Barefoot to Opotiki



Abandoned road near Hawai



Cycle/Walkway Bridge Opotiki

On outskirts of Opotiki

On Tuesday 22nd October I caught a bus to Opotiki, where I stayed with my friend Gavin. On Wednesday morning I was interviewed by the Opotiki News and then hitchhiked to Te Araroa.
I booked into the Te Araoa Camp Ground and stayed in a caravan for the night.

 Thursday was a 29km walk, all on roads, past Hicks Bay and Pataka before hitching to Waihau Bay. About lunch time I spoke to Don who was doing some renovations on his house. While refilling my water bottle he told me a little about his life. He moved back here from Hamilton two years ago and in that time has not travelled further afield than Ruatoria, about 60km away!

The Waihou Bay Motor Camp is officially closed but a couple of long term residents advised me that nobody owned one of the caravans on site, on finding it clean and tidy I moved into that for two nights. On Friday I hitched back to where I had been picked up from the day before and walked the 20km back. Once again it was all on SH35 except for a 2km stretch of beach. On the way I passed from the East Coast region to the Bay Of Plenty.

The first one km on Saturday was along the beach then back to SH35. As I passed a house in Waihou Bay a lady called out "Good on you" and started to clap. Presumably she had read the Opotiki News article. I thankfully had my pack taken on for the last 5km of the 23km for the day. I stayed at the Maraehako Backpackers. This is in a fabulous location, built right on the rocks alongside the ocean.

Sunday was an easy 15km walk to Te Kaha, made even easier by having my pack taken the whole way. There being no beds available at the Te Kaha Camping Grounds I pitched my tent for the first time for awhile.

There was lots of traffic on the road on Monday due to it being a public holiday. An hour out of Te Kaha I was invited in for a cup of tea by Martin & Marina who had just read about me. Their guests Vic & Barbara were heading home later that day and readily agreed to take my pack. Later I met them at the Motu River bridge and they gave me a ride to Hawai where I stayed in a backpackers room at the Motor Camp. The 27km for the day were once again all on SH35.

The first car I stuck my thumb out to on Tuesday morning took me back to the Motu River Bridge and I walked the 13km back to Hawai. After collecting my pack I then walked another 14km to Opape. I stayed at the small Opape Motor Camp. Beryl & Kevin and their son Perry gave me a cabin free of charge as Perry had read about me. Before I moved into the cabin they had to evict the current tenants, a mother cat and two young kittens.

Yesterday was an easy 15km, all on the beach, to Opotiki. After 2km I removed my boots to cross a stream and never put them back on until I left the beach 10km later. It was a beautiful day, I was off the road at last and walking in bare feet. It felt like I was on holiday!  Once again Gavin welcomed me to his home.

Im having a rest day today and catching up with a few chores. tomorrow I head for Whakatane which
should take about 3 days to reach.