The Belgian Travellers

The 20th of November 2017 Time to say goodbye to Ros and Hugh, after 2 wonderful nights at their place. Ros in front of her bed and breakfast  Hugh driving us across the estuary We decided to hike with Adriana and Craig. We met them in Ahipara, just when we came back from the hospital, and we had a good connection with them. The day is beautifully sunny and we enjoy discussing with our friends, exchanging about our lives, our families, our work,... Something that we discuss a lot with the other hikers is the shoes and the feet. Both Marie-Laure and me decided to hike with hiking boots, while most hikers wear low trail shoes.  After a few hundred kilometers, our conclusion is that we're happy of our choice. Our boots are sometimes a bit heavy and warm, which tends to be more welcoming than necessary for fungus (this blog is becoming kind of intimate). I sorted out this particular problem by changing my socks every 2 hours (so I always use 2 out of 3 pair...

The 19th of November 2017 Jan and Wayne left Tidesong with the high tide. Hugh brought them to the opposite riverbank with his boat. We'll probably see them again later on... Today was a lazy day: I haven't much to tell, except that it feels good to relax in a nice place... and that Marie-Laure's ankle isn't swollen anymore. Youhouhou ! Wayne and Jan's departure Craig, Adriana, and 3 other TA hikers arrived today and we'll leave with them tomorrow. Ocean Beach is waiting for us ! Enjoying the good weather in the mangrove The cabin... the hiker's threat The mangrove during the low tide

The 17th of November 2017 : in jail After a rainy night in Hilton's garden, our tent was completely soaked. We headed to Whangarei, where we knew that we could dry everything, make a laundry and eat some vegetables. And where did Houston left us? Without kidding? In a prison! Cell Block is the sweet name of the hostel where we found 2 beds. Well, the doors couldn't be closed, and they would leave everything open the whole day (we nearly got a cold in the windy corridor), which made us feel free. We made an expedition to Pack'n'save to celebrate our freedom and came back with a backpack full of fruits and vegetables (and chips, and chocolate, and Pinot noir), and our pockets lighter thanks to the money spent. With our stomach full and our clothes smelling fresh, we went to try to sleep. Yes, try to. In this hostel, they try to give you a real prison experience. So people kept yelling at each other in the corridor, the lights are lit, you don't have curtain...

The 12th of November 2017 Another day off at Haruru Falls. We decided to hike to Paihia, through the mangrove, just to see how Marie-Laure's ankle is doing. It's an easy day with 7 km only, between the forests and the see.  We also board on a boat to see dolphins. We are feeling like children as we look at them, so excited at the sight of these dolphins playing so close to our boat. We still have some time to visit the small town of Russell , full of history. There, we go to the small supermarket, and we meet Sheryl. She works there, and immediately asks us if we are Te Araroa hikers. She's a trail angel (people taking care of the hikers) and she invites us to camp at her house tomorrow, in Waikare. Great! It's also our second and last day at Kristel's family place. It was such a great chance to meet them. One of the best experiences that a long trail offers  is probably the occasions it offers to meet the people. The 13th of November 2017 Kristel...