Climbing up, winding down

Days 45-52, Taumarunui to Whakahoro

Kia ora e hoa mā! For those of you who were waiting for a blog post or wondering where my feet have been taking me lately, thank you for your patience. I’m finally on stable ground again and with that comes stable wifi connection. So, this post is really from a couple of weeks ago (6-12 Jan), and in the coming weeks I’ll fill the backlog of chronicling when I get the chance.

As for right now, I’m eating my 3rd bagel (toasted!) in 24 hours, wrapped up in the home comforts my friend Maike is providing me in Palmerston North on my fifth rest day. It’s by far the most luxurious and anticipated rest day before I begin seven days in the rugged and intrepid Tararua Ranges, which only means one thing… I’m on the home stretch! Well, then I have another island to walk, but getting to Wellington and finishing and island will be an achievement in itself.

Between now and the last chronicle, I enjoyed a rich and challenging five days paddling through te awa o Whanganui with Dad, followed by three days of mostly country road walking. Contrary with what people say about the Whanganui-Palmerston North section, I didn’t mind it too much. But more on that a little later in the posts to follow!

Current situation: how much kai is 9 days’ worth?

DAY 45 - rest day in Taumarunui (4km)

The classic King Country mist that my tent was shrouded in gradually cleared up and the morning became clear and hot. I caught a ride with a staff member from Taumarunui Canoe Hire into the sleepy main street of Taumarunui and waited until the shops opened. Most were still closed due to the summer holidays, but I scoped out a laundromat, cafe, and the info centre. Sadly, the library was still closed. Lyla, the super helpful info centre staff member, showed me the weather forecast for Tongariro National Park. I’d planned to do the crossing on Friday, but the weather was looking miserable for then. I’d wait to see how things turned out, and re-adjusted my itinerary to be a little more flexible. Aotearoa may not have many dangerous wild animals, but the extreme alpine weather conditions can be just as threatening.

While waiting for my washing at the laundromat, I bought my ritual Rest Day Coffee and used the public wifi on the street to catch up on messages from friends and family. (In case any of you were wondering, the Taumarunui Wifi is really strong!) It honestly felt quite overwhelming to suddenly be in touch with people after just a few days of being out of reception. By the end of the day, I was mentally tired from all the planning for the next stretch. I did my resupply, and bought enough food to fill my empty pack. I think I reached new levels of resupply fun on this shop.

As I walked the 4km back to the campsite, I called Maike for a chat and also got a call from Marianne. Marianne was wondering which path to take from the top of the Pureora summit (in true TA fashion it was the one with the ‘DOC no longer maintains this track’ sign to make things really clear) and just to catch up in general. It was so good to hear from her as I’ve been missing the people I walked with in the earlier days.

Back at my accommodation I booked the canoes for Dad and myself for the river journey we’d be starting the following week. I spent the evening talking to a Dutch woman called Mieke who was just about to start the river journey with friends. She has been living in Aotearoa for the last 10 years, including in Wellington, so we naturally talked about our favourite spots there and all sorts of other things like psychology, youth development, and the ethics of hunting.

DAY 46 - Taumarunui to Owhango (27km)

At 6.20am I attended the river journey safety briefing, which felt weird as I wouldn’t start paddling for another week. I just hope I’ll remember what they told us about how to paddle, steer, and not get capsized in a rapid. The briefing reaffirmed my anxiety about falling into bodies of water, but this fear was eased slightly by Karen and her family (who run the canoe hire place) offering coffee and warm freshly baked bread while we listened to the briefing. In the spirit of not rushing, I took my time getting packed up and set off at a leisurely 9.30am.

My destination for the night was Owhango, a small town and headquarters for outdoor activities around Ruapehu. Fabrice (who I’d been walking with earlier) texted me the number of a couple of trail angels, Mark and Sally, who he’d met by chance on the trail in Northland. They lived in Owhango, also right on the trail (the trail works in uncanny ways like that). They were happy to host me for the night, which I was grateful for.

As I set off I met a cyclist named Todd riding Tour Aotearoa, which is the bike equivalent of Te Araroa. He’s also started from Cape Reinga and this was his 10th day on the road, which by comparison made me feel really slow (and then I remembered I’m on feet, not wheels). He pedalled off and I began sweltering in the heat and under the weight of my energy-dense pack, grateful for each tree’s shade.

This all-day road walk was quite pleasant and varied enough to stave off boredom. At one point a curious ostrich joined me for 100m of the trail. The ostrich is probably famous on the trail and loves joining TA walkers for the length of their fenceline. Or maybe the bird gets irritated by their fellow bipeds? Who knows! Anyway, it was fun to have another type of animal other than cow or sheep join me for a bit.

