After getting ready for the day, we had breakfast at McDonald's on the Goulburn Valley Hwy in Seymour. We started the walk just after 7:00 AM and had to continue for four hours straight because the A39, the Goulburn Valley Hwy is a terribly busy road with a huge number of large trucks transporting farm produce. The A39 is classified as a Motorway but pedestrians are not barred, obviously with due regard to their own safety and without posing a risk to the vehicular traffic. No tractors or farm machinery is allowed on the A39.
Jit my friend who kindly volunteered to be the pilot for the first week, had no choice but to drive on the left side of the divided hwy that is commonly known as the dual carriage way in the UK. I was walking on the right side of the road facing the oncoming traffic. In between the left and right sides of this hwy are dense bushes and it is rather difficult to see the other side across the hwy. Some sections of this hwy have two different levels for considerable distance, which means that the Shepparton bound road may be a meter or two higher than the opposing side and that makes it more difficult to signal across. The sheer amount of heavy vehicles on this road also adds to the challenge.
Anyway, I survived the four hours continuous walk on this busy hwy. We did manage to communicate at times using two-way radios other times using mobile phones. After taking the exit to Nagambie (C392), we finally took the first break and had something to eat. Since we left Melbourne on Sunday 13 November, we have been taking short breaks every two hours, but today, this was not possible at all.
Coming into Nagambie, we were welcomed by Sissy Hoskin, Executive Officer of Go Nagambie and also the Editor of Nagambie Community Voice. She briefed us about the devastation of the local economy caused by recent flooding. For example, the main caravan park on the lake was totally inundated and was still undergoing restoration, renovation or rebuilding to restart the local economy. There were supposed to be 1,500 to 2,000 people occupying that place, to which only tradies and builders have access at the moment. The locals hope that the caravan park would be ready for the Christmas holiday season.
We checked into a caravan park on the hwy, then drove the van back to town centre for a coffee at the local bakery. The thought behind driving into the town centre was to talk to people and promote our mission for the walk. However, we realized that there were hardly anybody walking around. After having coffee, we drove straight back to the caravan park and hit the bed.
Sorry I forgot to narrate an incident similar to what happened yesterday. Soon after starting the walk outside McDonald's at Seymour, a vehicle pulled over opposite to where I was walking. This gentleman was a builder who lived on a farm. When he became aware of the fundraising walk to support the McGrath Foundation coming through Seymour, he started looking for walker. He was so happy to make a donation. Strangers like him never cease to amaze me because he didn't want to have a receipt and didn't want to claim the tax benefits for the donation. While writing out the receipt, I was thinking, how wonderful it was to have people like him joining hands to make a difference to someone's life who they have NO personal connections with. Thanks very much to all strangers who come forward to support us. Thank you.
Comments