Homeward bound.

All good things must come to an end, and so must this holiday. I've had an incredible time and am very grateful that I had the opportunity to travel from the equator to the end of the world on a bicycle. I've passed through 5 countries, each unique and rich in culture and history. Beautiful people, lovely smiles, and always a handshake and a thank you. The people of South America welcomed the cyclists with open arms and for that, I'm truly blessed. I never felt in danger at any stage of the trip, although sometimes I did go far too fast down mountains as if I was 21 again.

Ecuador

Bolivia

Argentina

Peru

Chile

These are the National flags of each countries we visited. 

I started this holiday with one very important person, Barry Buckley. We had a great time and shared some memorable moments on and off the bike. He is a fierce competitor on the bike and loves to ride all day if given the chance. Barry will ride into Ushuaia as I'm flying over the Pacific Ocean back to Sydney, Australia, I will miss the ride into Ushuaia with all the other cyclists, but family will always come first, end of story.

 The photo above was taken on the 1st August 2014 when we arrived at the equator in Ecuador. What a journey.

The above photo was taken 3 days ago on the morning we rode to Punta Arenas, the end of the road for me. But not the end of the journey. A quick 11 hour bus to Ushuaia and I'm the first cyclist to reach the end of the world.  Although I did cheat.

That's Julia (L) myself, Roberto the driver, and Carmen who came out to see me off as I head up town to the bus station.

Now the final blog on my journey from the Equator to the end of the world.

I got up early with all intentions to go for a ride but had an issue that needed to be sorted out, so I missed the ride with one of the local guys and instead went for a walk to the 'Maritime Museum of Ushuaia, Ushuaia Jail, Military Prison and finally the Antarctic Museum Jose Maria Sobral.

After looking at ships from the 18th Century through to the 20th Century, prison cells, fury penguins, a very old train, naval clothing and more, I was ready to leave after spending 3 hours walking around this fascinating  museum.  The Museums go through the history of the shipping industry, trading up and down the coast of South America, and the whole history of prison life.

I still had a lot to do so I headed back to the apartment to pack my bike away. As I made my way back up the road I could see fresh snow on the mountains, the wind was getting stronger and it's a place I can't wait to leave. It's just too cold for me.

The train above was the first train used to transport the prisoners in this part of the world. The train originally ran on wooden tracks. Now the train has been remodeled and called the 'Tren' train which is dedicated to tourists.

The only difference between this prison and many I've seen over the years is the this place is about 30 degrees C, cooler than the rest. This place would be like living in a refrigerator.

You can see in the photo fresh snow on the mountains overlooking Ushuaia. It's a real shame I won't be riding in these conditions with the other cyclists on the 14th December 2014.  In all honesty, I wish each and everyone of the cyclists and staff of 'Bike Dreams' a safe journey to the very last km. Well done.

And the final photo for this journey is ME, with the Aussie flag at the end of the world, Tomorrow I catch the plane to Buenos Aires then onto Santiago and then onto Sydney Australia.

I hope you enjoyed following me from the Equator to the end of the world. It's been a fantastic journey and I wouldn't change one thing.

So, what's next?   I haven't got a clue.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.