Day 26 | Ramarama
8 November 2022 | 18°C | 26km
French toast, pancakes or eggs Benedict with avocado that’s the first difficult decision of the day at the local Denny’s. This place reminds me so much of the PCT. I finally opt for the French toast with whole wheat to make it look a little bit healthy. It’s 11 AM when we head out. I think the latest start so far but we already walked for 45mins from our airbnb. Fair enough. Not much to say about the walk itself as again through the Auckland suburbs with mostly walking on pavement and roads.
„Are you hiking the TA?“ two guys with small backpacks ask me some time later in the day. We chat a bit and it turns out they are slack packing from Drury back to Auckland. Once I get to Papakura, I head into the Countdown supermarket to get some resupply and my favorite yogurt. It is a big jar of 250 g but I finish it as my lunch easily. Unfortunately, it starts raining when I leave the supermarket. Luckily, the library is just across the street. It has some kind of a lounge and sofas where I have lunch and it doesn’t take long until I have devoured my yogurt and various kinds of food.
Once I leave Drury, one of the next towns, the rain picks up again, not much of an issue, but after roughly one and a half hours, it turns out that the road is blocked. Why was it not indicated on the map? I talk to the construction people who tell me that there is no way of passing by but they are very friendly and propose that they take me to the other end of the road. It is so cozy with the heating on in that car that I only realize how cold I am once I have to get out again.
The friendly driver offers to drive me all the way to Bombay, but I decline and head on. My legs are still fresh but by 6 PM I am totally soaked. Time to either pitch my tent or look for some accommodation. Just by checking the options online and standing below a tree for 10 minutes, I feel so cold that I decide to pitch my tent right here in order to get out of my wet rain gear. I am very close to the highway but I don’t really care at that point. I’m so happy to be dry and warm in my sleeping bag.