Canberra can has two Palement House

Old, no grass on roof

New, now with grass on roof

It's a strange thing to witness as a tourist. It is a roundabout. A really big roundabout, and around the roundabout is a the city, just about. Go to the centre and your standing on a hill, and in front of you is a strange looking building looking back at you, apparently convinced it's the Parliament House. But it's not, at least not anymore. If you turn around 180 degrees you will face an even stranger looking building, this one with grass on it's roof, and it too is convinced it's the Parliament House. In this case it's actually true. This odd looking building has cost the Australians a staggering 1.1 billion Australian Dollars. No I don't think you heard me, one thousand and one hundred million dollars, for a building with grass on it. OK I'm not being fair, the grass roof does help insulation, and it has a symbolic value, to enable the people to stand above parliament, and not vice verse. Also it has thousands of rooms. I guess that's worth a billion and a bit.

Enough picking on a pour building that can't defend it self, it probably doesn't even read my blog. Canberra as such is not a pretty town, it's not even an ugly town, but it is a town. A town that was founded because they couldn't agree if Melbourne or Sydney should be the capital, but still a town nonetheless. It even has its very own state, smack down inside New South Wales. It has many museums and one of them I want to see, the war memorial.

The parking lot is pretty big, and it actually has a MC designated area. Not everyday you see that. I can't really take all my stuff with me so I just make sure everything is locked, bring some pants and go in. I do wonder what it might cost, but it turns out its completely free. Even the wardrobe  they just smile and ask if it's ok they hang this stuff up on separate places because I have so much and its quite heavy. What lovely people.

I cover pretty much the entire place. I start with WWI and move on the WWII and then all the other stuff. I must say I didn't expect to be laughing  but it is very depressing. It's also very beautiful and amazing how they are displaying everything. and They have a lot of things to display.

The stretcher carrier is to the left, with long boards on his shoulder

There are free tours as well. I don't join in, I just bump into them every now and again. One guide tells a memorable story about a particular soldier from WWI. He is a stretcher carrier and does not have any room for a weapon. His job is simple, to assemble stretchers and carry injured men to the hospital, or whatever equivalent they might have. This man was special because of one story. One day after a bit battle, many are dead and wounded, and weapons are silent. He carries away men, one after another, but later find him self without a stretcher and one wounded man. He walks up to an enemy soldier, also a stretcher carrier, also not carrying a weapon, and asks if he can borrow a stretcher. The other soldier does not speak much English but he gets the point, and says, "you be here this time" and points at his wrist watch. It is agreed and of he goes with the enemy stretcher. He gets his man to safety and as they are all ready to get to bed and try for some sleep, he gets up and leaves. "Where do you think you are going" they yell after him, "I promised to return the stretcher, and I intend to keep that promise", they laugh but let him go.. He goes back to the same spot and the other soldier is waiting for him. No backstabbing or gunfire, just two professionals who understood each other. The stretcher returns to its rightful owner, they shake hands and never see each other again.

I don't know what it is but I find that story fascinating, no matter if its true or not.

I think I spend a good three hours or more in there, and on the way out I meet a Danish couple. About 6000 kilometres and I don't meet any Danes until now. We naturally have to have a talk, as you do. I get to my bike, everything is still there, I suite up and get on my way.

Sydney is my destination and I could get there today, but I don't want to. I have been trying to get a hold of my cousin Jason and his girlfriend but they are not getting back to me. I want to make sure they are actually home before I attempt to get there one day earlier than we agreed. Oh well no biggie. I just head back to the ocean road and keep driving and see where it takes me. at around eight in the evening I come to a small, as in very small town called Kiama. Its pretty much just a beach and tourist town from the looks of it, but I could be wrong. I see a camp sign and head down that way. All booked, nothing left not even for a small tent. The ladies in the reception are very nice and say they will try to call another caravan park in Kiama. They say they have one spot left and send me up there. How lucky is that. The lady at the other place is a little tipsy, it's actually a little funny. She is nice and says its not really a real spot, but if it will fit my tent I can have it for twelve bucks. The site looks fine so I accept. Cheep accommodation, I like it. Just when I finish putting up my tent Jason gets back to me saying I can just come by, but it’s no problem, this way there will be no stress tomorrow.
I put up my tent and climb in. The sound of the ocean puts me to sleep fast, I love that sound.