Feb 10, 2013
Hawera, New Zealand

Walking on the black sand beach with a local started my day. Barry, the camp host, asked me to knock when I was heading out to the beach this morning. So I did. And I got the tour. There are 3 houses that were buried in the cliff many years ago by a tsunami. There was the hull of a ship the capsized in the 1930's. we didn't go all the way down (because the tide was coming in) to the whale carcass. Then Barry gave me a photo he had taken of the shore during a storm. And then I was off.

Forecast, rain late in day. Ugh.

Got into town. Got to chatting. Checked out a local museum. Finally started down the road. I had no energy. And there were headwinds...again. Which means, no umbrella. Which means, no shade. I stopped noon ish to take a nap but before I could put my head down, a couple of cycle tourists that I had seen fly by in town pull over. We share the usual info. Olivier had lots of interest in Blaze. They'd been on the road for over 3 years. Real cycle tourists!!! Not just the wanna-be's like me:). There gear was weathered. They had a lot of unique items like the mint plant potted and riding on the front fender.


And they were loaded!











And they really wanted me to bike with them even when I said I was so slow. So off we went. And I kept up...mostly. They are very loaded so that slowed them down.

The best was dumpster diving with them! I'd forgotten about that free food source. And we hit it big behind a gas station: 10 or more meat pies, a loaf of Vogel bread (the good stuff), and muffins and sandwiches. What a haul!

The guy came over asking what we were doing and Olivier, with his exuberance and French accent said, saving a part of the starving world with good food thrown away.

Tonight we're camped in a cow pasture, plops included...just no cows. Olivier asked a farmer. They also just went up to a house for water at the end of the day. I don't usually ask. And I carry water from the bathroom in town. Love learning new ways.

They're hustling north. They plan to spend 6 months sailing the Pacific on a boat somehow, then off to Australia in Sept. More years planned for the road. Got to ask them how they find doing this.

They shared a delicious dinner that Nadege fixed of lentils and onions and cumin. And lamb they got from the guy that took them in last night. Yum! And fresh herbal tea.

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