Te Araroa: North Island Home Stretch

02.01.2020 Day 74 (22km)

I’m lying on an old cot in an empty church, as rain patters down on the roof. There are seven TA hikers using this place as a refuge tonight. Since the Christian School closed, the owners decided to start using the space as a shelter for hikers.

After six days in the bush, mostly covered in mud, I can’t decide which was better: the hot scone with jam and cream at the cafe or the hot shower at the church. 

Compared to the Tararuas, today’s hike was a breeze: an 800m climb up a fairly well maintained forest track, then down root stairs and through forestry land to a paved road. Though it was cloudy all day, the rain held off until I had reached the road leading to the church. 

Now, more than ever, I’m glad I didn’t do the side track through the Tararuas. Hiker hunger has depleted most of my food so I definitely didn’t have enough. Also since the weather has turned, I might have had to stay an extra night to wait out the storm. Thank you instincts for convincing me to stick to the traditional TA way. 

Day’s Highlights: The hot scone!

03.01.2020 Day 75 (40km)

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. It was 6pm, I had already walked 40km, and I knew I wanted a bed for the night. I also knew I didn’t really want to walk two 40km days in a row, which meant hiking another ten, so the next day would only be 30km. However, a note in Guthook said there were only tent sites at the camp 10km on, so if I walked on, I wouldn’t have a bed. Or maybe I could just keep walking through the night and then arrive in Wellington around midday, completely shattered but the hiking would be done. 

My indecision was silenced when a couple, who had literally just finished section hiking the South Island TA the day before, offered me a lift to a hostel 1.5km out of town. It was my second instance of trail magic that day. 

The first was when a woman named Sara, met me outside a dairy and offered to buy me an ice cream in exchange for trail stories. At that point it was the pick-me-up I had needed to push on to Plimmerton. 

The couple waved goodbye as they drove off. The day was turning out quite well until I was informed that the hostel was entirely booked and I would have to seek accommodation elsewhere. Every other option in town was upwards of $160 a night, which I was not willing to spend. A couple of the longer-stay guests offered me a seat as I weighed my options. 

The next camp was now 11.5km away instead of 10km, or I could spend a stupid amount of money, or I could walk through the night. After a day of mostly roads, a bit of beach, and a dash of cliffs, my feet were sore and swollen. The idea of more walking was soul crushing. One of the women offered me a lift, it was only a ten minute drive. I didn’t want to skip, but now it was just shy of seven o’clock, which meant if I walked I wouldn’t arrive until after nine. Not to mention the fact that I was knackered. 

After a couple minutes and a cup of coffee, I accepted the lift. It was a pleasant journey, and I found myself wishing I had more time to get to know this woman, who had survived brain surgery and had a lust for living. Yet before long I was getting out of her car and she was shoving five dollars into my hand for a morning coffee the next day. I simply can’t describe what it feels like to be the recipient of so much kindness. 

The camp manager gave me a bit of grief when I asked for a spot for the night. He had seen the car pull away, “Shouldn’t you be walking?” I laughed off his comment, suppressing the urge to ask him the last time he had a 40km day, after surviving the Tararuas, and hiking for over two months straight. Then I thanked him for the key and headed off to a real bed, turns out the comment in Guthook was wrong. 

Day’s Highlights: All of the kindness of others

04.01.2020 Day 76 (30km)

All I wanted was to get to Wellington. Then I could have a real rest, wash my clothes (which smelled sour), shower, and feel like a real human instead of hiker trash. The day began with a 500m climb up Colonial Knob, which wasn’t all too difficult and sported lovely views. It wasn’t until I reached the road section between Colonial Knob and Mt Kaukau that my energy and moral plummeted. 

I had been walking half the day, Wellington was still ages away, and the cafe I had hoped to stop at for a pick-me-up, was closed. With another hill in front of me, I dragged myself across the street where three angels stopped to have a chat. 

Anne and Larry had come back to visit their dear friend Anne (yes, two Annes). The three of them were out for a quick stroll and when they spotted me. We chatted for quite a while, and since they were all very familiar with the area, I asked if there was a good spot further up the road to pull over for lunch. They all began describing a flat patch near the top, when Anne 2 said, “Wait a minute, why don’t you come sit down inside and lunch.” After some mild protestations about being an inconvenience, I didn’t want to intrude on their reunion, it was settled. 

Two coffees and two hours later, I pried myself away from the table to continue hiking. Anne and Larry had been planning to summit Mt Kaukau that afternoon and offered to give me a lift. It would cut out about 5km of road walking and I would get to enjoy their company for a bit longer. I hugged Anne 2 goodbye, promising to drop by if I was ever in the area, and thanking her profusely for her generosity. 

The climb up Mt Kaukau wasn’t as strenuous as I had imagined, yet perhaps it was the two coffees and good company that made it fly by. Before I knew it, I was saying farewell to my new friends and heading down the other side of the mountain. 

Unlike Auckland, where the TA was nothing but roads, Wellington was full of forested areas and greenbelts. So I actually felt like I was on a trail, rather than in a city. I did, however, get lost a few times walking through the Botanical Gardens. 

The last bit of nature took me through a cemetery, which was divided in two by the main highway…so strange and unique. 

Day’s Highlights: The amazing afternoon with Anne, Larry, and Anne. 

05.01.2020 Day 77 (11km)

Eight hundred meters was all that stood between me and the terminus of the North Island TA. That and 130kph wind gusts that drove sand into my skin like tiny needles. With only eleven kilometers of city walk, I had elected to leave my pack at the hostel and power through it. Like the previous day, the track stuck to greenbelts and forested regions that were so characteristic of the city. 

The weather held back until the very end and I’m certain that if I had been wearing my pack, I would have fallen over. All I have to say is the final section was surprisingly beautiful AND I have officially finished hiking the North Island with 1620km under my feet. Here’s to the next 1380km. 

Day’s Highlights: Conquered the NI