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.