Teams A and B

With such an awe-inspiring dawn it was hard not to feel it would be a wonderful day.

At once humbling and uplifting, the Karri forests of the south-west of Western Australia were our gracious and magnificent hosts, guides and mentors for the day ...

supported wholeheartedly by a blue blue sky and some rare and exotic cloud choreography.

The sheer size and majesty of these grand beings inspire silent awe, wonder, gratitude and a flood of life-force.

There is surely no better way to appreciate and savour the atmosphere, beauty and joy of this noble community of tree-seers, than to run through and among them. Viewing these tree-towers as individuals is almost overwhelming: running through the forest, one is carried forward by its boundless urge for magnificence.

The very air is fragrant-fresh with power and prana, as though everything living in this ambit would naturally be immense and mighty. Uplifted by the trees' own nobility, one finds oneself embraced and at home, a giant among giants, limitless and unlimitable.

It is places like this we feel that the breath of Nature, the continent itself, is running in and through us, carrying our Torch forward on our behalf in its eager embrace of the flame of harmony and oneness as we – spectators – thrill to the mystery of this journey of life.

Arriving in Pemberton, we scaled the famous Gloucester Tree and saw the world from a new perspective:

a view each giant tree enjoys uninterrupted for hundreds of years across the canopy of this vast green forest-nation.

Proud of our heart-thumping climb and conquest of the fear of this great height, imagine our astonishment when next to appear on the summit was 4-year-old Jake!

Halfway through our journey around the continent, Australia continues to astound and astonish us with the breadth, depth, richness and power of her never-ending beauty.

– Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

Team C

Running from Manjimup to Bridgetown was beautiful. On the road as we approached our finishing point for Sunday, and also our starting point for Monday – Bridgetown Primary School – we met some boys, out on their BMX bikes, whose younger siblings attend here.

They were ultra-cool and loved posing with the Torch. Josh’s mum turned up a minute later with her other children and friends and said she will see us at the school tomorrow where she works! She farewelled us by saying, “Blessings to you all.”

We drove into our accommodation and were welcomed first by cows meandering across the dirt road in this vast and picturesque property at Glenlynn Cottages, outside of Bridgetown.

Finally we jumped out of the van to meet Sonya, John and his freshwater crayfish which he showed us up close – yikes!

Sonya introduced us to Jo-Jo their kangaroo joey whom they had to care for after a road accident in their property. Jo-Jo apparently cries for his milk bottle in the morning; if it is late he will jump around their cottage and look in the windows to wake them up!

We were totally in awe of this amazingly beautiful paradise. All gratitude to Sonya and John. As we explored our new environment, our day’s adventures began anew instead of coming to a close!

It was entirely peaceful drifting across this calm dam and we had the resident goat and llama approach the bank to see us.

From our boat we spotted Nataliya, running through the forests surrounding this property for another hour or more. She said she loved to breathe in the fresh air and scents of the eucalypt and pine trees whilst running. It’s really paradise out in nature here this afternoon.

Finally after visiting an assortment of animals on the farm it was time to venture indoors, stoke up the wood fire and cook a delicious meal for dinner. 

Life on the World Harmony Run just gets better every day!

– Kylie Williams (Australia)

Team RV

Today Misha Kulagin, our Russian representative, and I were given the task of driving our motor home, which is affectionately known as the 'RV'.

Making the most of this opportunity, this morning after the team departed Walpole, Misha and I headed along some bush trails towards the local swimming beach. Along the way Misha, who was once a ship's navigator, demonstrated that his navigating skills are much better tuned for nautical rather than terrestrial environments.

But at last we made it to the beach to enjoy the sun, sand and some glorious swimming in the cool ocean waters.

After enjoying our swim we drove on to catch up with the runners at the mighty Gloucester Tree in Pemberton, and then onto our accommodation at Donnelly River. Thanks so much to Sally and Tony Fitzgerald for a wonderful stay at the Donnelly River Holiday Village which offered a beautiful and inspiring night's rest.

– Veeraja Uppal (Australia) 

Team Members:
Uddyogini Hall (Australia), Kylie Williams (Australia), Friederike Makowka (Switzerland), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), Angela Muhs (Germany), Elke Lindner (Germany), Shapathanal Daly (New Zealand), Misha Kulagin (Russia), Dima Lehonkov (Ukraine), Standa Zubaty (Czech Republic), Edi Serban (Romania), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Runar Gigja (Iceland), Prabhakar Street (Canada), Colm Magee (Ireland), Veeraja Uppal (Australia), Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

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