Thames to Auckland

 

It's been awhile since I last posted, so a lot to report, but will try to be succinct. After 3 weeks off from walking over Xmas and New Year, I resumed from Thames on Monday 6th January. Due to Xmas eating I was 4kg heavier! Charissa and I drove to Miranda Holiday Park on the Hauraki Coast where we dropped my pack & then drove to Thames. I then walked the 28km to Miranda. The first 5km to Kopu was along the Hauraki Rail Trail. The next 17km was alongside the main road, long and flat. Convoys of cars doing 100km zoomed past in both directions. I noticed an older camper van parked across a driveway with its rear end partially sticking out into the roadway. Cars were having to drive around it. As I drew level I startled a very old man leaning over the fence cutting bamboo. He asked if I was the owner of the property as he wanted to get permission to cut bamboo stakes. As his camper van was already full, back and front, I thought it a bit late to be asking permission. At my suggestion he moved his van further off the road. The final 6km was up the Front Miranda road, with less traffic, to the Holiday Park.  I stayed in my tent and that night I soaked in their hot thermal pool.

I was away before 7am on Tuesday morning, the first 3km on the road and then 2km along the Miranda Bird Hide Track. Later I walked along a beach where about 20 camper vans had parked overnight. Trish and John, retired farmers from Cambridge, invited me into their van for a welcome cuppa. Shortly after leaving them, and on the road again, I met Allan walking in the opposite direction. He had walked 4km to Kaiaua to buy a paper . He crossed the road to talk. Later, after reading my blog, he sent me an encouraging email. Once in Kaiaua I bought what food supplies I could from the local dairy. The night before I'd realised that I had left half my food in Charissa's car. After walking 20km for the day I found a basic camping ground and pitched my tent again.

Wednesday was a short day of 15km, all on roads, to Orere Point Holiday Park where I was in my tent again.

The 25km to Clevedon on Thursday was a mixture of beach and road. The first 9km along sandy beaches and rocky headlands to Kawakawa Bay.  Stephanie the manager of the Holiday Park took my pack into Clevedon and left it at the Presbyterian Church. When I called to collect it Anne Marie gave me tea and biscuits. I then hitched to the Twilight B& B, the only accommodation I could find in the area. Jill the owner made me welcome and gave me fruit and eggs.


On Friday I hitched back to Clevedon and walked  to Maraetai. The first 11km was along the main road but traffic quite light.  The final 4km was along the beach. I stayed with friends Diane and Andy at Maraetai that night. They had left the key out for me. After dropping my pack I then used coastal paths to walk past Omana Beach & Beachlands  to Pine Harbour.  This final 8km brought the days total to 23km. Then walked another 6km back to where I was staying. That evening I joined Diane and Andy in playing social bowls and a couple of beers followed by dinner of sausages and salad.  I had not seen my hosts for a number of years so later, over generous measures of rum, we caught up on each others adventures. Since last meeting them they had spent a few years in the UK where they bought a boat and sailed around Europe. After soaking in their spa I finally got to bed about midnight.

Friends Andy & Diane at Maraetai

I stayed in the unit at Diane & Andys place.

Saturday was another 25km day. After a substantial breakfast Andy dropped me at my start point about 8.30am and Diane later gave me a toot as she drove past on her way to work. After walking on the main road for 4km I then took side roads for the next 6km past lifestyle blocks, many of them with expensive houses on them. Another 2km on the main road brought me to Whitworth. A short walkway, side roads, main road and 7km of Coastal walkway took me to Melons Bay.  Diane had dropped my pack off at my destination for that night. This was a 4km walk from Melons Bay to Botany Downs. Julie is a friend of Charissa and although I'd never met her before she made me very welcome.

Just 8km was my total for Sunday.  Julie served me a large breakfast and then we took my pack to the Half Moon Bay ferry terminal. She then took me to my start point and I walked back to the ferry terminal. After lunch I caught the ferry into Auckland and booked into a backpackers in Queen St.

Monday 13th was a big day of 28km. I caught the ferry back to Half Moon Bay and walked back into Auckland. The route consisted of a mixture of suburban streets, walkways and coastal paths. The Rotary Shared Path is 9km long and a wide concrete path which hugs the coast and great walking. You hardly know you are walking in New Zealand's biggest city.

Total distance walked since start is 3553km, with 1799 of this in the North Island.