Welcome to our English visitors.   Mr. Ribbon special request

Link to Photo Album of ToeKs travel 2010

As you do understand we are no native speakers nor native writers. Please mention our mistakes and report them to us: mail. I can't translate the whole site for the non dutch readers, but I can make the links to the pages wich are interesting for visitors who can't understand dutch. When ToeK is writing an e-mail, he'll writes his story twice. First in dutch and secondly in English. The English parts will be published overhere ánd I'll leave the English text at the orginal mails ToeK send me. Example: at the index or home page starting on '07-12 Dag 5 / 15 km.'
Have fun!

02-dec. 2009 ToeK catched a plane to Kuala Lumpur and another plane to Auckland: New Zealand.
His goal is to walk: the long path way or Te Araroa starting: december 6th, ending: april 2010 see also Toek's planning.

At this moment, 06 dec., he is staying at a friend in Auckland.
Tuesday his friend will drive him to the north and wednesday he'll set of for his next long distance walk.

Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 1:14 PM
Subject: 7-12 Auckland dag 5 [15 km 15km]
> 7-12 Auckland day-5 [15 km 15km]
>
> Will had to work. Started my resupply for 5 day's. Heading into downtown
> Auckland for a DOC-hut pass and looking into a "emergency distress
> beacon". that is a electronic divice with what you can anounce your location
> to a satelite if you are in trouble .... that's a NZ-isch thing where
> nobody in the rest of the world ever woud of think of, so i skiped the
> thing for sure .... all the authoreties overhere are in stress now about
> that decision .... LOL!
>
> I have started my hike .... did the part of the docks' down town
> Auckland till here "mangere Bridge" (tha was 15 KM city ..) and i
> sleck-packed-it. YES starting a trail without your Pack ... YEAH feels
> Good! If I'm back in Auckland .... I assume I will get back here walking
> ... I have a great pleace to stay. the house of Will will be of scope but
> there is another secred house in the back yard somewhere with a pool
> and normaly Hobbits live there ... it will be a head cruncer if you are not
> sober... but it is a great offer and I'll sleep in the middel of town
> and have a shower and ..and ..and ....a pool ... and ... YEAH ;-) I can
> leave stuff here and pick it up when I pass.
>
> first I have to walk 600 KM and I'll start tomorrow... ta is good!

> fine,
>
> I am off now. Don't know when or where I'll report back.
> Weather forcast  is .... Sun hot sun hot.... exposed and not enough water.
>
> Almost Toek
>
> I surfived 100 mil beach. And that was a hard one. exposed under the sun
> and you can call it alse the 100 mile desert... there is not so much
> water... the 1e day non. Then several the next day. the last trets of 35
> km is dry.
> water water everywhere, and all the bords are schrink.
> Water water everywhere, no a drop to dink ....
> met one hiker he was going the other side ... and was out of water ..
> there ToeK's water goes.....
>
> Tomorrow Ahipara resupply and up into the hils and the forrest. Try to
> find my route... the 1e streatch is not in my GPS. This is going to be
> Fun...

i AM  NOW O IN A STUDIO OF A RADIO STATION half of the population of the village are standing behind me LOL
everything is all right. 150 km in the trip, heavy through the forrest and jungle. Here the website of the station  WWW.tautokofm.com
please put it on the side, they'll appriciate it a lot...! i AM in Mangamuk bridge, do some shopping and go on. Life is Good.

