Kindness Is Everywhere

Daily Miles: 26.03 | Total Miles: 9,183.04

My alarm rang at 5 a.m., and my nose was all clogged up — I hoped it wasn’t another cold. It took me a while to get organized, and by 6:30 I finally stepped out of the hotel room, still feeling a bit tired. I took a picture with the hotel sign, and who did I see? Shane and Nathan! What a lovely surprise. We had a quick chat, and of course, Shane immediately handed me some water — he always makes sure I’m hydrated. I knew it was going to be a warm day, but luckily, it was also going to be a shorter one to Merredin.

As I ran, I reminded myself that my Australian adventure is slowly coming to an end. Just a few more days. It makes me a little nervous to think about it — endings always do. Soon I entered a new shire: Merredin, right in the Wheatbelt region. The scenery changed again, and I passed through a few tiny towns, quiet and sunlit.

And then, who stopped again? My old friend Gary! He’s been a loyal companion all the way from the Nullarbor to Perth. This time, he had a much smaller trailer, so I didn’t recognize him at first. We think it might have been our last meeting. Thanks, Gary — your kindness and presence have meant a lot along this long westward stretch.

One thing that always makes me smile is seeing a sign of an adult and child crossing — even in places where you can’t imagine where they’d come from. Small details like that make the landscape come alive.

The flies were truly relentless today. I had to refuel a few times along the way, and each stop was a small battle with those tiny buzzing creatures. When I finally reached Merredin, it was just after noon. My first stop was the grocery store to pick up some dinner supplies.

Then I headed to the Olympic Motel, where I met Blake. We had a great conversation, and he kindly offered me a discount — and even gave me a quieter, nicer room in the back that’s usually reserved for long-term workers. Such generosity really touches me.

As I walked around to find my room, I noticed a man sitting a few doors down with his door open. I waved a peace sign and gave a quick hello. After parking my buggy, I went over to introduce myself. His name was Eddie — and right away, I knew I had met a kindred spirit. I asked for a Pepsi, and we sat outside his room talking for a long while. He’s a man of deep wisdom, humility, and peace — someone whose calm presence you can feel immediately. Later, another worker named Adi joined us, and we all discovered we share a love for badminton — a passion that connected us even more.

Eventually, I went back to my room — shower, some social updates, organizing, and food. Later, I tried to find accommodation for tomorrow. The first place was fully booked, and others didn’t answer. When I tried again, Julian — from one of the motels — offered me a room for free.

What a day.

Shane, Nathan, Gary, Blake, Eddie, Adi, and Julian — you’ve all made today special.

Kindness really is everywhere. It’s beautiful.

Thanks for checking in. Be well, Andrea