A new day dawned for the international Peace Runners in Australia...
We were “delighted” yesterday evening to learn that our Boys Team A will have to leave our accommodation by 06:45 but the mindfulness and involvement of the appointed Team captain Drishalu made us move around and arrange all the things needed for the next day.
It was cloudy, rainy and almost dark outside. In due time we were at the starting point and the Captain gave us another example – he was the one to “initiate” the daily portion of run.
A wonderful team gathered from all over the world. We have not come here for scenery or for fun; still, immortal landscapes and innocent fun follow us all along the way making up the reward we are receiving for carrying the Peace Torch to people from all the corners of this amazing ancient continent-country.
Later on we had a really good rain but we had a lot of fun; we took it rather as a blessing than as an obstacle.
Steve in his frog-man costume, eating up the endless miles ...
Passing trucks are a constant feature of this region, and in the rain one can receive quite a 'blast' as they pass ...
The landscape is testamony to the principle industry of these parts and source of Australia's immense wealth ...
Adrien from France is a ceaseless source of fun and a dynamo of fresh ideas, in any situation and on any subject.
It gives such a feeling of vastness to look at the Australian endless roads! They seem to be infinite and we feel like pilgrims on an infinite journey.
While Boys A team were slogging it out (and loving it!) in the rain, let's see what the rest of our team were up to ... ...
The City of Whyalla wholeheartedly welcomed the Peace Run team into their beautiful city this morning. Originally we were to meet the Mayor and students from both Whyalla Town Primary and St Teresa's School outside on the Oval. However it seems the Peace Run team brought much needed rain to the city.
A quick call this morning from Jane from the Council directed us into the Hall at Whyalla Town Primary. Here we were greeted by the Mayor of Whyalla, Jim Pollock and staff from the Council who had kindly provided a delicious breakfast for the team. Over breakfast we were able to speak to the Mayor and staff about the Peace Run and also meet with the teachers from St Teresa's and Whyalla Town Primary who had helped to organise this great event.
During breakfast we (along with Mayor Pollock) were also interviewed by the local TV station, Southern Cross TV and the Whyalla News.
At 9am the students from both schools arrived, and as our team waited outside, Mayor Pollock spoke of the importance of the Peace Run and how honoured he was to be able to welcome the Team into Whyalla.
It was wonderful to see this oneness between the two schools: the hall is a shared facility that they both use (the schools are next door to each other).
With their combined effort they were able to guess every country that we came from, including to our great surprise, Mongolia after our two Mongolian team members had only sung their song!
We also found out this morning that one of our team members who will be joining us later on the run went to Whyalla Town Primary School! Prabuddha Nicol has participated in every Peace Run since their inception in 1987 and it was perfect to be able to go to his Primary School today.
Both schools also participated in the Travelling Art Exhibition, and in return we offered art work from Hahndorf Primary School.
It seemed so fitting that the art work we were giving was of people holding hands - as this artwork was uniting, so too were these two schools.
St Teresa's School also presented to us a large banner in which they painted the founder of the Peace Run, Sri Chinmoy holding the Peace Torch. To see so much effort they took in creating this, we shall treasure this as we continue our run.
We offered the Certificate of Appreciation to the two schools and to Whyalla Council for their overwhelming heartfelt support and participation in the Peace Run.
Three teachers from each of the schools were invited up to symbolically run around the hall, to the cheering of both schools. We will take their combined steps for peace with us as we continue our journey.
As the students left we had two torches alight for the two schools to hold and make their own wishes for Peace.
Now it was high time for Boys Team B to get some kms under our belts ...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAHAK!!!
Different things fascinate different people. To an Australian, a fence is a fence is a fence. But to Bayarkhuu, a fence is an endless wonder ... to the Mongolian psyche, where the concepts of exclusive ownership and demarcation of property are seemingly alien, fences are just weird.
Ah, that's more like it ...
Then again, a fence post makes for a handy viewing platform ...
Fittingly on his birthday, Grahak was our Team B Captain for the day ...
We've all had endless fun speculating as to what on earth these signs mean, which are posted all around the State of South Australia. We've googled it and found it's something to do with speeding (go figure!) – yet as always, imagination is far more intriguing than prosaic reality.
Nearing the ...
... end of today's running.
"But wait! What has boys Team A been up to all this time?"
Looks like it's just in time.
We had by now arrived in delightful Tumby Bay, half way down the Spencer Gulf ...
... and due to an excess of 'creeping' by our runners this morning, were well ahead of schedule, so ...
Pondering the mysteries of ...
... the Infinite ...
We couldn't fly off into the Beyond just yet however, as there remained one engagement for the day ...
... just down the road ...
... which turned out to be one of the day`s highlights for our boys Team A: the reception at the Tumby Bay Area School.
Their most enthusiastic representatives received the Torch from us and brought it to their awaiting colleagues.
The students – from youngest to eldest – and their teachers were carefully following our presentation of the Peace Run. From time to time they were expressing their amazement and acknowledgement with aaahhh!s and ooohhh!s at the great endeavour we have undertaken.
When the time came to run with the willing ones – and actually all of the students went out! – their eagerness easily left us behind :)
Every one wanted to hold the Torch and to have a sticker, not only for themselves but for mum, and grandma as well ...
Thank you boys and girls of Tumby Bay School: we had a really good time with you.
And don`t forget the motto – 'Peace begins with me!'
After our meeting back in Whyalla this morning (that seems like weeks ago!), our girls team we were off driving 144kms to our start point for the day – we are running the final section into Tumby Bay today.
In the country areas, we meet many people on the road, with whom we are only too happy to stop and chat about our respective journeys ...
With two Mongolians on our team, neither of whom speak much English, we are finding novel ways to communicate ...
The wind changed today – yesterday we had a headwind... today we get a tail wind! (or was it because yesterday we were running north, and today we are heading south?) We felt like we were flying... and with the wind’s strength we quite possibly were flying at some stage!
Our team found out some very important information about Australian insects today. As we pulled over to wait for our runner we were taking this photo and didn't realise there was a massive bull ants nest right underneath us! Once we discovered entirely too many bull ants crawling all over us there was some very animated dancing as the team tried to rid ourselves of these insects. At this exact moment some very friendly South Australian Police stopped to see if we were OK. They were greeted with some distressed calls to help us rid ourselves of these ants. They very calmly asked if there was anything else apart from that. Once they established that no there was not, they were on their way ...
We were the last sojourners on the road this evening ...
After the school in Tumby Bay, our Boys A Team had arrived at Tumby Bay Caravan Park, where Adrien and Steve started preparing dinner for the whole Team (including Grahak`s cake. And icecream, too :) Happy birthday, once again).
Our boys B team is staying at Tumby Bay Marina Motel this evening with host Derek and his family.
After our girls team finished our kms for the day in the pouring rain, we very gratefully arrived at our accommodation at Seafront Apartments, Tumby Bay Hotel who are hosting us for the night.
