Reflections

It’s only been a day and a half since I reached home. I’ve been catching up with Paul, resting my feet, and very slowly starting to unpack my pack and put things away.

Starting to unpack

It’s good to be back to the comforts of home. Already normal life is returning, but my TA hike seems to be quickly fading. It’s hard to believe now that I was on the road for almost a month. Getting on that Intercity bus to Kaitaia seems so long ago.

I’m glad I have this blog to look back over, and remind me what I did. Thank you to everyone who was interested in following my journey. I read every comment, and it was incredibly helpful to know that people were thinking of me and cheering me on. 

I’ve been reflecting on the last month, and what I got out of it. Paul asked me yesterday, was there joy? It’s a good question. Here are some of my highlights.

The start. I remember looking down the coast from Cape Reinga at the unknown, and beginning my first steps, not knowing what was out there or how I would cope.

The scenery. The views south from Cape Reinga. Wading upstream in the Puketi Forest. Walking around the Mangawhai Heads cliffs. Kayaking down the Puhoi river. 

The challenge. Making it down 90 Mile Beach. Reaching the Raetea forest summit. Continuing to hobble on when I had injured shins and sore feet. Managing to Ford the Okura river. Reaching home.

My thoughts. I felt very isolated and alone - in the entire trip, I met almost no other TA walkers; and I only spent 45 minutes walking in the company of others (thanks to Greg, Darian and Frank on Ruakaka Beach). The rest of the time was just me with my thoughts, for days on end. Some of those have seeped out in this blog. My mind often wandered into strange and existential places and unexpected emotions. I cried frequently. It was a cathartic experience.

Lastly, and very importantly, the brief interactions with others along the way. Because these were so infrequent, they were all the more meaningful. And I was constantly struck by the unexpected kindness of strangers - whether wrapping a present for me on Christmas Eve, offering me dinner or a beer, or just sitting together and talking for a while. Thank you so much, to you all.

So - perhaps not quite joy, as such. But certainly, fulfilment. 

Paul also asked - what about the future? Will I continue with the Te Araroa? It’s another good question that I’ve been thinking about. My goal was to hike from Cape Reinga to Auckland - so in my mind, this journey had a clear end, and I’ve reached it. I don’t feel that there is unfinished business, that I need to continue on to Bluff to complete the whole TA. 

Yet... I’m aware that maybe some day, I might want a new adventure. And I know there are plenty more opportunities down the Te Araroa trail, waiting for me if I want them. So, this particular adventure is over. But maybe it’s not goodbye to the TA. Perhaps one day we’ll meet again. 

January 13, 2021

Day 28: Stillwater to Auckland (35km, 12 hours)

I was very slow getting out of my sleeping bag this morning. Hard to believe, this was going to be the last day of my big adventure. 

I packed up my backpack for the last time. I knew I couldn’t cross the Okura river/estuary until late morning, but rather than hang around the motor camp for several more hours I thought I’d rather wait at the river and watch the tide go out. So, I headed off at about 8am. 

A fairly gentle hour’s walk around a coastal trail took me to Dacre Point, where I sat on a rock and watched the tide. Low tide was at 12:20pm, so I figured I need to wait until at least 11am before trying to cross.

This is where I have to wade across - let’s hope it’s easier at low tide!

My final 10am pic: sitting on my rock. I may as well eat my last OSM bar.

By 11am the tide had dropped a long way, revealing a sandbar that stretched most of the way across. I decided to make my move. I knew I was going to get very wet, so everything including my phone was sealed up inside my (hopefully!) waterproof liner. Wading out across the sandbar was the easy part - but there was a final channel that I had to ford, to get to the other side. I picked the narrowest point and with my pack balanced on my head, I waded out. Before long the water was up to my mouth, and I had to double back. I tried three more times at other places nearby, each time I was forced to turn back.

In the end I broke open my pack to consult my phone and the TA app. It turned out I was several hundred metres off the ideal crossing point! Further up the sandbar the channel was wider, but it turned out the water was shallower here. With pack on head again I was finally able to make it across, with the water up to chest level.

Sadly, there are no action pics - my phone was stashed back in my pack throughout. After drying off and changing clothes, it was 12:00 and I was ready to head off again.

Success!

A fairly easy trail led over the cliff tops and around to Long Bay, then down the East Coast Bays all the way home. But this was still a 30km walk. It would be a long afternoon. 

