Day 69: Koitiatia to Bulls (31km, 8 hours)

Surprisingly, I got a reasonable amount of sleep, despite the fellow campers. I was up at 5:30am and on the road an hour later.

Well, on the beach anyway. The trail continued 13km further down the boneyards - which brought back a few memories of the start of my TA along 90 Mile Beach, three years ago. I plodded away, not much variation apart from the occasional fisherman. Beach walking takes its toll with the soft sand, and after 13km I was already tired.

That’s supposed to be my footsteps. Not sure if I blame the iPhone or the photographer. 

OK, how did Simon get chips and sauce in the middle of a remote beach? (Actually it’s a Squirm)

Eventually I found the path off the beach, hidden behind the driftwood and logs. It was an overgrown 4WD track through private iwi-owned forest, and after an hour emerged into - you guessed it - more roads. Another 14km of roads to go!

10am pic: Finally leaving the beach. Bye, Boneyards

My first OSM bar of the trip. If you can make out the Best Before date, it says 16 Apr 23. It must have been left over from last summer. Yes, it was awful.

But by now I was starting to struggle. It was hot. My feet and hips were sore. I’d developed a rather large blister, possibly from sand in my shoe. And I was very tired. I guess I was paying the price for two big days in a row. For the last two hours I just plodded along, counting the kilometres and trying to ignore the heat and my various aches and pains. 

Are we there yet? The problem with straight roads is that the end seems very far away

Eventually I came to the turnoff to where I’m staying tonight. Mike and Jo are trail angels who have set up a little hut and camp area for TA hikers at the bottom of their property. No need to pitch my tent tonight! I headed straight for the hut and crashed for at least an hour. They provided a beer, and even shared their roast lamb dinner with me and another TA hiker who arrived shortly after. Thanks so much Mike and Jo!

My home tonight

After dinner I chatted to the fellow hiker Cassie, and updated my blog from the hut - a rather slow process with the limited reception. My blister is a bit worrying - just as well it’s a shorter hike into Fielding tomorrow. Anyway, time for bed now. It’s been a big day - much harder than yesterday, even though it was a similar distance. Let’s see how my body is holding up in the morning.

Today’s route