As we said goodbye to beautiful Hobart, we thanked the Adelphi YHA Backpackers Hostel for providing us with two nights of accommodation in their charming vintage cottage.

As a non-sponsored event, staffed entirely by volunteers, we rely on the kindness of local businesses on our journey - not only for accommodation, but also for those restaurants and eateries who - out of kindness, and their support of the principles of world harmony - provide us with sustenance. In Hobart, we have been blessed with such providers.

As we leave the city, we farewell the fine bakery/patissier Jackman & McRoss (4 Victoria Street, Hobart - (03) 6228 4688), who gave us an excellent picnic lunch (complete with coffee) yesterday.

We also paid a visit to our old friends at the Annapurna Indian restaurant in Salamanca, who provided a great vegetarian feast for us last night.

While we are in the scenic wharfside suburb of Salamanca, we decided to explore the area in the best way we know - enjoying the attractions of the famous Salamanca Markets.

In Salamanca... one of Hobart's most scenic apartment views...

However, we couldn't stay for long, as a busy day of running awaited. A weekend to head to Launceston? Not a problem!

To complete the formidable 154km distance to Bicheno, our small team broke up into three groups. All ran along the wonderful east coast of Tasmania.

Orford, a beautiful seaside town, is one of the first towns outside Hobart.

The first group ran through this town...

At regular intervals, they met motorcycle riders from the mainland, touring the east coast of Tasmania.

The second group started their journey further north, along some of the most awesome (yet uncrowded) beachside setting in Australia.

The team gathered in Bicheno for a meeting with the Mayor, Bertrand Cadart. Bertrand is a an outgoing and generous Frenchman, who has been in Australia for 40 years. He came to Bicheno in 2000, unaware of the large French population. Naturally, he fit in perfectly.

Our team was now complete with the arrival of Becky (left, with Kallola and Ashadeep), who had flown in from New Zealand last night (having participated in the finale of the NZ section). On her first day, she was intrigued to discover all the Welsh place names around Bicheno. Bertrand explained that Bicheno was founded by Welsh settlers in 1860. It has just celebrated its 150th birthday - making it the oldest rural municipality in Australia!

A truly colourful character, Bertrand has a long list of accomplishments in his life. Among the more unusual: he helped to maintain the motorcycles in the first "Mad Max" movie (1979). He also had a small role in the movie, as a member of the Toecutter's gang!

Watch the video from today:

He was now playing host to several French visitors... but still found the time to play host to a certain international team visiting to promote world harmony.

At one of Bicheno's best French coffee lounges, the Seahorse Restaurant/Cafe, Bertrand treated us to a grand selection of pastries, coffees and other delicacies, including a made-to-order chocolate block (presented like a cake, but not so easy to slice!), courtesy of the expert French chef.

As well as contemplative meditations, he told us touching stories of growing up in the Somme, which was still struggling after two world wars - and why this has always made him grateful for the relative harmony of life in Australia.

We had a final Torch photo with the staff of the Seahorse Cafe...

... then said goodbye to Mayor Cadart.

That night, the women in the team stayed in a cosy environs of Silver Sands Motel.

But while they wouldn't usually see fit to visit the boys' accommodation, no lady visiting Australia can resist the lure of cute marsupials!

The men (like the joeys) enjoyed the hospitality of the Bicheno East Coast Holiday Park.

The crashing waves of the Bicheno are at their most spectacular around the blowholes.

Dinner was a feast of Granantan's awesome vege-burgers on the beach of Bicheno, watching the blowholes and braving the cold night-time air.

It is also where, if you look hard (and are very lucky), you can see the flocks of fairy penguins coming in to nest...

Some of us found that, like joeys, the penguins were impossible to resist.

– Noivedya Juddery

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Distance: 154 km

Team Members:
Veeraja Uppal (Australia), Apaguha Vesely (Czech Republic), Atul Arora (India), Kallola Brown (New Zealand), Becky Xerri (Wales), Uddyogini Hall (Australia), Pushpendra Uppal (Australia), Noivedya Juddery (Australia), Granantan Boyle (Australia), Ashadeep Volkhardt (Australia), John Harris (Australia)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

Gallery: See more images!

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