Looking down at Long Bay

Long Bay, Torbay, Browns Bay, Rothesay Bay, Murray’s Bay, Mairangi Bay, Campbells Bay, Castor Bay, Milford Beach, Takapuna Beach... I’d forgotten how lovely the beaches and the views are up here. But I was on a mission, and kept striding on. By mid afternoon the sun was hot and my feet were starting to hurt.

Lunch stop in Browns Bay

... washed down by another, um, orange juice.

Stunning views of Rangitoto - this one from Murray’s Bay.

Castor Bay, and my first view of Sky Tower. I’m getting closer!

Just before reaching Takapuna Beach I met Katherine - another TA walker! She was walking in the other direction, and we stopped for a brief chat. It was good to finally feel that I wasn’t the only one. 

At the Takapuna Beach Cafe I stopped for ice cream. Pear and Nelsonberry sorbet - the best ice cream I can remember for a long time, especially given how hot and exhausted I was by now. And while sitting by the beach eating my ice cream, who should come up to say hi but one of my teaching colleagues, Rachel. Nice to see a familiar face!

Walking down Takapuna Beach

After Takapuna, the route veered through roads for a while, before emerging back to Narrowneck and Cheltenham beaches. It was getting late in the afternoon now, but I was still on a mission, power-walking (or power-hobbling) steadily and making better progress than I’d expected. On Cheltenham I stopped to chat with Ed, who had helped build some of the TA tracks up north and was keen to see TA walkers. And at the end of Cheltenham on North Head, a lovely elderly couple Ed and Angela invited me over and offered me a beer. I chatted to them for 15 minutes - it turns out their daughter Samantha Symes will be at Western Springs College this year.

A road block going around North Head! I had to double back and climb up over the top instead.

Finally I was at the Devonport ferry terminal. Time to put away my walking poles, and put on my face mask for the 7:15pm ferry trip over the harbour. I had a lump in my throat.

Goodbye, Devonport. 

Arriving downtown.

I walked up Queen St with mixed feelings. I’d been keen to get home and walking as quickly as possible all day, but the closer I got to home, the slower I walked. I started stopping every minute or two and looking back at where I’d come from. I wanted to be home, but I didn’t want the adventure to finish.

I hadn’t been singing anything particular all day. But the song that finally came to mind as I walked over Hopetoun St bridge was the very first one of my trip - Supertramp’s “Two Of Us”. Fitting that it was also the last. The words were even more appropriate at the end. I had my last little cry walking up to the apartment.

Finally, my journey was at an end. Goodbye, Te Araroa!

8pm, and about to ring the intercom to the apartment.

Paul was there to greet me, with spag bol and bubbles as promised!

A shower and change of clothes, and I was feeling more human.

Good to finally be back home with Paul. Cheers!

I can’t believe it’s suddenly all over! I’ll need time to reflect on what I’ve done, and I’ll do a final post in the next day or two with my thoughts. But for now, it’s good to finally be home!

Day 27: Puhoi to Stillwater (32km, 9.5 hours)

Pip’s little backpackers loft is definitely the cosiest of anywhere I’ve stayed the entire trip (apart from at Tom and Blair’s!). It has tea/coffee, a microwave, wifi, comfy beds, dishes and cutlery - even a little deck with solar powered fairy lights at night.

However despite that, I found it hard to fall asleep. I was thinking about the last two big days ahead. And I’d had a coffee at 4pm (did I say it was plunger coffee?). And I was still hungry. I remembered there was still a little peanut butter left, so I got up, had the last few teaspoons, and looked at the stars for a while. The Pleiades/Matariki were the brightest I’ve seen them.

In the morning, the song in my mind as I was packing was “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” - the Bette Midler version, from Beaches. I sometimes analyse the music in my mind (a bit like analysing dreams, or inkblots). It certainly wasn’t looking like much chance of rain today. But, beaches have been a feature of this trip, and there’s another one coming up today with my old home town Orewa. “Human kindness is overflowing” is a line from the song that I remember, and that’s been an important theme too. And, the song was used in the movie to mark an ending. I think, after having my sights set on getting home the last few days, I’m starting to realise my big adventure is almost finished. I thought of my musings in Kaitaia about beginnings and endings. I want to be home, but it’s sad thinking that this journey is about to end.

I was off at 7am, for the first leg of today’s route - a kayak down the Puhoi river. Mark and Deb run the Puhoi river kayak business - Mark kitted me up and by 7:45am I was on the river, paddling 8km to Wenderholm. I had the entire river to myself, just me and some herons - it was stunningly beautiful and very peaceful. And I wasn’t using my legs for a change!

