Te Araroa Pt. 5

Day 12

Day 12, 29 Nov 17

As stated previously I am writing this on the next day.

Today I started walking from the hut down to Kerikeri. I was still tired and aching from all the forest business but I had my hopes high for a few days of good rest in town. Also I would be entering farmland on this section! And after a boring breakfast of pasta and cheese, I set off.

The first section was just me passing by lots of timid sheep, I think I must have gotten lost somewhere because I got into a really wet and marshy section and got my feet wet. Note to self: shortcuts are rarely rewarding. So I trudged on in my wet boots, being slightly annoyed. After this was more mud and more farm. Then I climbed onto a hill, got lost, and got shocked by electric fence. After some wandering, wondering and just straight bashing to find the trail, I finally made it down, Then I followed the trail down to the amazing Rainbow Falls. I was really tired by now, and slowly dragged on to a nice lodge,where I found out they had no rooms left. Great.

Learnt a few lessons today: do not take dodgy shortcuts, call lodging beforehand, and do not assume all ropes are ok to grab.

Day 13

Day 13, 30 Nov 17

Stayed here and rested. Pretty uneventful day. Went shopping a little, explored the town a little, cooked a little, ate a lot.

Tomorrow I'm starting hiking again. Who knows where and when I will be able to stop for a rest like this again. I sure hope I don't encounter forests like thos that I've crossed in the past few days. Hopefully everything will be smooth sailing. Again so hopeful. With hope comes disappointment. I am not sure what is best. To be hopeless or to be hopeful? Anyway it is all pointless. Here is a quote from Aurelius: "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.". And thus with or without hope you must move on to meet the future. The best would be to hope for a better future, but be always living in the reality of now, and be steeled against any strike dealt by life.

I leave for the night.

<Little shop with books and books and books!>
<Bought a salami today. Never tried these things before.>
<Bought a new pack today! It's huge!>

Day 14

Day 14, 1 Dec 17

Forgot to write again.

Today was a pretty boring walk through a forest to get to Paihia. I was grateful it was a proper road though -- even if it meant being boring. My new pack is impossibly comfortable though my legs feel like its heavier. It was supposed to be an easy walk but I felt really tired at the end. Couold it be that it's too heavy? Or maybe I haven't have had enough breaks? Also a sharp pain at my left hip kept surfacing and that really slowed me down.

However when I got to Paihia my spirits rose because it was absolutely beautiful. The sea, the beach, the wind! I immediately wanted to kayak the next section. Even though it is expensive (compared to a $1 ferry), it would mean amazing views and less walking.

I would have stayed here an extra day but there were others doing the kayak and it would be cheaper to follow them so I did. Also setting off later would mean the tide coming in too late and apparently that affects the kayaking somehow.

So it begins, more forests!

<The sea!>
<Xmas Parade!>

Thoughts

This section was pretty relaxing after the shenanigans in the forest. I got to eat a ton of meat, and swapped my cheese for other stuff like salami. I also got a new pack because my old one had a hole in it. My new pack, Tatonka Bison 90+10, is a true legend. I have dragged it for so long and with so much stuff in it and yet it is still perfectly fine. Meanwhile my Gregory was squeaking and complaining all the while (literally) and holes started forming. Also the massive straps and pads make sure you feel none of the load.

During this period the first signs of injury surfaced. This would plague me all the way till the end of my journey and last a few more months afterwards. A sharp pain will shoot up the side of my legs randomly as I walked, but it quickly reset after sitting down for even 10 seconds. Rubbing the spot also triggered it. I diagnosed it to be caused by the pressure of the pack on some nerve (due to the hip belt), but I'm no doctor.

Anyway this section was pretty enjoyable. Did I mention the Christmas parade in Paihia? Really lucky to have reached there on the exact day they were holding it! It is also a really toursity town so the whole place was bustling all day.