The second we left Melbourne, no, the second before we left Melbourne, things were already different. It started with our driver, Samn. Hoping into the van with Rob and Samn in the front and myself in the back editing away, I was struck by how much space there was. I mean, I could really stretch out. No sweaty dudes beside me to rub arms with, no sleeping drooling faces to avoid. As much as it was sad to see Geoff, Borg and Mendes go, I was starting to enjoy all this space. Things had definitely changed. 

Leaving Melbourne, we had a 2 hour drive to Shepparton to get back to the last spot Rob had stopped skating. Although we spent time in Melbourne, we didn’t skate right into the city center; it would have been a massive detour that added a few hundred kilometers to an already long journey. Instead, we are cutting across the north of Victoria towards Adelaide, where we will veer north to begin our journey west. This is where we were expecting to meet the outback, but as I said before, things change. 

As the new 3 person-strong S4C team made our way along, the landscape began to change. Less trees, less green, more bugs. Suddenly it occurred to us, “I think we are starting to hit the outback.” Using Google maps satellite, it was clear to see the landscape getting browner as we headed on. Looking out our window, we could see our surroundings becoming less countryside and more desert. The earth is red, the bushes are small and sparse, the roads are narrower, and the bugs are, well, abundant. Just ask Rob how he feels about these swarms of flies and bugs that constantly smack into his face as he skates. Looking at our route, which should take us across the A20 towards Adelaide, it occurred to me we are going to hit some real outback a lot earlier than we anticipated. Along this east-west highway, there is a solid 150km stretch of uninhabited outback for us to cross. Not as intimidating as the 350km stretch that awaits us past Adelaide, but still nothing to joke about. Should be some nice “training” for the next long haul. So, things change, and we’re in the outback already. 

As much as our landscape around us has changed, so has the Van. It seems all this happy little home needed was a woman’s touch. Samn has taken it upon herself to net the doors so we can have a breeze with no bugs, reorganize the luggage space, and sort the food crates into something resembling logical. She has also created makeshift bags for us to store things like sunscreen and bugspray in, and a little netted hammock to hold all of our sleeping gear. So it seems, as much as life outside is getting tougher, life inside is getting better. A fair trade I suppose.  

The roads have been tough for Rob, and his mind has needed something to focus on. As we go on, he thinks more and more about the Drop-In Center. We’ve talked a lot about it, and be sure to check out our next video to see what we’ve been up to.

Jamie + The S4C Team

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The Cure Is Knowledge:

Skin is an amazing thing. It comes in all different colours, sizes and textures, it can stretch, wrinkle and rebuild. But it can also turn into a host for various forms of cancer if we don't look out for it. So here's how to.     

As always, the first step is knowing your body. The best way to get a good look at your skin is to take your clothes off and stand in front of a full-length mirror. Take a look at yourself front and back then lift your arms up and turn sideways, left and right. Make a mental note of all the markings on your skin so you can see any changes if they occur.

Do this frequently, especially if you're fair-skinned, have blonde or red hair, light coloured eyes or just spend tonnes of time outside. What you're looking for (and hopefully don't find) are changes that seem unusual. That can manifest as red lumps that are firm, sores that don't heal, or rough and scaly patches of skin.

The most important thing to look out for is changes in your moles. Have a gander at the American Academy of Dermatology's ABCDs of skin cancer.

• Asymmetry - One half of the mole does not match the other half in size, shape, color, or thickness

• Border - The edges are ragged, scalloped, blurred, or poorly defined

• Color - The color of the mole is not the same throu ghout or it has shades of tan, brown, black, red, white, or blue

• Diameter - Melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter, but they can be smaller

So there you go. Simple steps to keeping healthy, vibrant and cancer- free skin.

And of course, make sure you wear sunscreen to drastically reduce your chance of getting any kind of skin cancer. Now get out there and show off your beautiful canvas!