Spirit Willing - Body Weak

         

Friends Bev & Chris in Napier. They loaned me a car, ferried me around and provided a base for me to come and go fro

Total distance Walked since November 2011 = 2301km.  Total North Island 565km.


Sad to tell you that I am now having to take the winter off to allow my foot to recover.  Two weeks after restarting at Porangahau my foot again started to play up and I have now returned to Hamilton. I will take at least 3 months off and return to the walk in July or August. I am again having acupuncture which is has already relived most of the aching.

After a couple of days rest in Napier my friend Chris dropped me off in Clifton and I walked 24 easy kms into Napier. Most of the journey was along crushed limestone paths plus a little beach walking. Once back in Napier I called at the local i-site to gather information about the coast ahead. They proved to be totally useless, not even having a map of the coast! The local DOC office proved more helpful and I learned that the coastal walkway I had hoped to take has been closed for some years due to landslides and erosion.

The following day I walked 26km to Tongoio, most of the way was once again along crushed gravel paths past Ahuriri, Westshore & Bayview. Once past Bayview I took rough tracks and reverted to the beach where necessary. After crossing the Esk River I walked past Whirinaki and crossed another river. From there it was along the beach to Tongoio. Two km of road walking then brought me to the main road. After half an hour of putting my thumb out I was picked up by Lou, a local wool buyer, who took right to where I was staying at Bev & Chris's home.

I had another day off and on Sunday Bev & Chris dropped me off  at Tongoio about 9.30am.
Only walked 8km that day due to a very rocky coastline and carrying my big pack. The rocks in this area have lots of shell fossils embedded in them which makes them very sharp. I slipped at one stage and received impressive looking grazes to both legs and one arm. While they looked impressive and received lots of comments in the days to come they were only superficial and soon healed. Occasionally I was able to get above the rocks and walk on sheep tracks and 10 minutes from Waipatiki Beach I followed a track to the Motor Camp. I stayed in my tent that night at the camp. I did not get much sleep that night due partly to my aching foot and the scratches to my legs.

Before leaving the next day I spoke with a Hawaiian couple who have a fruit farm in Hawaii and a home in Havelock North. Later they overtook me on the 3.5km track to Aropaoanui. Met up with them again there and left them exploring the beach. From there I followed parts of the abandoned Coastal Walkway but large portions have fallen into the sea and I had to walk in the sea a few times. After a couple of hours I came to a spot that I could not get past as the waves were crashing off the rocks and the cliff was too steep to climb. As it was only 2 hours after low tide it seemed unlikely that I would get past even had I tried at low tide. I reluctantly returned to Aropaoanui  where I camped for the night. After walking for 13km I was only 3.5km further north! That evening I walked to a local farmhouse and received permission to cross their farm the next day along a farm track which would bring me out on the coast north of the cliff.

The following morning after another restless night with my foot continuously aching I made the decision to return to Hamilton to seek treatment. I returned the 3.5 km along the coast to Waipatiki and hitchhiked from there back into Napier. After spending another night with Bev & Chris I caught the bus to Hamilton.

Four treatments of acupuncture has seen my foot improve and I only have a small amount of aching now. I have been advised to give my foot a good rest.  I will try to get temporary work over the winter and return to walking after the worst of the winter is over.