Traveling to Australia created emotions on both extremes.

When it came time to leave the United States, I was not excited about the necessity of dealing with government requirements and paperwork required for travel outside of the country. I really wasn’t excited about flying for nearly 24 hours and losing a day in the process while crossing the International Date Line.

Once I got settled, I wasn't in a hurry to leave except to get back home to my family.

The first day I arrived was spent adapting my body to travel, the second was in getting up to race speed and working the race but the third day was facing the reality that I had 36 hours left.

By this time, I had adjusted to my Australian settings and feeling rather comfortable.

PART 1: MAKING THE TRIP
PART 2: HANGING WITH VICTOR BRAY
PART 3: THERE'S A YANKEE [AMERICAN] IN THE WILLOWBANK PITS
PART 4: DRIVING MISS BESSIE
PART 5: TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY

Traveling to Australia created emotions on both extremes.

When it came time to leave the United States, I was not excited about the necessity of dealing with government requirements and paperwork required for travel outside of the country. I really wasn’t excited about flying for nearly 24 hours and losing a day in the process while crossing the International Date Line.
 
Once I got settled, I wasn't in a hurry to leave except to get back home to my family.

The first day I arrived was spent adapting my body to travel, the second was in getting up to race speed and working the race but the third day was facing the reality that I had 36 hours left.

By this time, I had adjusted to my Australian settings and feeling rather comfortable.

During this time, I was able to venture out to nearby diners close to the hotel and do a little bit of shoppingl. I also spent quite a bit of time with my gracious host Victor Bray traveling around and seeing the sights of Brisbane.

I got to meet the Bray family and one of the advantages you have as a foreigner is you can make up your country’s history.

In this video, I was hanging out with Ben Bray, Victor’s son, who is one of the nicest and kind-hearted kids I’ve ever met. Victor did right with this kid. Did I mention he’s an excellent Top Doorslammer driver?

It’s Monday, and we are hanging out at the shop, when the topic came up of the English influence on his country.

This was enough to inspire quite the history lesson of the American Revolution; of course, with a Southern twist to it.

This is where I kind of let Ben know how we put our foot down in the 1700s in regards to English rule. I kind of let him in on how the Southerners took control of the Revolution and won it for the Colonists. The best stories are those where the facts don’t get in the way.

Just to make one point clear, I am honored the U.S. has great allies today like England and Australia … especially those Australians.