Heading off down the river

Wish you were here Paul!

Mark and Deb met me at the other end to collect the kayak, and it was walking time again. The track went around the Wenderholm cliff tops, with some great views, before dropping back to the main road and the bridge to Waiwera.

View looking back at the Puhoi river mouth

10am pic: time for a second breakfast, outside the Waiwera dairy. Not the healthiest of food choices, I admit.

Waiwera thermal pools, long closed. I remember going down those water slides 40 years ago. I feel old!

I was hoping to call in and say hi to Shaun’s friend Win, who lives nearby, but it looked like he wasn’t home. Never mind - I needed to keep moving to catch the low tide to walk around the rocks to Orewa.

I ended up chatting on Waiwera beach to Helen and Melissa, who were sitting drinking coffee watching the world go by. It turns out Melissa is the sister-in-law of another colleague of mine from Western Springs College, Heather. Yet more proof it’s a small world!

Helen and Melissa - thanks for the chat!

Me on Waiwera beach. And, horses!

Walking around the rocks for several kilometres, to Orewa.

When I finally got to Orewa beach later, I realised I’d missed the photo opportunity from the lookout above the beach. It was only a short climb back up the hill, but worth it to get a good picture.

Orewa beach. My home, when I was in my teens

In Orewa town, having - umm - an orange juice? (Ok, it was a hazy IPA)

Continuing on down Orewa beach.

At the end of the beach, the route crossed the bridge and turned to follow the estuary cycle trail - Mum and Dad, you must have cycled this dozens of times! For the rest of the afternoon though it was a pretty uneventful 13km road walk, up through Silverdale and then back to the coast at Stillwater.

My feet were sore as I finally arrived at the Stillwater Motor Camp, my home for the night (and possibly my last stopover of my TA hike!). There’s a different crowd here from other holiday parks I’ve stayed at - quite a few semi-permanent caravans, camper vans, even buses; and not so many campers or families. They have an unused hall and some mattresses especially for TA trampers, at no cost. So I won’t be spending my last night in my little tent after all!

Cooling my heals in the sea at the end of the campground.

My home for tonight. Yes, it’s basic. But it’s free!  And once again, I’m the only TA tramper here.

Melissa and Helen had spotted another TA tramper passing by in Waiwera, several hours before I came by. So I was hoping there would be a fellow traveller here. But, no such luck - he probably made it a bit further down the trail today, so I guess I’m unlikely to see him. 

I needed to put my feet up for an hour or two, they were getting pretty sore. After that, dinner was a couple of samosas, from the last shop I passed as I was leaving Silverdale. 

Tomorrow is probably going to be my last day of my big adventure! But it’s not going to be easy. I have to start with wading chest-deep across the estuary to Long Bay, which I can only do at low tide - so I will have to wait for midday tomorrow before I can cross. Then, there will be 35km or so of walking down the eastern coast, to get home - the most I will have hiked on any day of this trip. And with the late start, it means I’ll be getting home well after dark. So, a big day coming up! Time to get my beauty sleep.

Day 26: Dome Valley to Puhoi (25km, 8 hours)

The music playing in my mind these days seems to be increasingly bizarre. And very retro. I was recalling fragments of “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” by Neil Diamond as I was packing up my tent this morning. I was off at about 6:30am.

Today was long, but not too arduous. And the trail varied a lot, which was nice but a bit of a test of navigation. Initially it was an overgrown road, with the grass so high and covered in dew that my shorts and shoes were drenched. Then a narrow trail through bush, until it popped out on a gravel road.

The view south from the gravel road, still misty.

Then some road walking for a while, crossing Kaipara Flats Rd along the way, before turning up a driveway and through private farmland. Over various stiles, through a couple of gates, around a snorting bull, and across some hay fields.

He was giving me the evil eye. I gave him a wide berth. Though as I had to go directly behind him, maybe it wasn’t that wide.

More grass, head-high at times.

Back into an old gravel forestry road, going up to the top of Moirs Hill. Rather relentlessly up, for over an hour. 

My 10am pic: almost finished grinding my way up Moirs Hill. I’m headed for that transmission tower in the distance.

Looking back down the hill, towards Kaipara.

I finally passed the summit, where it was down a little trail under ferns and native bush. Then roads. Then another trail. Then through more farmland. The route was fairly complex - I had to keep checking my notes and my TA app to be sure I was on track.

More trails!

Lunch break, under Sugarloaf Rock, looking out east. That’s almost the last of my food.

What I was looking at!

