November 23 page 2

Too much to cover on one page!  Still Taumaranui tonight.  After Te Kuiti we were supposed to do 40km road walking to the Pureroa Forest to do part of the Timber Trail which is an 85km mountain bike trail on an old Timber Logging Trail. Our generous friend Tokowha took 4 of us out to the start of the trail. Wayno and I decided to do the whole Timber Trail instead of turning off to follow the TA Trail and we have had a great time. The trail is very easy to mountain bike but we walked it. Along the way there are amazing bridges and stops with all the history of the trail. I would recommend this trail to everyone.  It is not a technical mountain bike. The only thing to be careful of is that it climbs to 958m so gets quite cold.
Our son Sean came and joined us for a day from Waiouru. It was lovely to see him. And he even brought food!
We are now in Taumaranui and about to start the TA Trail part where we walk the 42nd Traverse tomorrow which should take us a couple of days then the Tongariro Crossing after that.

November 23

Hi from Taumaranui!  As you can see we have been on the Trail and made some considerable distance.  From  Huntly we went to Ngarawhahia and then walked down towards Whatawhata missing out the Hamilton part as it was all road walking. From Whatawhata we road walked to the base of Mt Pirongia and camped at a lovely Doc campsite there by a stream.  The next day we were up early and climbed up Mt Pirongia on the north east track. The weather forecast was for rain so we wanted to try and beat it up the mountain.  The track was great for the first couple of hours then got steep and track very wet and then the rain arrived along with a gale force westerly wind so by the time we arrived at the summit it was cold and wet and miserable. We reached the summit by 11am and went into the hut up there put on every piece of hat and clothing we had climbed into our sleeping bags had food and tea and whiskey and still didn't warm up till about 4pm! A lesson in the how to respect alpine conditions and not to take them lightly. We stayed there till the next day when it was still blowing but not raining.  It took us 4 hours to get down to find sunshine!  We met with an American chap up the mountain who had no cooker no warm food a light sleeping bag and only jeans to wear!  I think he got the idea we weren't too impressed with his equipment.
The next day we road walked a lot of back country roads crossed farmland and camped just in the start of a bush track.  We have been walking 20km to 28 km a day any more is too hard on our feet. Some days just 16km when the tracks are hard and there are quite a few of those!
The next day was a hard day to Waitomo with very steep climbs up and down fence lines scrub tracks and our first river crossing. We were shattered at the end of the day. The accommodation in Waitomo was expensive so we managed a ride to Te Kuiti and stayed at the camp ground there in a cabin. We met up with Maria and Andy from Germany doing the Trail as well. We met with the camp ground owner Tokowha who gave us great learnings about the history and Maori heritage of the area.
The next day Wayno and I got a ride back to Waitomo from Tokowha and did the Waitomo to Te Kuiti leg.  What a shit track for the first half. It was poorly marked impassible in places and 6 foot high gorse for a long way. It was a poor representative of the TA Trail! And we weren't the only ones who felt like that.
We have met so many wonderful people on and off the trail. NZ is really a great place with great people -friendly and generous. For us this journey has definitely become more about the people we meet than the places we go. As I have said previously we do get some car rides at times usually short ones only and only when road walking is involved and mostly tarseal road walking.  Every time we have had a lift we have met some amazing people from all walks of life and different cultures and nationality and every time we have learnt something new and interesting which we wouldn't have if we had been walking.

15 November

15 November

Hi there from Huntly.
On 10 November we got a boat ride at full tide from Huia to Wattle Bay actually was just round from Wattle  Bay.  We then had to wait for about an hour and a half for the tide to go out so we could start the walk from Wattle Bay to Hamiltons Gap.  While we were lying on the beach we were watching a seal hunt stingray. There were a lot of rays hugging the shore. We had done this walk about 2 years ago the other way and it was amazing to find it totally changed with some huge rock falls covering a lot of the beach so rock hopping was the order of the day and very tiring. We made Hamiltons Gap about 7pm and our friend Rex picked us up and took us back to his house where we spent 3 nights.
The next day 11th November we had a rest day.  We had visit to podiatrist for my feet thanks to my great friends Pam an Rex who gave this to me as a treat. We both managed a visit to the hairdresser and had a lovely catch up with our son Sam.
Next day we picked up our dogs and attempted to walk Hamiltons Gap to Karioitahi but again the beach has changed with a lot of rock fall which was time consuming to clambor over so we made the decision to pull out halfway as we felt the tide was coming in too fast and we didn't want to get stuck half way. It was lovely to see our dogs.
On Thursday our friend Rex took us and kayaks to Hoods  Landing where we left and were hoping to kayak to Mercer. We had a tail wind which got stronger and scary  as we paddled along. One of the local river boaties said the wind was going to get to 35 knots with a Metre swell so we made the call to pull out at Tuakau Bridge as I was stuffed and Wayno was feeling pretty unstable in his boat. Our friend Rex dropped us at Meremere and we trekked on for a further 8km and set up camp for the night on farmland next to the Waikato River. We had rain on and off over night.
The next day Friday we had a long day walked 28 km to Huntly along the river banks. We have stayed two nights at the camp ground here in Huntly. What a great place to stay. Carol and Dave here are great ambassadors of the TA Trail and look after you well.
Today we did the Mt Hakarimata trail from Huntly to Ngarawhahia. Great walk 9km.
Tomorrow we are on the road again.