 Life is Good
> Life on the trail

ToeK
 

> I am rally start to get into the trip ... that took a long time today a
> day of 50 KM from Ruakaka to Mangawhai. About 20 km of road walking 20 km
> along the beach and 10 through the bush. the trail was good so it wat not
> to hard. think will be back in Auckland about 27 just after christmass ...
>
> My head lamp broke so i have to live by the licht off the sun. if its down
> only thing i can do is go to sleep to.. !
>
> The trail is hard. its not a real trail its a collection of litle nicwe
> peaces and in between is a lot of walking along roads in the north. you
> get use to it but it's hard.
>
> For the american people its not a through hike .... its traveling by feet
> through a country... thats some ting completly different. Pay attention to
> that if you are thingking about starting the trip. nobody will understand
> what you are doing. there is no trail angel or community you are compleet on
> your own. if you tell anybody what you are doing the only als you : WHAY
> ???? they will not think you are normal, the think you are mad.
>
> Trauma was telling that he had difficulties with getting rides on the way
> ... i dont. Really this is the country were i have the easyed rides ever.
> secont care stops always..
>
> The trails are build very well ... but not for a long time. they make it
> very god but forget that you have to maintain it ... so you walk all the
> time over very nice build trail (AT-like going over all het tops of the
> mountains .. (hills)) but it is all the time compleet grown over. Section
> -O of the PCT is a joke in comparing with this trails.
>
> December is dry so far (they keep telling me i am lucky) but hot. Will be
> in the forrest comming day,s.
>
> When i am in auckalnd i will be very dirty... looking forward to the
> swimming pool! (in the garden of my privit hobbit house for a few days ..
> realy very nice i may use it ... Lucky ToeK!

>
> I made it to auckland. Waiting on the map store to re-open. that will be
> tomorrow 9:00. i need the maps to find the trail that is a prolem because
> there is no-way marking ande there are some little hikers (trapmpers) in
> the trails (have seen none after 90 mile beach) that there is also no
> obvius way to go.
>
> The way out of the city will be the same as the way into the city ... over
> the road.. but we will see.
>
> The weather seems to hold good, so nothing to worry about.
>
> It will be hard to leave the hobbit house with my "privet" Pool.. City life
> makes you weak but i have to go on .... Keep moving.
>
> ToeK
 

> I am still in Auckland but .... I have Maps.
>
> JA!
>
> So i will leave tomorrow if the sun come-up for Wellington. I am exited
> about that. to much City ;-) getting weak.
>
> Keep moving! Off we go.

 

> Day 27 and 760 KM into the trip the most boring town of newzeeland: Hamilton.
>
> I have skipped a part of the trail i have skipped the highway walk from
> the HAkarimata Walkway to here. after the high way of the day before
> yesterday and fresh from one of the most beautiful part of the trail i
> was surprised with this section of road walking and i was not into it. i
> hitched a lift with a tourist bus!
>
> Lots of road walking this section. Some beautiful native forests whiteout
> a trail but you have to live with that. This is the only country in the
> world that makes trail whiteout developing them in the field!
>
> This trail is very difficult. if i have to recommended it to someone i
> would say wait till over 10 years when it is really there and some what
> formed!
>
> from here to kuiti will be 120 KM. with parts of not formed trail ... we
> will see how long it will take me. I have for 4 days of food....
>
> We will see ToeK

>
> Left Hamilton in the pooring rain. Lots of road walk along the highway.
> The roads turning into smaler roads and then I come to the kapomahunga
> Walkway. That is a real good part of the trail. Very beautifull like
> Schotland. The sun out to keep me company.
>
> Going down after a while and into the Pirongia forrest. That is realy up
> up up, but: good good good. A bit muddy in the end but tis is how the trail
> must be!
>
> Over a very quiet road down into Waitomo. There was a campsite. So I
> pitched my tent. just like a holiday: no hurry.
 

> Went after Tuiki over the Hauhungaroa rasnge for 4 day's of forrest. there
> the trail end in the middel of no-where ... they must finish the connecting
> link some day .... So had to ga back and onto the road.
> I refuse to hike the HW for no reason, so I had a hitch into Tuangi. The
> the weather seems to bad comming 4 days for the crossing so i will go to
> Ohakune to pick up the trail. From ther I will hike the Whanganui river...
>
> All's is well Love the forrest!!

