Back in Australia and returning to reality

I am back home now. After taking time to get over jet lag (I watched all three series of Black Books - very good!) and getting myself together, I am slowly entering the world again. I've even got a job interview tomorrow at the Australian Geographic! :)

Everything seems the same, but something has changed. It will take time before I can recognise exactly what it is in me that is reacting differently to the world, but it will come.

Mohammad is well in Palestine. He had his meeting with the Israeli security forces and it seems for now that they were only using a scare campaign against him. He is still very nervous, but otherwise safe - or at least as safe as you can be in an occupied country.

All the cyclists have returned home and each was put through rigorous security checks at the airport. The security knew exactly who they all were (despite the fact that they all traveled separately at different times and from different places) and repeatedly questioned them all. But in the end, they all made it.

The cycle is over now, but that's not all. On the ride I came across a divide greater than the Grand Canyon. 'Muslim' is a swear word to Israelis, and even saying 'Shalom' ('Peace') in Hebrew would offend and anger Palestinians. Even Mohammad, who believes that Israelis and Palestinians just need to trust each other expressed his dislike of one of our protest songs which used 'Shalom'. Hate runs so deep.

How can you bring these people together?