Finally I ended up at the Puhoi Track, the final 5km stretch to Puhoi. Over a swing bridge, then through some native forest, along a nicely maintained path. And up (and down) lots of steps - I hadn’t counted on that!

My first swing bridge this trip. But it was pretty sturdy. The wobbly ones are always more fun.

Looking down into Puhoi. But what’s that crowd?

I was getting pretty tired by the time I got to Puhoi. I’d heard that the Woodchopping Championships were being held here today, and sure enough Puhoi was heaving. There were hundreds of people outside the old Puhoi Pub drinking and watching the action, including some interesting characters (I saw at least one Mongrel Mob member, full face tattoo and patch on display). I’d been visualising a cold beer, but the queues at the pub were huge - I gave it a miss, and had a lemonade at the general store instead.

I was staying at a local backpackers, a kilometre out of town. The owner Pip drove past as I was walking there, just as well as I’d missed the driveway. She has a little cottage dorm for backpackers, on the edge of a farm, with all the amenities you would want, and just me in it today. Plus various chickens, pigs, horses, etc.

The locals came to say hi. I think they sleep under my dorm.

My room for the night. Comfy!

Pip offered me a hot shower in her house, and very kindly gave me four eggs and a bowl of plums. With me virtually out of food, and my sore feet not feeling like walking back to the store to restock, that’s dinner sorted. Thanks Pip! (I just have 1 OSM bar and a little granola left, that will have to do for breakfast tomorrow - but I can get something mid-morning at the Waiwera dairy if I need to, and then top up as I pass through Orewa).

I settled in to do some washing, air my tent, have dinner, write my blog, and rest my feet. Only 2 more days till I’m home!

Day 25: Govan Wilson Rd to Dome Valley (15km, 7.5 hours)

It was still raining this morning. Time to break out the wet weather gear, and head to Dome Valley.

I texted a thank you to Karen as I left, and waved goodbye to their house as I headed on my way. Another tear in my eye, that’s happened a lot over the last few weeks. (Though Karen and Hamish have a business in Greenlane, so I may well pop by and see them again when I’m back!).

It was raining steadily as I turned off onto the trail. It followed an overgrown dirt road, then became a little bush track, pretty dark and damp in the rain. I was already getting drenched, and was worried my phone might be too, so I took a pic and then stashed it in my pack for most of the morning. So, not many photos today. 

Already soaking wet. Note to self: get better rain trousers!

After a while the trail wound down to a stream, and followed alongside it for several kilometres.

10am pic: time for an OSM bar, under a tree by the stream.

By 10am it looked like the rain was easing. No, false alarm - it just got heavier. Supertramp’s “If Everyone Was Listening” started going round in my head, and stuck with me for the rest of the morning.

For the next couple of hours the trail started going up, and getting tougher - lots of roots, and multiple ups and downs. Luckily there were plenty of orange triangles, so I didn’t need my TA app too much for this. I was walking under all sorts of native trees - totara, rimu, kauri, pungas - and there would have been the occasional great views of the Mahurangi at times, if it wasn’t for the rain and cloud. But mostly I was just plodding along feeling very wet. 

I knew there was a steep and clambery climb to the Dome trig point, and eventually I came to it. You know if it’s a trig point there has to be some pain getting there, and there was. But I realised that when they said “steep and clambery” they were really talking about the descent on the other side, which was really precarious. It took me about 10 minutes to go about 20 metres, sliding down rocks and climbing down slippery muddy footholds.

By now the rain had finally (mostly) stopped. One final ascent to the Dome Lookout, and then it was well maintained paths all the way down to SH1, through more native forest. I’d been hearing the traffic in the distance for almost an hour.

Looking south from Dome Lookout

The trail came out at Dome Valley tea rooms (now closed), not far from Sheepworld on SH1 north of Warkworth. Luckily there was a functioning loo there - so I still haven’t had to use my poo trowel! 

There was nose to tail traffic heading south on the road to Auckland, after their summer holidays - it took a while to find a gap to cross the road. A couple more kilometres up a gravel road on the other side, and I found a piece of grass where a friendly farmer allows campers.

Home for the night. And time to do some drying!

There was a cellphone tower not far away, so I have perfect coverage! And surprisingly, enough battery left to catch up with my blogs for the last few days. Unfortunately, there’s no water here - but I think I’m carrying enough to get me through to Puhoi, as long as I’m careful.

Sandwiched between a cell tower and a farm shed (with chickens!

I’m at the 494km mark today. 92km to go! Three more big days, and I could be home.