 

> He is Alife.
>
> I didnot dy in the mountains of Tongeriro National park. Against all
> advice I went into the park with realy very bad weather. And I was all alone!
> There was almost nobody there and it was Realy REALY REALY Good! The
> Views werenot good, so i didnot hit the crossing but went around the
> mountain. Will be back for the crosssing one day. There was snow, there was
> rain, there was a lot of wind, (there were Orks! (websis: he ís a ToeK after all!)). The sun was there ....
> It was very beautifull.
>
> After I left the park by the Blyght track (after camp somewhere).
> Through Ohakune and Raetihi tot Pipiriki. There I am supposed to take a
> canou out of my back pack to flod the river.... that didnot happen so I walked
> the 104 km to Wanganui. doing more than 55 KM a day. All the people know
> me after two days on their road ... a specialy the maory people where
> stopping all the time to ask how it was with my trip. (the all knew I was
> walking the road).
>
> Now here and did give myself a nice hotel... The Grand!
>
> Life is good.

 

>
> Now in Levin
>
> Lots of forest and roads. Hope to be in Wellington in 4 or 5 days.
> Take some time overthere will write there. All is well
>
> ToeK
  > Half way the trail. last day's I made a shit load of KM to get here. I was
> sick of the Noth island (of the roads) Also i was not capable to thru-
> hike the north-island... There is a challence for everybody who wants to
> try and be the first because if you read all the journals very close there
> was nobody till now who made it all the way walking.
>
> And now the South island. Roads will be replaced by alpine crossings,
> river vordes, and being very alone in the middle of nowhere .... The
> feeling is that the trail is starting now (funny 1/2 way)...!
>
> Tomorrow I will start the Queen sharlotte track. the easy start of the
> South island. The woman at the information center counter was very upset
> that I don't want a bagage transfer or a guide for the track ... its about
> 71 KM SIR. yes Miss I will make that. But there are no ROAD'S YOU CAN WALK
> SIR...... NICE THEN I WILL MAKE IT FOR SURE!

 

>I have the First Alpine region crossed the "Richmond Alpine Track" Very
> beautifull but very heavy.
>
> From "Pelorus bridge campsite" you go up the road. which turns into a
> gravel road into a trail into a track into .... nothing. just find your
> way. (high up in the mountains. Fun but heavy. you are very depending on
> the weather. I had very nice weather for 5 day's. I was very lucky.
>
> I found another thru-hiker in a shelter "EYAL" is his name. There are 6
> thru-hikers on the trail this year and one is right in front of me. I met
> him in a shelter. He is Training for the PCT. He will start this Year. He
> is training for the PCT........ He is TRAINING..... LOL. This trail is
> much harder then the PCT. If he thru-hikes this one he can laugh at all
> the PCT Veterans on de kick-of party. Its a good hiker. he has walked the
> whole of the North island!
>
> From here I will go through "Nelson Lakes park" then Over "Harper Pass" en
> "Waiau Pass".
> This trail starts at the south island. Use the Norht to get in trail shape
> ... You will need it its very hard. But good. till now its the PCT And the
> CDT hitting you both at the same time ;-)
>
> Life on the trail
> ToeK

>

> Hi Sister,
>
> I am hiking now with Yeti.
> Can you believe that I met a Thru-hiker on this trail with 6 thru-hikers
> seperate for more than two month's ... ? LIFE ON THE TRAIL
>
> Here are two links to put somewere .....
>
> BRr
>
> ------------------------- Oorspronkelijk bericht -------------------------
> Onderwerp: Yeti!
> Van:       "Yeti"
> Datum:     Zo, 7 februari, 2010 10:06
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Hi TOEK!
>
> > My pics are in:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/seyalwork
>
> my vids are:
> http://www.youtube.com/seyalwork
>
> hmmm.... that's it for now,
> Yeti. (Eyal Schwartz)
>

