Watching Roger Federer win – again – the US Open happened to be the last thing I did as an Ambassador. The match was showing at 6:30 AM, and a straight set victory allowed me just enough time to check-out before 10 o’clock. But the experience wasn’t completely finished. I was in for one last surprise. As I stopped to refill the tank, I had a friendly little chat with a very nice lady, as it happens sometimes. When I showed up at the counter to pay, the attendant gave me first a weird look, then a weird price. I thought she had misunderstood the pump number, but she was only under instructions from the nice lady, who had just paid $30 from my bill. The attendant had to wait until she had driven away, so I didn’t have a chance to say thank you. I guess writing this is my way of showing my gratitude.
This was a beautiful final point to a 6 weeks adventure Down Under. A month and a half to get a taste of Australia, for pretending to see it all in one trip is not only illusive, but stupid. I just tried to make the most of the opportunity, with its share of frustration at missing out on something, its share of unforgettable memories, and surprisingly, its share of solitude. After nearly a year and a half on the road, having backpacked and cycled my way around, driving the Ambassador was the first time I experienced loneliness. Such long stretches of emptiness shouldn’t be undertaken alone. So two things are for sure, I’ll come back to Australia, and I won’t be alone.
