Introducing the 'Hinmuellers'
They met many moons ago (when Belinda was so young and innocent) on a Top Deck bus tour around Europe. After nine years of adventures, Roland and Belinda tied the knot in April 2008 and have been living in New Zealand up until the start of this trip. In 2002, they cycled through New Zealand together but since then have not done any cycle touring together, let alone on a tandem or for this long! Things Roland and Belinda like doing together include: being married (good start), tramping, travelling (most recent super-fun trips would be Vietnam for their honeymoon and Australia for their first wedding anniversary), playing board and card games, making presents for others, cycling (recently) and sharing meals and watching particular tv shows with friends and family.
Roland (who was born and bred in Burnaby, B.C., Canada) has always had a passion for challenging himself both mentally and physically. Roland has been teaching for six years at a primary school in South Auckland, however, he was awarded a Fellowship position and spent the first six months of 2009 at the University of Auckland learning about the profession of engineering and applying it into his teaching practice. With a never-ending thirst for travel, he has successfully completed walking from the Mexico border to the Canadian border twice (Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail) through the United States and cycled across Canada in 66 days. He is an accomplished athlete and has enjoyed wrestling, playing rugby union and soccer in the past and more recently running marathons and completing his first half iron man in 2008.
Belinda (who is from New Zealand) feels like she is close to having an epiphany of what she wants to do in life! For the past few years she has been working as a Registered Nurse and has thoroughly enjoyed the priviledged and intimate time with patients requiring special care, but feels she still hasn't quite found her 'calling' just yet. Belinda really likes having dreads, baking and extending her repertoire, grocery shopping, spending lots of time with family, watching movies that don't give her nightmares and the pleasant feeling you get after just cleaning out your ears with cotton buds.
So why are we doing this cycle tour? Well, madness descended on Roland one day when he asked his wife if she would like to share in a once in a lifetime experience together. Belinda (in all her wisdom) said “yes, how hard could it be?” Stay tuned to find out if Roland’s delusional state subsides and if Belinda ………well……survives……….. so far so good....