preparation

I guess I may be crazy_ no shit but this walk has been on my bucket list for several years so time to get walking before I become to decrepit to do this. Hey feel free to follow my epic journey and share my adventure.

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Day 47

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Yesterday it cleared later in the afternoon so I put on my damp clothes and the wind soon dried them. I went for a walk round Feilding. I have actually spelt it correctly this time. I took a photo of the pub I stopped at and also the memorial in the square. The stock yards are in town and the largest sale yards in NZ. I went to Manfield park and took a photo of the old racecourse building. I found Carthew St which is where Mavis grew up. In the morning I was away early. I mostly walked on a cycle way beside the rail tracks. Passed Aorangi but it was just after 7am so kept walking. I got to Bunnythorpe in good time. Wind farms dominated the sky line and I saw views of the Tararuas . Had a quick break then the rain started. It just got heavier and despite a cost I was rather wet so it was a slog into Palmerston north. Sarah was coming into Palmy so I stopped at the airport, got some hot food a...
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Day 0 and Day 1.

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My number one supporters Chris Alexis and Bree dropped me at Invercargill airport. Talk about security. Had to take boots and putties off and have all my gear X-rayed. It's odd but the lighter I have in my Camel back had to be put in my pocket. Thankfully I had my battery pack and Garmin in take on luggage. A good flight to Auckland then a long wait for connecting flight to Keri Keri. Gordon and Frances looked after me well and made sure I was on time for my Fullers bus trip to the Cape. The bus was filled with Asians and middle east people and I don't think they understood much of the bus driver Tahi, who gave a very PC account of NZ history. It was beautiful at the Cape and I felt a bit emotional thinking of loved ones who had passed. Also I guess a bit daunted. I was dropped at the Te Paki road and walked down that to the giant sand dunes. Walked down Te Paki stream to 90 mile beach. Walked a few km down the beach and set up camp in the sand dunes. The waves were so loud all...
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Day 9

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What a day this has been. My hardest so far. I had porridge soaking on the bench but a possum got into it. Fortunately all my other food was in my tent. I started walking before 7. The first 100 m were like a mud slide. I then got to Mangapukahukahu stream and had a pleasant walk down that. It reminded me of the Waimana. The crossing to the Waipapa river was a bit dodgy then the fun began. The track has been washed out in many places and lots of fallen trees. It was basically a slippery slope and I was on my hands and knees at times. At 12 I got to the start of the Pukatea ridge track. I was exhausted and my going had been very very slow. I met up with Alex and Rampage who had shared our camp. Americans like to give themselves trail names. They had walked further down the river but had to come back. The 4 guys who also shared our camp and who are pretty tall had walked some of the river but it would have been over my waist. After a break I started the Pukatea track. A lot of climbing, ...
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