Soaking it up

Days 5-12, Ahipara to Kerikeri

Kia ora e te whānau, I hope you’re all well in these early summer/winter days.

I’ve made it in one piece to Kerikeri where Dad and I are having a rest day today. Dad stayed on in Kaitaia for a few days to tend to his sore feet while I took on the Northland forests (Omahuta, Raetea and Puketī). A true support crew, he drove to some of the campsites I was staying at in a rental car and brought with him fresh apples. Though I would have loved to have walked these challenging parts with him, it worked out okay in the end and now we’re excited to start the next section down the east coast together.

It’s still sinking in that I’ve walked, just one step at a time, the 225km between Cape Reinga and Kerikeri. I think my body’s catching up with what I’m putting it through, and the reality of life for the next few months is slowly settling in. Hiker Hunger may just be on its way… I’m forgetting what day of the week it is, my watch tan line is becoming stronger by the day, and clean socks are a commodity around here.

Life on the trail is certainly full of new adventures and though my mind is seemingly empty (in the best way) my heart is full. Each day we’re meeting the most grounded, salt-of-the-earth, generous people. The most enjoyable part about this journey is simply passing through places and spaces and just watching everyday Aotearoa as it happens. The trail is not without its challenges, however, and these past few days I’ve had a fair share which remind me I’m no longer in the ol’ Comfort Zone I’ve been hanging out in for a while. Steep learning curves and steep hills to climb.

Days 5 & 6 - Ahipara to Kaitaia (15km), rest day

First road walking stretch complete! I strangely feel safer walking on roads than cycling on them. I meandered from Ahipara to Kaitaia and marvelled at the amount of rubbish in the ditches along the highway. I passed a crew of awesome people picking up rubbish along the way, and made a note to self that some day I’d like to walk Te Araroa with the sole purpose of picking up rubbish. There’s been a fair bit of it. Also, my desensitisation to roadkill has begun.

After 15km of walking on the road shoulder, I limped into the main road of Kaitaia where I caught up to another figure slowly making their way down to the road, the gait of a person who’d just walked 4 days on sand - it could only be my father. We unpacked our stuff in a pretty empty but super clean backpackers.

Our rest day consisted of resupplying at Pak’n Save, op shopping for high vis gear for road walking, eating ice cream, stretching, and dad buying new boots, and planning for the next stretch of the walk.

Day 7 - Kaitaia to Takahue (17km)

What a long day. I said bye to Dad at the backpackers in Kaitaia and headed off with Gabriela. The trail notes recommend hitchhiking the first 5km of this leg, but the roads weren’t too busy and the shoulder was wide enough to walk on. Three kōtare/kingfisher joined us on our walk today. Kōtare are Dad’s favourite birds, so it was like he was there with us and leading the way.

The first half of the day passed like a gentle breeze. It was great to have Gabriela’s company and the sun was smiling on us. With a (perhaps too) confident step in our stride, we soon took a wrong turn and ended up taking a 2-hour detour down a beautiful country lane. Oops! That was my mistake for not checking the map.

Had we not taken the wrong turn, however, we would have not met some wonderful Takahue locals. Takahue is a quintessential Te Tai Tokerau town, nestled in a beautiful bushy valley on the border of the Raetea forest. As we stopped for a moment outside the community hall for a drink and snack, two cars pulled up outside and four people dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos stepped out. One woman was holding gumboots. Someone dressed as Fred Flintstone then popped his head out of the hall. It turns out we were crashing the ‘Hollywood meets Takahue’ night, a community dinner for the good people of Takahue. The event organisers let us sneak into the bathroom for water before we continued down the road. They must be so used to seeing TA walkers pass through.

Not long after we left the community hall, a young person sidled up next to us on his bike. He was called Ben and was the event organisers’ son. He told us about his five siblings, expressed sadness that he couldn’t go to the event that night because there was alcohol, how he wanted his mum to wear another dress tonight (the one she could dance in better) and how he knew all the names of the trees around here. I noticed a compass and knife strapped to Ben’s wristband. This valley was his world, the trees his playground. He told us he wanted to live in Takahue in the future. I hadn’t met such a friendly, grounded person in a while.

The light was creeping low as we trudged up the last hilly 1.5km to camp. It had been 11 hours since we left Kaitaia. We were ready for bed and food. Setting up my tent, I noticed the end of my pole was not quite right. It had broken on one end. I fashioned a bivvy out of my walking poles and laughed/cried in embarrassment at the result. Then my stove failed to light. Kind Gabriela lent me hers. It was a stressful way to end an otherwise calm day, but I had a little cry in my claustrophobic attempt of a tent-thing and rested before the Big Day of Mud.

Day 8 - The Legendary Raetea Forest (18.5km)

Raetea forest has many infamous stories to its name, so I had mentally prepared for knee-deep mud in the days prior to this stretch. Luckily there had been a dry spell before, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. At the campsite we met another brave soul, Kale, about to embark through the forest and we all set off at different paces. Up, up, and up I climbed into the messy canopy of native bush. The track undulated after the first big climb, dipping in and out of sloshy mud pools and something resembling a marked track. There were plenty of orange markers so I never felt lost, and always a way around the deepest mud pits.

