First of all, check if anyone else just popped up in New Bark Town. If you can travel with someone who owns a Fire- or Water-type, the next few days will be much easier. And keep an eye out for any wild Pokémon you might want to catch. The ones in the area tend to be easy to train, and it's a nice spot for future fliers, which will greatly shorten journeys once you get that HM.

[The presence of so many Normal-types on the early routes is just a bonus, as far as he's concerned.]