The trail climbed steadily up a windy gravel road, some of the easiest terrain to walk on. At 3pm I rocked into Owhango with glimpses of Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe in the distance. As I arrived, Mark and Sally were in the garden preparing for their summer neighbourhood gathering and digging holes for the annual Owhango Golf Tournament. They warmly invited me into their beautiful home and told me about their involvement in Owhango Alive, a community conservation group Sally helped start in the area. The work they do is making a huge difference to the wildlife there including whio, the blue duck. I told them about my work with InsideOUT. I love having the chance to feel safe and open on the trail to talk about what I do and love within my community.

The guests soon arrived and I was introduced as the person walking Te Araroa. Being part of the whānau, as I was made to feel, reminded me of other moments of trail magic where similar community-minded people had let me in to their lives without hesitation. I participated in the golf tournament and ended up winning with my golf partner, Pete. We were awarded medals made of a can lid and ribbon. Looks like I’ll have to be back next year to defend my title.

Among the invited neighbours were Michelle and Jack, a couple who moved to Owhango from Wellington not long ago and had walked the TA in 2016. It turns out Jack also designed the TA merch, including the patch on my cap. It was fun meeting them and talking to them about their experiences on the trail. After a long evening of socialising, I hit the pillow and once again I enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in a real bed. I think the last time I’d slept on one of those was in Auckland.

My new friend the ostrich (who probably appears on every TA walker’s blog)

DAY 47 - Owhango to Somewhere in the middle of the Tongariro Forest Park (26km)

Sally made me homemade toast for breakfast and told me all about the 5 days they had spent on Camino de Santiago just before lockdown sadly changed their plans. I (reluctantly, as is always the case with trail angels) said bye and swung by Michelle and Jack’s for coffee. We talked for the whole morning, and by this point I really didn’t want to leave Owhango. This place has made a strong impression on me.

I started on the 42 Traverse track, a well-known biking trail and 4WD track that made for easy walking. I only saw two cyclists but heaps of motorised dirt bikes with horrendous engines that cannot be good for the environment, nor the kererū I saw flapping away in fright as they came ripping around each corner.

A few stream crossings later, the track veered off into Waione Cokers track, a mostly clay track with overgrown toitoi and fern fronds hanging over each side. It had been spitting the whole afternoon so the slippery underfoot plants obscuring the track did not make for a good combination. Luckily I didn’t slip, but I did get soaked.

I decided to push on a few more kilometres until after the Mangatepopo river, as there was plenty of rain forecast for the night. The trail transformed into a gushing stream which I had to walk up against the flow, before the realriver crossing which I survived. The flow was pretty strong already; in hindsight I’m glad I made the decision to cross before, because the flow was pretty mighty the next morning.

As soon as I crossed, I found an ideal place to set up camp. Luckily it wasn’t raining as I pitched, but as soon as I crawled in to my tent, the rain set in and kept falling the whole evening. It’s like someone had kindly waited for me to get into my tent before switching on the rain button. Due to the limited facilities and amenities in the vicinity, I made dinner in my tent, ate a three-course dessert, then started reading Jacinda Ardern’s biography which I’d downloaded onto my Kobo. I got about half way through.

DAY 48 - Waione Cokers track to Tongariro Holiday Park (11km)

I woke up relieved to find that the river hadn’t risen enough to sweep me away. I had a super leisurely start to the day as I didn’t have far to walk to the holiday park. The rain came and went, but I caught a clear gap to pack up my tent. Success! As I filled up my water bottle by the river, I spotted two whio (blue ducks) a few metres away. They really are beautiful with their natural white eyeliner and deep blue feathers.

I had 6km of the Waione Cokers track to go. The first half was a continuation of the slipperiest clay/overgrown wet fern fronds combination which made for slow walking (read: slipping), and then the other half had turned into one long mud puddle. Miraculously, I dried out quickly as soon as I entered into the sunshine from the end of the track. The trail went past Te Porere redoubt, a significant landmark from the NZ wars where Te Koori dug some incredible trenches from which to defend their whenua. I commented to some visitors here how nice it was that the weather was clearing up. ‘There’s a thunderstorm passing through tonight,’ they replied sternly. Sure enough, a severe weather warning had been issued for the central North Island. Classic!

