Trail magic in Australia

When I was preparing for the CDT back in 2007 there were 2 British guys also planning to do the CDT. We were emailing back and forth and even planning on starting out together. I saw both of them in Britain, but things did not work out: George had to cancel the CDT because of health reasons and John decided to hike the AT instead. But George (his trail name is Highlander) and me had always stayed in contact. He had even sent me all his AT maps and guidebooks for my AT thruhike - thank you again for that.

So you cannot believe my surprise when I had already arrived in Australia and received an email from George telling me that he had left his wife and lived with his girlfriend in Australia now. And of all places in Australia he lived in Collie where both the Bibbulmun Track and the Munda Biddi Track pass through!

George and Debbie

I missed George when I came through Collie on the Bibbulmun Track, but now I am staying with him and his girlfriend Debbie. And they are treating me so well. I am fed 3 meals per day, sleep in a real bed and can use the computer - this is the reason why I am posting so much! I decided to have a rest day in Collie (I deserve that after a week long trip to hell on dirt roads!) and visited all the sights. Collie is not actually a major tourist attraction (I am trying to be polite here), but I got a private tour through the mining museum (I asked so many questions that the tour took 2 hours), visited the local museums full of all sorts of knick-knack from sewing machines to mining drills and ended up in the local swimming pool. Life is very good in Collie. And hiker friends are worth gold!!!