Hello dear followers,

Today turned into quite an unexpected day on the journey, but also a very enjoyable one. As some of you may remember, my chain broke yesterday while I was riding. Fortunately, at the place where I stayed overnight we were able to find a spare chain link, and with a little patience we managed to repair the chain. Everything seemed to be working well, so this morning I packed my gear, thanked my hosts for their kindness, and set off again down the road.

However, after about fifteen minutes of riding I started to feel that something was not quite right. There was a noticeable vibration coming from the rear of the tricycle, especially around the left-hand wheel. It did not feel normal, and I decided it would be best to stop and check before continuing further. Rather than taking any risks, I made a quick phone call back to Trike Bike HQ to talk through what I was experiencing.

After discussing the symptoms with Michael, he quickly realised that it would be best if he came to inspect the trike in person. Thankfully I was only about six hours away from Trike Bike HQ on the Gold Coast, so Michael decided to jump in his van and drive down to take a proper look at the tricycle and make sure everything was safe and ready for the rest of the expedition.

Since Michael would not arrive until the following morning, it meant I had an unexpected extra day in the area. I turned around and rode back to the wonderful family who had hosted me the previous night and explained the situation. They were incredibly welcoming and happy to have me stay another night. To say thank you for their hospitality, I offered to help them with some jobs around their property.

Most of the day was spent helping with grass cutting and general maintenance around their property. I must say that I really enjoyed it. It was a great way to spend the day and a nice break from the saddle. Riding around on a huge Australian lawnmower is definitely something I do not get to experience back home in Germany! especially with small kangaroos everywhere.

Later in the day we also went down to the beach together and spent some time surfing. I am still very much a beginner, but I am slowly improving and managed to catch a few small waves. Spending time by the ocean and sharing stories with such friendly people reminded me again how incredibly welcoming Australians are. Everywhere along this journey I continue to meet kind, open and warm-hearted people who are curious about the expedition and happy to help.

So while today did not involve much distance on the road, it was still a very memorable part of the journey. Sometimes these unexpected delays turn into the best experiences. For now, I am resting and waiting for Michael to arrive early tomorrow morning so we can inspect and repair the tricycle if necessary and get everything ready for the next stage of the adventure.

That is all for today. Tomorrow the expedition continues!

If you would like to see more footage and updates from the journey, you can follow the adventure on Instagram at @beyond.nils.

Key Takeaway: Sometimes unexpected mechanical problems lead to the best experiences, reminding me that the kindness and hospitality of the people I meet along the way are just as memorable as the journey itself.