As I approached Tongariro holiday park, I was suddenly hit with a wave of worry that it may be fully booked. Quite the opposite, in fact: during my whole 18 hours there, I didn’t see a single soul apart from the manager. Sadly, this is a pattern I’ve seen from the start of the trail and one of the starkest symbols of COVID’s sobering impacts on tourism that I’ve observed. Luckily for me and my tent, the thunderstorm never eventuated. I read, ate my new favourite dinner (edamame noodles with satay sauce) and then went to sleep.

Sometimes, positivity has to be enforced when walking through a seemingly endless bog

DAY 49 - Tongariro Holiday Park to Mangatepopo campsite (25km)

Waiting out the weather for a day was a good plan - there was a bit of cloud forecast, but nothing serious. I set off at 6.30am to the Ketetahi end of the track via a quiet state highway beneath a crisp and cloudless sunrise. I suspected I’d be the only person walking the north-south direction, as it’s not as popular with walkers due to the 300m more to climb (the hut warden later told us there have been only 10% of walkers this season compared to pre-COVID times). Apart from one runner who passed me, I was right about that hunch.

I had walked the Tongariro Crossing five years earlier with Dad and my sister Helen (who will be joining me for a month in Te Waipounamu - stoked!), but we walked the other more popular way. At 8am, with sunscreen optimistically smeared on my face, I started the official track and meandered through the bush for the first 3 hours. I met two runners coming the other way - they must have left super early.

The cloud passed through more swiftly as I got higher above the bush line. Suddenly, though, blue sky broke through as I walked past Blue Lake. The trickle of walkers became a steady steam around the lakes and craters. I received a few different reactions to me walking against the flow. One person asked if I was walking Te Araroa, a few people encouraged me as I scrambled up the scree, and one quite concerned woman asked: ‘did you know you’re going the wrong way?’ I couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking.

Walking the other way gave me the perfect opportunity to do some good old people-watching. It was fantastic to see such a diverse range of ages, bodies, genders, relationships (I definitely said hi to at least three queer couples), and ethnicities, all with the common goal of walking a challenging track. The colours and textures of the craters were as dramatic as ever, and as with any natural landscape, made me feel wonderfully small.

The river of people thinned out to a drip again as I descended into Mangatepopo Valley. The volatile cloud covered the Martian landscape once again but soon lifted. The last hour to the hut appeared zipped by. I popped my tent up and then scoped out the hut reading material inside (nothing exciting, sadly). There was a group of friends who were playing a very lively game of Uno. I talked to a woman who explained the difference between psychology and psychotherapy to me. As usual, the eclectic assemblages of hut-stayers fascinated me.

Impressive and dramatic as it was, the Tongariro Crossing seemed to zip by so quickly. Was it because I’d done it before? Was I seeing this as ‘just another day on the trail’? Given the other physical challenges I’ve come across on the trail, maybe this didn’t seem so hard in comparison this time. The evening light and clarity of Ngauruhoe made for a beautiful view to brush my teeth in front of that night. I felt grounded by the energy of these maunga.

DAY 50 - Mangatepopo campsite to National Park YHA (29km)

With my tent facing west, I was treated to a view of morning pastel sky and Mt Taranaki as I woke up. The day’s plan was to walk to National Park village, about 30km away. The initial track to Whakapapa Village is quite well maintained as it’s part of the Tongariro Northern Circuit, a DOC Great Walk. I didn’t realise how close the trail went to Mt Ruapehu which was a welcome surprise. I felt less alone in the presence of Ruapehu.

The fancy famous Tongariro chateau lay ahead as I entered Whakapapa village. It totally gave off Grand Budapest Hotel vibes - I wouldn’t be surprised if Wes Anderson used this as inspiration for his film. Not having ever skiied before, I was unfamiliar with Whakapapa and its significance to outdoor activities here, but it seems to be a hotspot (albeit quiet this season) for all the mountain-lovers.

The next section along the Whakapapaiti track is a pleasant tramping track through beech forest and juicy cabbage trees with massive, thick leaves. Every now and again I was reminded that I was in a volcanic zone by the gold and red hues of the river’s rocks. The sun was out and proud as I slipped and slid around the boggy track that the trail notes warn about on the Mangahuia track. It wasn’t too bad, actually - technical trails at least give the mind something to focus on.

It wouldn’t be TA without a bit of a road slog thrown in: 6km of State Highway 47 later, the shining lights of National Park Village beamed ahead. The uncanniest thing happened as I walked into the backpackers car park. I noticed a rock climbing van had a large pixelated photo on the side of it, of someone who looked strangely familiar to me, like me almost - upon close inspection, I realised this was a photo of my now-30-year-old sister and her friends rock climbing when they were about 13 years old! What are the chances.

