Days 9 and 10

Day 9. Puketi Forest Park to Kerikeri (28km)

Today started getting out of a real bed to the spectacular view of Opito Bay from Axsel and Susan’s house. No OSM bar or burnt porridge for breakfast instead real muffins and cheese! 

Oyster boat waiting to unload at Opito Bay

Axsel dropped me back pretty much exactly where he picked me up yesterday, so no shortcuts here (yet).

From the camp there was a short road walk then the trail went into a farm. A bit of a dilemma at the stile, one sign said closed and TA walkers to detour via the road, the other sign said closed from August until 24 September. I decided to believe the latter sign (despite it being smaller, older and less prominent) and started across the farm. 

Second paddock had perhaps 100black steers in it that crowded around the stile meaning I was effectively surrounded as I climbed it. 

Cattle waiting at the stile

I believe they may have been students of Sun  Tzu (The Art of War) as after I pushed through them about half continued to crowd me from behind while the other ran down a gully and emerged ahead of me. The perfect military pincer movement!! 

While I’m not troubled by cattle I can see how foreign (and maybe some Kiwi) TA walkers could find this somewhat frightening.  

I thought I was careful following the trail through the farm but unfortunately somewhere went wrong and given there were no real way-points and every paddock had a gate in and a gate out I was a fair way off course before it became apparent I was lost. Followed a farm race the ran in the general direction I was going only to be met by a farm worker who advised I was the third one he’d set straight today. Seems Ding and Tahlia made the same error. 

I  caught up with Ding not long after the farm and he and I walked together for a couple of hours. 

Ding and I in a happy moment before the navigation issue

Navigation challenge two for the day came when we emerged on the main road and Ding thought we should go left and I thought right. Because I had the app and he didn’t he believed me (big mistake) so we trudged along for a km or so before I rechecked and realised I’d totally cocked up. So tail between legs U-turn and back we go!

Not long further on we came across a seriously fancy Thai restaurant and decided despite our being hot, dusty, pretty scruffy and probably smelly we’d stop there. A great choice, had a fabulous  Thai lunch, cold beer and meant I could repay Ding for having him walk an additional two kms in the hot sun. 

It’s not all dehydrated food and tea out here!

After lunch the trail follows the Kerikeri river all the way to the stone store on the outskirts of Kerikeri. A lovely walk in the shade amongs beautiful natives but somewhat longer than expected. 

Falls on the Kerikeri river

Kerikeri stone store, NZ’s oldest stone building

We finally got to the Hone Heke backpackers (our chosen resting  spot for the night) at about 4.00. So all in all another long day. 

Decided to eat in so while we were getting dehydrated food in town got a couple of heat and eat pizzas and a six pack of beer. 

Day 10 Kerikeri to Paihia then on to Orongo Bay (27km)

A pretty long day but not a lot to report on the walk. 

Robin (I’ve spelt her name wrong to date!) and I walked together today. I think Ding was feeling a bit weary. 

No sign of Tahlia who stayed with a trail angel just before the start of the Kerikeri river walkway so had an additional 4km or so to catch up. 

The route today took us through the Waitangi Forest and down past the treaty grounds at Waitangi. The forest road was long and undulating but conducive to good progress.

Our first view of Bay of Islands and Paihia

We did call in to the treaty grounds but unfortunately you now need to pay and preferably go on a tour so decided to box on Paihia for lunch. Frankly the lure of a beer and burger was at that time of the day greater than New Zealand history!

After lunch checked into the backpackers and I wandered down to talk to the kayak guy about getting four kayaks to go to Waikere tomorrow. By way of background the TA has a few water sections in it.  This one is optional a 3hr kayak paddle or a 21km road walk, frankly no contest!

Unfortunately the kayak guy had earlier in the day told his mate who brings the packs and collects the kayaks he cold go fishing tomorrow so that threw a spanner in the works.  Given he could have charged us $100 each I though he might have offered to get his mate to cancel fishing but no chance.  Seems despite the dire situation up here with lack of tourists fishing trumps everything!

By the time I got back to the backpackers, after failing to get a haircut (seems the sole barber in town has had a unsuccessful  kidney transplant) Ding and Tahlia had arrived.  Issues were compounded with Tahlia’s resupply package having got lost in the local mail system (she’s sending boxes of food etc. to herself c/o the post offices whereas I’m just winging it with shops).

I decided I couldn’t face and over 30km day tomorrow so have left the others and come over we to Russell and walked about 5km out of town to the Orongo Bay camp ground.  Felt really sad leaving them after a great few days and we might yet reunite but as the saying goes you’ve got to trek your own trek.

Leaving Paihia on the ferry

I needed to resupply in Paihia but frankly the shops in town are very limited so will be pretty average fare for the next 6 days.

So with all the mucking around in Paihia managed to turn what should have been an easy day into a 13hr one and with carrying food for six days a pretty tough one.

Sorry for lack of photos today, just a mucky day.