Day 112 | Ngaio
1 February 2023 | 25°C | 7km
Today starts my solo hiking journey for the rest of the trail!
Phil had planned to do the South Island only until end of January and headed back home early morning yesterday. For sleeping in a 6 person dorm - something I haven’t done quite a while - I slept surprisingly well.
As the Te Papa museum has been recommended to me several times - and though I feel an urge to get going- I decide in the morning to spontaneously pay it a visit. Only 2 hours is my plan …. at 2pm I reluctantly leave it and after getting my stuff from the hostel and head out it’s 3pm.
At least I can get some mikes in. It’s a short walk through the city center with all its ships again until the trail leads uphill, the so called skyline track that offers great views back onto the city with all those colonial style houses sprinkled all over its surrounding hills.
While I walk through the suburbs yet it’s colonial style houses, I realize that I miscalculated the day before: the next campsite in the town of Porirua is further away than expected. Passing buy the train station of Ngaio, I do a quick research on train connections. Most towns up to Waikanae are conveniently connected by train/bus, so I decide to call it a (hiking) day and drive up to Porirua where I find a nice spot with views over the lake at the local campground.
Plan for the next day: Leave my pack at the campground and catchup with the missed kilometers the next day with just a few snacks and water (slackpacking).