The rain hit hard at lunch time and I was becoming increasingly worried about where I’d sleep that night, with my tent hole having broken and my ineptitude for building bivvies. As I was problem-solving my way out of the situation (as you are forced to do now and then on this trail. I’d soon come to learn), I read a note another walker had left on the app about a caravan by the next campsite TA walkers could stay in. I sighed with relief and called the owners as soon as I got reception. The caravan was free! I pranced down the rest of the track and soon was picked up by Teryn and Trish, who had prepared the caravan for me — even with a bunch of homegrown bananas waiting on the table. I was so thankful for this bit of trail magic and a dry place to rest for the night. The cold outdoor shower and the chickens’ company outside all made the experience an overall memorable night.

With the bit of reception I had I called Dad, still in Kaitaia, and we arranged a plan to meet at the next campsite. All would be okay. I think I enjoyed this section so much because it reminded me of the Aorangi Forest Park in the Wairarapa, where I have happy memories of trail running.

These km markers in the Raetea Forest were sent from heaven

Day 9 - Mangamuka to Apple Dam (17km)

I left early in the morning and headed down the road to Mangamuka, another wonderfully rural town. The dairy is a bit famous on the trail, and I could see why: it is a blessing in the middle of a long road stretch. I bought a bag of ready salted chips, which would add an extra sprinkle of salty joy in my peanut butter lunch wraps in days to come. It was soon back on to open farm road through lush green pastures and bush-clad hills. The forest up here makes me so happy. A curious bunch of teenage cows ran up to me at one point and raced each other to the end of their pasture. I’m glad TA walkers provide them with such entertainment. The road became steep as I wound my way up to Omahuta Forest, and glimpsed the first of many young kauri trees who kept me company for the next stretch. Walking among these giants has been a dream of mine so this was a special moment for me, with their gangly branches and staunch trunks standing with me, a small moving dot in comparison.

I eventually made it up to Apple Dam, a “pretty but modest” campsite (to quote the trail notes). I quickly set up shelter in the mānuka trees as best I could and and waited in the drizzle for Dad to arrive. Sure enough, he arrived with a non-broken, dry tent! I was so relieved to see him, and have never been more grateful that my dad carries a two-person tent. Gabriela and Kale soon arrived after, and we spent the rest of the evening trying to keep things as dry as possible which was really hard because it rain relentlessly for the rest of the night and into the morning.

As miserable as it is being drenched, I quite enjoy the way that being exposed to the elements forces you to think practically and systematically. Character-building, I think they call it.

Day 10 - Puketī Forest (25km)

Another big, diverse day! Some walking-in-the-river walks, jungle bush-bashing, ridgeline gusts, and more kauri magic. This forest was my favourite part because of its diversity. There were a few sketchy parts i.e. clambering down a vertical bank straight into a gushing river and jumping over slippery ditches, but that wasn’t the worst. For me, the most uncomfortable part of this day was being confronted by the sight and smell of the dozens of beheaded possums dangling from traps every 20 metres or so. It was a stark reminder that while from the outset the forest seems to be thriving, there are many predator issues to address. I managed to avoid any close encounters with traps and focused on the beautiful surrounding palm groves.

The second reminder of the fragility of this ecosystem was the well-groomed boardwalk paths up between the mature kauri forest. Though this made walking up to the ridge much easier, it was symptomatic of how real the threat of kauri dieback is in these forests. Yet again I was overwhelmed at the magnificence and modesty of these trees, and felt a real connection to this trail. Soon I was up on the windy ridgelines and felt as I was back in Wellington. The rest of the walk lead me down a 9km gravel road, to the Puketī campsite. We splashed out and stayed in the hut there - the first hut I’ve stayed in with electricity and a microwave! Luxurious. It was good to be back with Dad and the other walkers. We ate a hearty meal of couscous, powdered mashed potato, beans and rice, and a semi-fresh capsicum, and then went to bed.

Days 11-12 - Puketī Lodge to Kerikeri (30km), rest day

Kerikeri is the place Dad and I left off to start Te Araroa when my aunty dropped us off there, so it felt like a real milestone walking past a somewhat familiar place again. Because I knew I’d have power at our accommodation, I decided to use my precious phone battery and listen to podcasts to pass the time today. I almost forgot how great podcasts are at bringing the world to you! I learned about the history of the semicolon, bilingualism, food waste, indigenous communities in Chile, and trail running in Tasmania.
The day passed fast and soon I met up with Kale and Gabriela, but not before stopping for some fresh strawberries from a roadside stall.
The Kerikeri river walk was so pleasantly easy compared to the past few days of bush navigation. We passed the Aniwaniwa Falls and the Stone Store, and passed through the township to the holiday park. I was so so so ready for a sit-down and to contemplate the last few days.

So far our rest day has consisted of organising a new tent pole (what a saga, but we’ll get there in the end!) and eating up. Dad has been so patient and supportive with me, and I love that we’re having this experience together (thanks for putting up with me Dad!) Today I’m enjoying soaking up the quiet buzz of the town. It’s weird to see everyone gearing up for Christmas, but myself not really knowing what the next few days hold. The next stretch takes us through Waitangi which I’m sure will be poignant, and down the east coast - more beach walking and estuary crossings. For now, I’ll leave you with a photo of this coincidentally (I’m guessing?) trans pride letter box spotted in Waipapa that made me joyful.