I have written it before: coming back to normal life was a bit of a shock. Staying in one place for 7 months, a working rhythm, a boss telling us what to do and when to do it… It took some adjusting in the beginning. After being nomads for a year however it has also… Continue reading Sledding through Winter: Recap of the Season so far
When the time had finally come to fly back to Europe I was nervous: nervous about having a culture shock, nervous about seeing the same people again after all that had passed, nervous about disliking Belgium even more than I used to. Surprisingly, I loved being there. It was great spending time in my home… Continue reading To the end of the road. And then a little bit further.
It took me a long time to decide which backpack would accompany me along Te Araroa. I read, again and again, about all the different brands and models they had. I went from outdoor shop to outdoor shop to check out what was there and what seemed useful. In the end I had narrowed it… Continue reading Osprey Xena 85L Backpack
Today, it has been exactly one year ago since we stepped on a plane in Oslo and headed for New Zealand. The excitement, the nerves, the anxiousness… When I think back about it today, I think about two rookies about to embark on the hike of a lifetime. And I wish that today was that… Continue reading Reminiscing Te Araroa
Having walked Te Araroa in boots it was clear that I needed a lighter shoe to walk long-distances, unlike PJ who likes their support and sturdiness. I like more air, and less weight on my feet which also puts more strain on the back. I figured that a lighter shoe would make me more agile… Continue reading Salewa Women’s Mountain Trainer
Reinsfjell is a tent model just on the edge between a three- and four-season one. After finishing Te Araroa with the Helsport Storsylen tent we wanted something lighter, especially since we were going to Australia next, without compromising too much on durability and comfort. We wanted exactly the same for our trip across the Nepal Himalaya… Continue reading Helsport Reinsfjell Superlight 2
Kalamunda - Albany 44 days Trail Slogan: Ice! In Australia! Distance covered: 966km Number of walking days: 39 Number of resting days: 5 Number of nights in a tent: 3 Number of nights in a shelter: 9 Number of nights in a tent in a shelter: 23 Number of nights in a bed (hostel, hotel,… Continue reading Bibbulmun Fun Facts
The Bibbulmun section running alongside the southwestern edge of the Australian continent, where the roaring forties relentlessly crash onto the shoreline, is in my opinion by far the most scenic one. There's a beauty in walking by the ocean, especially one as wild and untamed as this one between us and the Antarctic, especially… Continue reading A Storming Finish: Peaceful Bay to Albany
The largest wildfire of them all ravaged south of Northcliffe, burning to ash 100.000 ha of karri forest and swampland. In its fury it encroached on the town of Northcliffe to a mere 3km, at which point the townspeople were evacuated and firefighters flown in from the eastern states to aid their tired colleagues… Continue reading Through the Giants to the Coast
A very sudden and unexpected change occurred walking towards Donnelly River Village. Up until that point, the trail traversed jarrah country. In a forest conservation area we noticed a number of large gum (marri) trees. We'd only seen a handful of big ones so far: all these forests were logged during the 19th and 20th… Continue reading Forests of the southwest: the karri, the marri and the jarrah
Team Belgica 