Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
I wanted to be a politician, and my nine years in Canberra are in the
history topics. I wanted to run from the North Pole to the South Pole,
and here I am, on a highway in upstate New York doing just that.
Bernie made me laugh today. He has a broad Australian accent,
and though the Americans understand most of what he says, they sim-
ply cannot work out what he wants when he goes to a diner or store
and asks for 'oatmeal'. One shopkeeper made him write down the word
and then said, 'Ohhh . . . you want
oatmeal
!'
June 13
As I ran towards New York City, yesterday's bad mood returned. It's part
of my psyche that if I say I'm going to do something, I do it. I have
always been this way. When I was planning this run and seeking spon-
sorship, I said to company heads, 'Look at my track record. I have run
around Australia, across the Simpson Desert, twice across America,
along the Great Wall of China. I will die before I fail to complete this
run from pole to pole. Please sponsor me. I won't let you down.' That
the executives doubted me made me angry.
We went to Telstra and the big banks, and to the major petroleum
companies—Shell, BP and Caltex. The guy at Shell wouldn't even give
us cards to buy fuel. BP was mired in the Texas Gulf oil leak scandal,
and helping me would have given them much-needed positive pub-
licity, but they turned me down. Again and again, after we made our
pitch, the executives would tell us how much they admired our plan,
and then a few days later we would receive from them the standard let-
ter: 'After much consideration, we really appreciate the goal you have
set for yourself and we wish you well in your endeavours, but unfortu-
nately at present we are unable to help.'
Tonight, we're in Chappaqua, a picture-postcard town about
50 kilometres north of New York. It's a neat and wealthy place—not a
McDonald's or Burger King in sight. It's home to former US president
Bill Clinton. Greg was keen to hook us up, not because we're both ex-
politicians, but because Clinton is a runner. Unfortunately, he's out
of town.
Greg had better luck connecting me with a superb masseur, Rob
Silverman, who lives in Chappaqua. My body was as tight as a drum,
but Rob is immensely strong and worked at my muscles relentlessly
