- Days 23 – 27
- Kilometres this section: 205 km
- Total: 800 km
Well rested and filled up on Thanksgiving leftovers, we set off again. Sadly that also meant saying goodbye to Jayme, Brighid, Pete and Dan, who are skipping this section by bus because they have less time for the trail. The others are staying at least one more night in Auckland – so the chances of seeing each other again are good!
The route through Auckland felt like a city tour – and since we had so far been busier shopping than sightseeing, that suited us well. The view of the city from the dormant Mount Eden volcano in particular is a wonderful farewell to this first big milestone. Off into the unknown!
Through the suburbs the route was sadly rather less pretty. We made a brief resupply stop at the Pak’nSave supermarket, though we did not have much to buy since we had scrounged a load of over-purchased dried food from Jayme and Brighid.
Since it was raining and the only official campground was an unsheltered field (and was supposed to cost 15 dollars per person on top of that), we put our faith in New Zealand hospitality – and were not disappointed. Jill and Warren took us in at their log house overlooking Auckland. They are currently renovating their newly bought house into a proper showpiece. But we were already very happy to lay out our mattresses in the dry in a half-renovated little room. And we enjoyed the rainforest shower in the already finished guest bathroom – at the campsite there would not even have been a cold shower!
Jill and Warren did not know the Te Araroa and had no idea that it passes right by their house. They were very interested in our route, gave us a few tips for the way ahead, and handed us their business card: if we ever need help, we should definitely get in touch. So kind!
The next morning things looked a great deal better, both weather-wise and scenery-wise. Through Ambury Regional Park we headed towards Auckland Airport.
At the airport we dropped in for a second breakfast at the make-me-happy place (the yellow M). Since the way to the airport had already been less than scenic, we successfully stuck out a thumb for the next stretch as far as the following forest section.
Rainforest again at last! On that day at least the path was very pleasant (we know it differently, too) and led us to the Hunua Falls, where we pitched our tent.
Since the remaining track was another 30 km long, we spent the whole of the next day in the forest. The mud fun began after only a few metres. But we have plenty of practice at that by now.
Around 15:30 we faced a decision: stay at the campground, or risk the rest of the forest track, which promised 7 kilometres in 4 hours. That is a bad sign – we have learned that much already. It can mean a) a serious climb, b) appalling mud or c) both. Nothing ventured… means walking it the next day anyway. So off we went.
Let us put it this way: in places it was the worst maintained track we have experienced. And we have experienced a fair amount! The problem was not even the mud, but the vines and other branches and scrub hanging everywhere across the path, offering further opportunities to trip, snag and scratch your skin…
And then this as well: coming out of the forest we had hoped for a good camping spot, but sadly had no luck. After more than ten hours of walking we simply wanted to pitch the tent, wolf something down and get into our sleeping bags. Not a chance…
When we finally reached a lonely country road (and our hopes of a lift to the next town were dwindling to nothing), we decided to try our luck at the few houses around. We knocked at the first one: nobody in. So onwards. At the next house we saw people. But it still takes an effort for us to simply walk up and ask whether they might have an idea where we could pitch our tent (in the hope that they will say: “In our garden!”). While we were still wondering whether to go over, somebody was already calling out to us. Luckily the Kiwis are not as shy as we are!
Hooray: we may pitch our tent, we get a hot shower and were then invited to dinner as well! Jackpot! And as if that were not enough: the grandmother of our host Tammy lives in Hamilton – the next larger town on our trail – and offered us a place to stay there too. How cool!
Out here they call something like that “trail magic”.
And since the next 30 km are supposed to be the most boring of the entire trail (running right along the highway), we were even offered a lift to skip them the next morning. You have talked us into it!
The route then led across farmland along the Waikato, New Zealand’s longest waterway. Always with beautiful views – although calling the path a “beaten track” is putting it generously…
To round off the day we headed into the Hakarimata rainforest. Finally a forest we can enjoy from beginning to end – we will simply let the pictures do the talking.
We have since arrived in Hamilton and are staying with Tammy’s grandmother Isobel. She is off playing boules with friends while we chill in the living room. Tomorrow we are heading to the Lord of the Rings film set “Hobbiton”!