Video I

Video II

> At Atrhurs pass we had to bypasss the deception track. There was a race
> and the track was closed. So we road walked to Beatly Spur. From there
> the harper track, one of the best day's on the track. Really very
> beautifull!!
>
> After the Harper river  ( in full operation because of the rain last
> night) down to lake Coleridge.... the next thing. The Rakaia river
> crossing. The biggest and the hardest of NZ. We get there at 18:00, all
> local tells us the river is very low. No problem. When we get to te river
> ... it was going UP. Its now or never  ... we try. But there was no way
> to ford it that evening. We camped at the grave yard  which looks out over the
> river. Next mornig she is lower than the day before. We go for it. 1e and
> 2e brades are posible. So we go and forden both. Then 2KM further there are
> all small brades we ford easy. Than the big one is comming up ... the last
> one ? We are not sure. No way of standing to ford i. no way back so we
> cross it going head under with backpack. We get to the other side but are
> very nerves.
>
> My advice to every body: NEVER FORDE THE RAIKAIA ..... NEVER!
>
> Two days later the RAngitata  .... but she is so far up  ... no way we not
> even try or think about it. we hiths around it....
>
> Then over the two thumps range to lake tekapo.
>
> Now we are there..... Life on the trail
>
  > Made it to Twizel. Through a spoor of dessert. Very expose but nice views
> of Mt Cook over the lakes.
>
> In two days 75 meter down and 10 meter up.....
>
> Heading out of town now and up to Wanaka
>
 

> Now in gelorgie.
>
> Pypased Queenstown!
>
> Over the cascade saddel. the steepesd route on the South island. Along the
> Dart glasier. down along the Rees river. Very very nice trail and good
> vieuws.
>
> Pictures follow.
>
> On our fway to Bluff. we think an other 6 or 7 day's and we will be there.
>
> Alfter that we will goe further south on Stuward island.
>
 

--------------------------------
>
> From Glenorchy by the Greenstone track to the Mavora Walkway. after that a
> road walk Mavore River track then massburn, Dipton,  Winton naar
> invercargill (about 200 KM roadwalk) there are we now... Tomorrow 33 KM to
> Bluff the end point of the trail..
>
> Strange feeling.

> WE made it.
> WE hebben het gehaald.
>
> WE are Done
> WE zijn klaar.
>
> We made it to the end of the trail.
>
> After the roadwalk of 200KM and a last scarry piece from invercargil to
> Bluff are the builders of the trail "Geoff Chapple / Miriam Beatson" flown
> over from Auckland. They want to see how me do the last 6 KM to the
> monument.
>
> We feel very honered by this. At the monument we make our pictures. drink
> the Whisky. make fun and feel sad. An other trail down... I may be running out
> of trails.....
>
> We are invited to the car of Geoff and miriam and they take us to a luxurious
> hotel. for a shower and FOOD. First sheets sinds ????? LIFE = GOOD.
>
> The next morning a journalist of the Southeren Times comes to the hotel for a
> story and pictures. We talk a lot.
>
> Now we are in for a last round around stuward island. then our way's wil
> seperate ... but that is still 5 day's ahead.
>
> Life on the trail. ToeK

 

> My sister is complaning that i didn't finish the story for the english
> readers,
>
> OK OK,
>
> After New Zealand I went to Australia for the "Bibbulmun track". This is
> not a thru-hike trail but a well organised walk in the Park for 1000KM.
>
> Realy good build, with shelters every 10 or 15 KM. Markers everye where and
> there are no absolut no dificult parts on the trail. the end to end (as
> they call them selves) hikers are the hero's who do the whole epick
> djurny. most of them take about 60 day's to complete it.
>
> My Plannning was 30 or 36 day's. thats 30 km a day. that isn't fast at
> flat grounds. (there are no mountains on this trail). most hikers are 10
> till 16 (whith there parents or 60 till 70) i meet a man who was 74 and
> hiking the whole trail .... whit his backpack of 20+ KG (I hope that i
> still can do that when i am 74). But i can't keep my mouth shut so i had
> to tell him about my 7 KG (including food and water). He was astonished, we
> talked for hour's in the shelter. very intresting man.
>
> I did it in 36 day's. realy took my time the last part. starting in Perth
> you get through the forrest for week's. that is fun. then the tree's will
> grow real big if you getting verder south.  the last part is along the
> ocean. WOW... GOOD .... NICE!
>
> Finished the track in Albany on the 13 of may. now trying to get home...
> that seems to be complicated because the chanced my tickets so there are no
> connections anymore. we will see.
>
> ToeK