10 November

Auckland! Sorry for long gap in blog. We have been busy walking and eating! We have found ourselves being quite tired over the last few days but we did expect to hit the wall sometime about now and we certainly did.                   After Urquhart Bay we couldn't get a boat ride across the harbour so we got a ride to Whangarei and then hitched to Uretiti Beach walked down the beach to Waipu where we met up again with Frannie  and Matt 2 Alaskans we had met on the Trail a few times we then road walked for awhile got a ride to Langs Beach and coastal walked down to Manghawai so we were pretty stuffed after that. We stayed the night at Alan's place which is a musician who accommodates for backpackers in his 100 year old kauri house. Interesting conversations and he played his guitar for us was great.      The next day we walked about 32km from Manghawai along Pakiri Beach along the road then climbed up steep farmland for a few kms and camped in a pine plantation at the top.  It was so cold that we had had food and were in bed by 6 pm! That is our record so far! Pretty normal to go to bed about 7.30 pm.
The next day was Thursday and our son Sean was having some snow in Waiouru.  We damn well felt like we were having snow too! It was cold windy and wet and we never felt warm even with our coats on. It was our worst day physically and mentally.  We stayed at Dome valley  that night. On the Friday we walked almost to Puhoi not realizing beforehand that it was all road walking either tarseal metal or forestry roads! Road  walking really really really sucks and kills our feet. We got a lift to Puhoi from a nice guy called Ray and he is doing the same trail in a different way. He has a ute with a detachable mobile home and a mountain bike. He drives round drops off his bike then walks the bush and mountain bikes the roads clever man avoids all that road walking. We do some road walking but will accept a lift for parts of it as it really does bugger our feet and we want to enjoy the bush walking without pain.
We spent the night at Puhoi then left our packs there and walked the new Puhoi Track which is a well made 5 km track that is part of the trail. We then walked short bit of Highway 1 to Wenderholm and thankfully got a ride. That was a very scary walk!
We then walked at low tide round from Waiwera down to Silverdale on the beach mostly. Did about 24km that day caught a bus to Constellation Drive and spent a lovely night with Wayne's brother Chris and sister-in-law Fleur. More lovely food  a shower and bed and even a rugby replay of ABS game what luxury. As I have said Northland and Auckland have been a bit of luxury compared to what is coming!
Yesterday we then walked the North Shore Coastal Walk from Browns Bay to Devonport. Spectacular scenery spectacular weather and about a million people! We aren't use to that!
Spent the night at Blockhouse Bay with my friend Olwyn and her partner Harry and about to get a boat ride across harbour to Awhitu with Harry.
WAIUKU here we come. Can't wait to see everyone.

3 Nov

Urquhart Bay today. Both feeling pretty tired today. Staying at my brother and sister-in-law bach here. Thanks Greg and Jackie for the use of their bach lovely rest spot on the beach front here at Urquhart Bay.               We left Paihia on 30th October and got a boat ride up the Waikare Inlet then walked on the road for a few kms then had to walk up a stream for 4km which was great fun nice and cool on my feet. I am still suffering with blisters but think they are slowly improving. We camped at a Doc site that night was cold. The next day we road walked for quite a way got a lift for 9km which was great as road walking sucks. It kills my feet. Then we continued walking for further 7 km road then 13km bush walk to Whananaki North. Big day pretty stuffed at the end. We stayed at the camp ground there. What a great place. The managers there were awesome. Had home made hamburger chips and beer for  $12 then we got apple pie and cream and bread and spreads for breakfast. We will be the only TA walkers going home fatter than when we left!  The next day we walked 24km to Ngunguru coastal road and bush another hard day. My other brother Rob picked us up at Ngunguru and took us back to his and my sister -in-law Vicki's house where we had BBQ salads pudding shower and a bed! Northland has been treating us extremely well. We have met so many amazing friendly and generous people. We have met a lot of TA walkers, all bar 1 kiwi are from overseas. NZ is such a small place. We have met with childhood neighbors, friends of friends from Waiuku, cousins of my children's friends, friends of my brothers and all these are just people who have picked us up or we have got into random conversation with.     Yesterday we either could do a 40km road walk or a kayak trip guess which we chose! LOL.  So yes kayak we did 15 to 20km from Ngunguru to taiharuru. Was a fantastic trip. Weather was perfect tail wind lunch provided. Then we beach walked Ocean Beach 9km. After that we got a ride 4km over the hill to Urquhart Bay where we are now. Today we have done the Te Whare Walk which is part of the trail from Ocean Beach to Urquhart bay climbing up to Lyon Rock. This walk is tough but one of the most spectacular walks we have ever done with 360 degree views of the coast and Whangarei harbour. We did it without our packs which was great. Was raining a lot but we managed to see the views before the rain started. Tomorrow we are hoping to get a boat ride across to Marsden Point and begin our journey down the east coast to Auckland.