The main focus while in New Zealand was Te Araroa - a long distance walking track that goes the length of NZ but there were several periods of time when I wasn't on the track. I arrived in New Zealand on the 31st of October - only slight issue was that I thought it was the 30th!! Oops! International Dateline mess up!! Only realised when the captain announced it halfway into the flight - very embarrassing! Plus my Kiwi friend Barbara was waiting for me at Whangarei bus station wondering where the hell I was - still in Rarotonga was the answer!!
Anyway I eventually got there! It was a warm welcome from Barbara - we hadn't met since my last trip to NZ in 2010.
 |
| Eventually I get to Whangarei! |
 |
| Whangarei |
This time she played a vital part in my Te Araroa preparations by helping me get kitted out and acting as "Basecamp" during my tramp. Luckily I was able to leave most of my belonging as hers while I took my small backpack on the track with me - and was able to send stuff back to her when it was too heavy! She even took me to the airport at the beginning of my tramp and then whizzed all my stuff down to Auckland for me when I was leaving after my tramp - real Kiwi hospitality that I will always be grateful for! Thanks Barbara!
I spent the first few days in NZ in Whangarei - sorting out my kit and buying food. I took a little 5 km walk around Whangarei with Barbara on the day before I set off for Cape Reinga - it was the first time I had a loaded pack on my back!! The next day I would be carrying it 12km - the day after 30km!! Talk about a fast learning curve... On that 5km walk doubts started creeping into my head - can I carry this heavy pack for 1500km? ...and it wasn't even full!! Well there was no going back - I had committed 4 months to it - what else was I going to do?!!
 |
| Barbara and I |
 |
| Sunset over Whangarei |
 |
| Classic Kiwi Approach to Life! |
 |
| Manuka Tree |
 |
| Yet another great Northland beach - Ruakaka |
 |
| Sorting out my kit |
 |
| The pack is packed - all 18kg of it!! |
This was the first time I wore the fully loaded pack - the day before travelling up to 90 mile beach - a 5km walk around Whangarei - probably not the most intensive preparation for the TA there's ever been!!
Would loved a good night's sleep but it was not to be - next day I would be starting a challenge the like of which I had never faced before...