The service station at National Park is famously well-stocked with tramping food. I was able to buy some vegetables which I’d been craving for the last few days and made a delightful dinner among backpacker guests who were about to walk the Tongariro Crossing. This day was one of the highlights for me walking-wise because I found a rhythm and meditation to my walking. I was walking to my own pace which felt comfortable and free of hurry or self-judgement. The shining sun also helped, too.

DAY 51 - National Park to Kaitieke war monument (28km)

Whanganui-Manawatū keeps providing! Today was another pleasant scenic day as I wound my way down to 400m above sea level. I feel a river journey coming along... After a stop at Macrocarpa Cafe and a chat with Dad to sort out last-minute river preparations, I started along the Fisher Track which is another of Aotearoa’s official cycle pathways, part of the Mountains to Sea cycle which I’m eyeing up for next summer. The track skirted the Erua Forest, a small but lush section of indigenous bush set upon interesting rock formations.

The day was hot and cloudless and the rest of the day’s walking was pleasant. I passed the time by listening to Getting Better, an amazing podcast everyone in Aotearoa should listen to about Māori experiences of Aotearoa’s healthcare system.

I had planned to stay at a trail angel’s place near the Kaitieke war monument, but when I called in nobody was home. I knew that many TA walkers camp by the monument 500m down the road, so I decided to scope that spot out. A farmer has set up a water spigot and there was a long drop: in other words, this was an unofficial TA campground.

Just in case it wasn’t though, I cautiously set up my tent in an inconspicuous corner and smiled at all the people who drove by to compensate for any sketchy behaviour. Just as I was crawling into my tent, a man approached me. Uh oh, they got me, I thought. It turns out he was a section-walker who was completing the TA over a number of years walking the other direction. He asked me for any tips on where to freedom camp where I’d just come from. Join the club! An hour later, a DOC van pulled up next to the toilet. Here we go, I thought. ‘Hey bro!’ the guy said as he popped into the toilet, jumped back into the van and drove off. I think I’m good here.

The vast lushness of Erua Forest (e noho rā, Ruapehu)

DAY 52 - Kaitieke monument to Whakahoro (25km)

After surviving a night of screeching possums, I left the roadside campsite bright and early to get to Whakahoro before the cafe there closed (and to make the most of the morning shade). Whakahoro is a popular place from which people start the river journey. The day’s walk was much of the same as the last 50km. The gravel road is part of the Mountains to Sea great cycleway, so each kilometre is marked with a sign. I’m glad Te Araroa doesn’t have km markers along all the way - I would get way too focused on getting to the next marker and forget to just be with each step.

As Whakahoro is the start of the Whanganui river journey for many people, this is also the road that the canoe hire companies use to drop off the canoes. Other than the many boat-laden vans that passed me, there were few road-sharers. As the day wore on, the sun battered down and I stopped on a dirt patch for an early lunch.

Soon after I got going again, I experienced some roadside trail magic at its finest: a checker cloth-laden table with a large bowl of plums and an honesty box. It was like the trail goddesses had listened to my whispers about craving fresh fruit. I popped some coins in the box and filled my hands with sweet plums. The juice dribbled down my face and hands, and before a knew it, I was in Whakahoro (population 8, as the handwritten place name sign points out). The small settlement gives off strong ranch and family-run business energy. I veered straight into the Blue Duck cafe (in reference to the whio) and bought a large flat white.

The DOC hut at Whakahoro is the old schoolhouse and I was glad to have a roof over my head. I trawled through the hut book to see which other TA walkers had come through before. As I’d thought, the group who is been walking with were a day ahead now. The campsite had boards with information about the whakapapa (history) and tikanga (protocol) of the awa, as well as an official sign to remind us there are no cats allowed on the campsite.

I was eventually joined by a number of groups of brave souls who had started their river journey at Taumarunui (I hear the rapids on that part are fierce). I met two families who were canoeing together and staying in the hut, too. We were equally interested in each other’s journeys and I enjoyed playing cards with a few of them in the evening. As I went to sleep, I got excited about the prospect of seeing Dad again the next day, and Maike in a week’s time. But first, we had five days of paddling ahead of us to simultaneously look forward to and be terrified of. To minimise my catastrophising my brain loves doing, I made a pact to myself that I would approach this aquatic stretch of Te Araroa with curiosity and adventure.

Turns out I’ve been carrying a rainbow in my grey pack all along - a metaphor, maybe?

Current mood: relaxed and unfamiliarly comfortable (thanks trail angel Maike!)

Currently reading: nothing at the moment, more on the podcast train (loving No Such Thing As A Fish and all RNZ podcasts)

Total distance walked/kayaked/cycled: 1205km