After a presentation this morning at McAuley College I chatted to one of the teachers. "I can tell you're all very passionate," he said. "And I can tell you all get along really well."
It's true. You'd think that in bringing 16 random strangers together in a situation where they get up at 5 or 6 each day - facing pouring rain or hot sun - and spend every waking moment together, there'd be potential for lots of friction, personality clashes and tension.
But there's none of that. This mobile community we've created is amazing. There is such a huge diversity of personalities and experience -- yet that only serves to make the group richer.
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It has been a few days since I wrote the above, but yesterday I had the opportunity to experience the best of this community in action. Coming down a steep hill with the B.O.B trailer I stacked my bike. Within minutes Barb-the-nurse was cleaning my cuts, Jodi was giving me reiki treatment and Robyn was giving me homeopathic first-aid. Meanwhile, Thomasen and Mel put my bike back together and got rid of the trailer.

Then there were all the people who'd become part of our extended community during our stay in Bellingen. Col, Sue and Emma soon came past to see if they could help out, and once we'd made it to town, Kev from Kombu Wholefoods offered us chocolate bars, his phone, and lots of suggestions for how to get my broken bike to Kempsey -- eventually lining up a lift for Mel and I with his courier to Coffs Harbour station. Thanks so much Kev and Steve.
It was a humbling yet empowering experience: the beauty of community.
 
- Rhiannon