We're not only in Australia, but Australia knows that we're here!

This afternoon, leaning with my back against the railing which surrounds a memorial to Western Australia war victims, Dimitri asked me another question as he adjusted his zoom. “What does it feel like to be in Australia, and how are Australians accepting BoardFree?”

I turned my head, looking down from our vantage point on Kings Hill over Perth’s towering business district and the Swan River, and shrug. “It doesn’t feel like we’re in Australia yet. We haven’t had time to breathe, let alone take in this city.”

But it is a fine city. A scenic, Los Angeles-like spread of low-level urbania (bar the few skyscrapers in the CBD) bisected by the glistening Swan River, it’s easy to understand why Perth defies the ‘most isolated city in the world’ label and attracts people from all over the world with its easy-going, lifestyle-driven atmosphere.

We don’t have long left here, a shame because we could do with some quality time in this city, but that isn’t on our minds right now. We have other things keeping us busy.

The support vehicle hunt goes on, and I write this on Thursday night with a slight swell of panic rising through my torso. This panic has been averted somewhat by the viewing of an excellent van earlier, it was called Bruce, it was in great condition and unless sponsors come through early tomorrow I’m going to have to make an offer on it. Still though, one van isn’t enough. The clock is ticking.

The list of things to scrub out before the launch this Sunday is going down slowly but surely, the team have come into their own and it took no time at all. Becs is searching out every option we have to raise charitable funds, coming back last night with a box of cash after a pool tournament, which was won by Si who contributed his $100 winnings to the BoardFree pool. Legend. He won an old bike too (don’t ask), and Bev is searching for another one to enable the team to get some exercise on the road beside me. Our little angel is also keeping our spirits high with some hand didge, and Kate is pushing open the door to Australia’s media. We’re getting some major coverage. Not just a few interviews, EVERYONE is wanting to feature BoardFree. Dim and I jumped in a taxi earlier and the taxi driver had heard about the journey, it’s becoming a regular occurrence around Perth. Dan is on the case, helping search for vehicles, mechanics to service the vehicles, signwriters to logo-up the vehicles.

Dim and Si are filming everything and all day Si has been working on a video to show exactly what we’ve been up to in Perth. Expect it online by the end of tomorrow (Friday).

To everyone out there reading this, it all goes to show dreams can come true. At the moment seven people are absolutely knackered halfway around the world from their homes. But we’re happy. We all know the real hard work hasn’t quite begun, but a spontaneous idea cooked up in a Swansea bed 16 months ago has turned into a project that millions have heard about. To date we’ve raised thousands (we’re within touching distance from the £5000 mark, please please help us go over this by Sunday morning, it’ll boost everyone here) and over the next few months we’ll raise thousands more.

I’m proud of the team, I’m happy for them because they’re just as much a part of this as I am and it’s working, it’s bloody working!!! We’re a small bunch of people in a big city at one end of one gigantic country. In a few days we’ll be a dot travelling east, keep watching that dot, people. Your support will get us through this.