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Writer's picturePrabodh Malhotra

MCG - SCG Yatra, Day 36

Queanbeyan - Bungendore


The rest days were over and we were going back to progressing the daily walk. It was a Sunday and yet as usual, Shekhar and I got up with the alarm at 5:00 AM. We had a shower and got ready for the walk ahead. Manik had also set the alarm to wake up and she made us a cuppa with the toast. She didn’t have to get up but she did and that shows her greatness as a family friend, as a supporter of the walk, as a host and also as a fellow human being. Thanks very much for everything Manik, I don’t have the appropriate words to express my gratitude for your kindness and generosity. A big thank you!


Shekhar and I drove from Manik’s house to Queanbeyan. I got off and paid my due respect to Mother Earth and started the walk. Manik had warned me about the hilly area with steep climbs ahead on the way to Bungendore which is directly on the Kings Highway (B52) from Canberra or Queanbeyan to Batemans Bay on the East Coast. I started using the hiking poles from the word go because doing so made it easier to climb but also to walk downhill.


Bungendore is a junction that sits on the B52 highway. There is also a rural road that connects Bungendore to Goulburn via Tarago, and Tirranaville. This back road has sections that at times resemble shoddy roads in a third world country. On top of that the sheer weight of heavy trucks loaded with logs and other items push the bitumen into the ground making it uneven and bumpy. These road conditions may lead to unfortunate accidents that could be prevented by improving and maintaining the roads.


Near Magpie Downs, we had a short break. After having something to eat, I went to have a power nap. After getting my batteries fully charged, we pushed ahead all the way to reach Bungendore. At the local bakery, we had a nice cuppa that was as good as any coffee in a famous cafeteria in a large city. We enjoyed the coffee to mark our arrival in this town. After the coffee, we drove 4-5 Kms out of town to the Bungendore Showgrounds where we were to camp for the night. It was a quiet place. No noise, no traffic except the wind being in an open place.


We parked the van close to the toilet and shower block. I needed a hot shower after such a long walk, especially after a few rest days in Canberra. I enjoyed applying the heat from the shower until my body felt began to relax. I was exhausted after the walk and now I was totally relaxed after the shower. I went straight to bed and had a good sound sleep. Shekhar was watching something on TV and I am not sure when he went to sleep. It was a night in the middle of nowhere, but it was quiet and relaxing and that is exactly what you need after a long walk.





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