In the evening, we had a home-cooked meal that seemed to be of professional quality – which is fair enough. This banquet of cauliflower-cashew soup, vegetarian lasagna, quinoa salad and berries a la mode, was lovingly made by Rathin Boulton (left), the latest member to join our team here in his home town, and his mother Janice, who also offered some of us a place to stay (next to Rathin, with brother Al next to her) ...

Rathin should be good for a few miles. He has three times completed the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in New York (which is not a relay – he did the entire distance by himself!). When not running long distances, he is a cook at My Rainbow-Dreams in Canberra, a happening vegetarian café.