Team A

After a pretty big running day yesterday, we enjoyed a bit of 'R & R' today. We started running from the Eucla Motor Hotel where we enjoyed a great night’s accommodation and covered our 42 km by early afternoon (with fairly short runs each) – then drove back for some play time!

We drove to the nearest beach and were pleased to go on a little adventure walking past some old ruins and across an expanse of small sand dunes to reach the shore.

It didn’t take too long for us to run screaming into the fresh, cold ocean. Brrrr! Nothing like a refreshing swim and icy water to make your muscles feel alive again!

After swimming, we walked along the shore to reach an old jetty. Many large water birds were perched on top of the old rickety wooden posts. This was one jetty the team would not be jumping off!

While driving back to our accommodation, it was that special time in the afternoon just before dusk when the light changes and we were so fortunate to view many kangaroos in the field next to our van.

Another beautiful day on the World Harmony Run – everyone felt connected with the harmony of nature, and it seemed to do all of us good to play in the fresh air after running. JOY!!!

– Kylie Williams (Australia)

Team B

After having covered such a long distance yesterday our whole team was only required to complete around 70 km on Highway 1 to the next roadhouse at Mundrabilla.

The countryside is surrounded by low saltbush that stretches as far as the eye can see in all directions.

The boys were given just the last 35 km which was easily divided between 5 runners. The conditions were ideal for running – the road was perfectly flat and the temperature was cool, around 16 degrees, as has been the norm over the past few days.

The whole distance was completed easily by lunchtime, which gave us a little free time to enjoy the beach; have a hit of golf at the local course; and simply catch up with some laundry.

Since we were originally going to stay tonight in Mundrabilla, when we completed our running we stopped at the Mundrabilla Roadhouse and met with Steve Castle who very happily held the World Harmony Run Torch.

Also at Mundrabilla were a number of travellers who have seen us repeatedly on the roads since we left Brisbane. Peter & Marge Walters pictured below even saw us on TV in Shepparton (Victoria) last month.

– Veeraja Uppal (Australia)

Team C

We enjoyed a rare day off. With a relatively short day's running and no ceremonies, this was a great opportunity for a few team members to rest some sore muscles; to review photo files; and for our late-night web team, to catch up on some precious sleep.

We were grateful for the opportunity to spend more than our usual hour or so in a country town.

Eucla was established as a telegraph station connecting Western Australia with South Australia in the 1800s. Prior to the existence of roads or rail in these remote parts, the settlement was placed close to the ocean, so it could be serviced by boats coming from Perth or Adelaide.

Unfortunately, the placement of the town was also its undoing. When introduced rabbits and feral cats severely reduced the vegetation cover, the underlying sand dunes were set loose, shifting and growing at the whim of the wind.

We were taken by the exceptionally fine grade of the sand, almost like white clay.

The telegraph station closed in 1927, replaced by another on the railway line to the north. The townsfolk relocated to the crest of the escarpment a few kilometres inland, leaving the telegraph station and surrounding dwellings to the dunes' inexorable embrace.

The town's jetty, once the only lifeline to the outside world, now perfectly connects nothing with nowhere...

After a fresh dip in the great Southern Ocean,

with only Antarctica ahead of us, and a few games in the sand, our golfing 'experts', Runar from Iceland and Sandro from Italy, took to the famed Eucla Golf Course – 9 holes on the Nullarbor, with memorable results...

– Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

Editor's note: If the daily report does not appear for the next 3 days, do not despair, dear reader – we have not forsaken you! We do not expect to have any internet connection until we reach Norseman in the evening of Monday 16 June. All being well, reports for the next 3 days will be filed then. In the meantime, keep up the Harmonemails – they are much appreciated by the team.

Team Members:
Prabhakar Street (Canada), Edi Serban (Romania ), Standa Zubaty (Czech Republic), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Runar Gigja (Iceland), Shapathanal Daly (New Zealand), Misha Kulagin (Russia), Colm Magee (Ireland), Dima Lehonkov (Ukraine), Veeraja Uppal (Australia), Prachar Stegemann (Australia), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), Elke Lindner (Germany), Angela Muhs (Germany), Friederike Makowka (Switzerland), Kylie Williams (Australia)

Harmonemail:
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Gallery: See more images!