Day 3 - Mangawhai to Whangarei

Sunny ride along the coast.

Avoided the highway and had lunch at a nice spot... (Jill I was messaging with you while eating my PB sandwich here). :)

After lunch we kept going and as we were riding came across a farmer in his truck who popped his head out the window to say hi. He got out, chatted a bit, and to let us stay at his house for the night if we wanted to (it was only noon by then so we had to pass it up...). His timing was perfect, however, because he asked where we were heading to and then told us we were going the wrong way... so we turned around and got back on track. 

We had read that we could camp for free at the information site in Whangarei - a decent sized city north of Auckland. But when we arrived we were told it was not so... so we looked on Warmshowers to see if there were any hosts in the area. We found a place called Whare that sounded like a bike shop with people willing to host, and since it was close to where we were we went that way.

When we arrived the shop was closed for the season, but a large group of people were there buying and selling veggies and baked goods as a part of a co-op. A guy came out to talk to us and explained the shop was closed, but maybe his wife wouldn't mind if we stayed at their place. After his wife approved, we ran some errands and then, since they weren't finished with the co-op, they sent us to their place ahead of them and just told us where to find the key in a shoe on the porch. Again, the  people I've met here are incredible and so relaxed!

After finding the key to our shelter for the night and bringing our stuff inside, the next natural need was a toilet. Ewoud went into the bathroom, but came back out pretty quick. "Karen... where's the toilet?" "What do you mean where's the toilet?" I followed him into the bathroom and looked at the toilet, which was covered with rolls of toilet paper. Hmm...doesn't look like they use that. So we walked around the house to see if there was another bathroom they use instead. Nope. Just that one. On second glance, we did see a weird little box in front of the toilet, and this box had a toilet seat on the top and a bucket of wood chips on the side. I opened it to check. Yep, it was toilet... a composting toilet...

Since we had to make dinner yet, and their kitchen countertops were loaded with industrial-sized mixing machines and bowls and bread pans (Lydia had clearly been busy making bread for the co-op that day), we did all the dishes for them while we made our own dinner. It felt like a small thing to do for them as they let total strangers go into their house, shower and make themselves at home before they were even home. 

After getting back from the co-op, James went out to find some bees so they could start making their own honey. Their food, and the way they live, is important to them, and much of their time and activities revolve around growing and making food and living with minimal impact on their surroundings. I really admired their commitment to living in a way that was so important to them, even as it took so much energy and effort. 

What I love about traveling and meeting people - and staying in their homes - is to be able to have a glimpse into the lives of so many different people who all have different interests, values and perspectives about what it means to LIVE WELL.