The Red Kangaroo

A lone cyclist ploughs on, mile after mile - with only dust, sand and a dry, breathtaking landscape as companions: Central Australia, where only bush grows and where you are dehydrated before you know it. Frank van Rijn covers thousands of kilometres in this way, armed with as much water as possible to avoid the war of attrition caused by thirst. 'Where did you come from with that bike?' 'From Melbourne.' 'That must have been a difficult affair through the Nullarbor.' 'I didn't come through the Nullarbor, but via Alice Springs. From there I took the direct route, straight through the Great Victoria Desert. That seemed nicer to me than the asphalt road through the Nullarbor.' Anyone who ventures into the Australian outback by bike can expect hardships. Anyone who rides the route from Melbourne to Fremantle, straight through the desert, might be considered crazy. No one preceded him on this adventurous journey, but Frank van Rijn can recount it all in his inimitable style: amusing, captivating, straight to the point and with a good dose of humor. Bizarre encounters, philosophical excursions, unexpected invitations, contacts with nature in literary masterpieces. You never know where reading travel stories like these can lead.