Day 7 | Tenting by a waterfall
20 October 2022 | 18°C | 27km
The sun is still not out when I wake up, but the birds are already chirping to welcome a new day. I pack my stuff to head over to the porch for breakfast with Eva: unfortunately, I cannot find my spoon. Not good as it’s the only „tool“ I have for eating. I hope it’s somewhere hidden in my pack or in my tent. I’m very much looking forward to my breakfast as I can have milk powder now so I can have coffee WITH milk. Small pleasures :)
Today it’s the second part of the detour, which means a 20 km roadwalk to the next town. I’m a bit worried because I can already feel my left ankle. Its mainly farmland to the left, and the right of the street; sheep, cows, and farm buildings. Nice walk though. As always when walking on the road, there is dead possums, and I wonder when I will see one alive for the first time. Seb, Sabrina and Eva catch up with me after the first 10 kilometers. After a short break, we continue walking together and reach Mangamuka at 1 PM. I am happy that my foot held up well.
Quite a few hikers hang out at the dairy (small grocery shop). Good stop for ice cream, fries or a burger. I opt for a toasted sandwich. I do some stretches while waiting as my legs are very sore from the roadwalk today. I am tempted to stay a the campground here but as most of the people I know continue, I do to. Next campground in the rain forest in 12km.
I go slow and fall behind. Phil is stopping to see if I am ok and we start talking about fishing & hunting. Once we stop for a quick break, we realize that we missed the turn to the rain forest. Damn! My foot still hurts. Looking at the map, we see an alternative trail that would lead us back to the TA the next day, so we decide not to backtrack. Talking to a farmer who passes by on a quad, we learn that there is a nice camp spot by a waterfall a bit further up. Wild camping for the first time on this trail. Missed it!
Day 8 | A walk around Puketi forest
21 October 2022 | 16°C | 27km
I woke up and turned a few times during the night to find a position where my knee would not hurt. Other than that slept well. And to my surprise, my knee seems to be fine. I can still feel my left ankle though. Dr. Phil professionally tapes it while we’re having breakfast and I think I am good to go.
A few showers during the night but the sky looks good once I start walking. A walk on the gravel road that soon will be joining the official trail again. I notice that my ankle hurts a little bit but as soon as I think about other things, the pain seems to go away. A lot of ups and downs as we walk around the actual rain forest. A bit of a pity, that we missed it, hopefully more rain forest coming up, I think. The day drags along and we pass the time by listening to music from some cool kiwi bands.
Day 9 | Kerikeri
21 October 2022 | 16°C | 27km
I love the sound of rain on my tent. Guess it recalls some childhood memories from camping with my family in Italy. I expect a boring walk on forest roads. Luckily, we meet a couple of northbound hikers telling us that there is a turn off to a nice, small trail. It is easy to miss but with their indications we pay attention and soon find ourselves on a nice path alongside some farmland followed by a walk along the river.
“Tanja” I hear someone shouting once coming out of the bushes. It is Eva who is taking her lunch break with some other hikers. We all continue together until we meet the Highway where - craving for ice cream and a cold drink - we suspect a service station. We walk a couple of hundred meters along the highway but it turns out though that there is only a gas station for trucks so we backtrack to the trail. This detour would turn out to be a lucky coincidence as some old friends of Phil spot him while passing by by car and invite us for a boat ride around the Bay of Islands the next day. The rest of the walk into a Kerikeri is a nice one along the river also passing a a waterfall, but my ankles and feet hurt so much by then that I can’t wait to get to town and sit down. It’s nachos and beers as soon as we reach town followed by a yummy kebab.
Once we get to the holiday park where we reserved a cabin for the three of us, there’s some confusion about the room due to someone having a similar name. Very strange. It all turns out nicely though as in the end due to the hassle we get a second night for free. What a nice surprise!
Learning of the day: The trail provides (again and again :)
Day 10 | Bay of Islands
23 October 2022 | 17° | 0km
Phil‘s friends Toni and Kirsten who live in Kerkeri take us on a trip with their boat around the Bay of Islands on our zero day (rest day). We stop at lovely Otehei Bay on Urapukapuka, Russel and Pahia (our hiking destination for the following day) before fishing on the way back to Kerikeri. Eva made the catch of the day: a 2kg snapper! Best zero day ever!
Day 11 | Paihia
4 October 2022 | 19° | 25km
Quick walk over to Pahia where we have been by boat yesterday already. Not much to say, mostly walking on boring forest roads. The highlight is our lunch break with fresh bread, hummus, goat cheese and sausage. And we have walked from coast to coast now! Eva unfortunately is suffering from pain on her right shin and urgently needs another rest day.
We get the last studio in the hostel. We are TA hikers no 22, 23 and 24 staying there tonight as per the owner. Meetup with our trail family there.
Day 12 | Tentsite at km 282
25 October 2022 | 18° | 24km
Difficult decision to be made. Eva who I had hiked with the past days has shin splints that already caused her a lot of pain when walking into Pahia yesterday. It’s not bad timing as we would have to wait to kayak approx 13km down the river anyways and all the kayaks are already booked for today anyways. I don’t feel like having another rest day after our zero in Kerikeri and as all my tramily continues today.
With a heavy heart I decide to hike out too. I am sure we would meet sometime soon again with just being one day behind. But first things first: I still need to do grocery shopping. I am a bit bored already with my wraps of peanut butter and cheese. Inspired by Anouk the other day, I go for dried tomatoes, goat feta, spinach and hummus this time instead. It its midday already when I take the ferry. Taking the ferry to Russell and then do a roadwalk is the alternative to kayaking out of Pahia. Phil is also a late starter today so I have company for the walk on concrete and forest roads. It’s already getting dark when we find a decent spot to camp in the forest where we meet Björn again.
