of the run. We shifted into race mode and felt like we were flying ...
... it was as if the Peace Torch gave us additional strength, because at the end of our run we were still feeling sprightly and fresh!
Then, as a nice dessert to this copious inner and outer meal, we met Ted from the Sunshine Coast. Ted was actually walking along the road just after we had finished our run. He’d just gotten out of his car which had run out of fuel and was parked beside the road a mere 100 metres away. He had resigned himself to the arduous task of walking 15km to the next petrol station to get fuel, and then 15km back to his car! Naturally we offered to drive him there instead, for which he was mighty grateful. Inside our van he got to hear all about the Peace Run and he was growing more happy and cheerful by the minute. He absolutely loved the initiative and said he hoped to see us again as we pass through his town in a couple of days. Once we had delivered him at the petrol station he generously gave us a donation, which with his kind consent ...
... we spent on a large one-litre tub of gourmet local ice-cream to celebrate our run.
Here we are, spooning some locally-made gourmet macadamia-ginger ice-cream (from locally grown macadamias and ginger), definitely one of the best and richest we ever tasted in our life!
A perfect end to a perfect day!
After visiting Bundaberg Central State School, while Abhinabha and Samalya were having their magical experience, our second boys team had driven 30km out of town and began to run ...
Despite having a record-breaking seven runners, time was tight, and team captain Drishalu enforced the Teutonic discipline required to cover the 50km distance. We ran past tea trees and macadamia groves. A sign invited us to visit some snakes, but we had to decline ...
The individual distances grew shorter and the changeovers faster. Pretty soon we were back on the Bruce Highway, making way for trucks, trucks, and more trucks. And roadworks.
Aion wanted me to look at an anthill with him, but since Kaspars was looming large in the side mirror with the Peace Torch, I had to forgo any myrmecological activities ...
After running our 50km, we drove the last 32km to Maryborough. Drishalu congratulated us on our time-conscious running efforts, as we were fifteen minutes early. I pointed out that as the meeting was at 1.30pm, we were only 15 SECONDS early. But Drishalu considered it a job well done anyway.
The intervening distance was covered by our girls team ...
It was a light day of running for us, covering only a total of 39km in all. Thank you for another great day on the Peace Run in Australia ...
... lots of friendly waves from passersby as we ran along the Bruce Highway and goodwill from the roadworkers ...
The 1:30 meeting which the boys only just made it in time to, was at Maryborough Special School ...
The Principal, Sue Omar introduced us to the students ...
... then, as usual, we introduced ourselves. The two Antipodeans among us chose to make the students guess our city based on our local Rugby League team (who's better, anyway? The Broncos or the Cowboys?)
Everyone held the Peace Torch and made a wish for peace.
We would like to thank Roger Eichler at the Maryborough Motel & Conference Centre for hosting some of our team for the night.
Also special thanks to Maureen McAdam for putting four of us up in her beautiful renovated Queenslander at Flora Alba Accommodation, where we also had our dinner for the whole team.
Our gratitude also to Mark and Kim of the Arkana Motel, who also provided the runners who stayed here with a delicious cooked breakfast!
Our girls team are spending the night at the Best Western Kimba Lodge Motel. Thank you to our wonderful hosts.
