Getting There (Now in Whangarei)

I restarted walking on Saturday 1st February with a 32km day. From Arkles Bay on Whangarporoa Peninisula, I took a mixture of footpaths and roads to Gulf Harbour and then walkways and  paths to Shakespear Park. My map showed the end of the peninsula to be Defence Force land and not to be entered but, as it was low tide, I was able to walk around it and beyond. After 3 hours of walking on the beach the tide was coming in, which resulted in wet feet as I edged around a sea cave. Just beyond the cave were steep rocks where someone had, conveniently, placed a rope. As I pulled myself over the edge I came face to boot with two startled Asian fishermen. " where you come from?" I eventually arrived in Orewa where I watched a Busker Festival and ate Chinese Takeaways for dinner.

Te Horui Bay, Whangaparoa Peninsula

On Sunday I felt tired, the pack felt heavy and I couldn't get into walking. Consequently I only covered 10km from Orewa to the Wenderholm Regional Park and booked into the camping ground.

I covered a more respectable 21km on Monday to Warkworth, all on roads. Most of it on State Highway 1.
My room at The Oaks Backpackers in Warkworth was hot and the window would only open a couple of inches, also a couple of other guests kept me awake cooking at 11.15 pm and using the computer, on the other side of the wall from my bed, until 12.30 am.

On Tuesday Kumal took my pack 10km to Matakana and I collected it from his work later than morning. Jackie stopped 4km down the road to offer a lift and took my pack the last 4km to Whangateau Holiday Park where I set up my tent. I spent the afternoon reading, in the lounge, and on returning to the tent I found that someone had set up a monster sized tent directly in front of it. My little tent looked like a pimple in comparison. The occupant of the bigger tent snored all night.

Wednesday was another 18km day, all on roads, firstly to Leigh. Traffic became lighter and the road turned to gravel and back to tar seal on the way to Pakiri. Two people stopped to offer rides but as I did not know where I would be stopping I carried my pack all day. Once at Pakiri Beach I hitch hiked into Wellsford, from where Mark Page collected me and I spent 2 nights staying with him and Loma. They are contractors to the company I used to work for and had invited me to stay once I reached their neck of the woods. Or perhaps that should be neck of the bush, as they have 500 acres of regenerating bush. They have no electricity or cell phone coverage. Next day they took me for a walk around and showed me the property. Possums, rats, stoats and weasels are being trapped, goats and pigs shot and neighbors cattle fenced off. Mark has developed a deep love affair with his bulldozer and mower while Loma is infatuated with the weed sprayer! They have an idyllic spot and I felt quite comfortable there, staying in the guest cabin.

The cabin on the left is where I stayed. The cabin on the right is Loma and Mark's. 

On Friday 7th February Mark and Loma drove me to Mangawhai Heads where, having established that both backpackers were full, we left my pack at the Motor Camp. They then drove me to Pakiri Beach from where I walked the 27km back to Mangawhai Heads. I had been worried about the depth of the water in a river crossing, at the start of the day, but it only came up to just above my ankles. After 15km of beach I could find no sign to show where to leave the beach and ended up overshooting the turn off. A route through forestry roads brought me back onto the roads to Mangawhai and then Mangawhai Heads. At some point I crossed into Northland, the last geographic region of my walk. It had rained on and off all day and as I set my tent up it began raining and rained on and off until the next morning. Despite it being a large camp there was nowhere to sit out of the rain. There is a kitchen (with notices advising guests not to sit on the benches) but no dining area or lounge.

During the night I kept waking with what felt like an insect tickling my skin. When I packed my tent away next morning I discovered it had been invaded by ants! The rain stopped as I left camp on Saturday morning.
I met a lady soon after, who inadvertently showed me the wrong path, an hour and a half later I was only .5km away from where I'd started. I then made a silly decision to walk on the road rather than retrace my steps and find the correct track. Later I missed the start of another coastal walkway and continued on the road to Waipu Cove. The tide was high which meant that yet again I had to walk on the road rather than the beach. I stayed at the Waipu Wanderers Backpackers after a 23km day.

From above Mangawhai heads looking south.

It was threatening rain on Sunday 9th February but stayed dry all day. The 20km walk seemed longer. The first 3 km was on roads and the next 5 km was on the beach. More road walking through Ruakaka brought me back to the beach where the tailwind wind blew sand and seed heads racing past. The seed heads were the size of golf balls and had many long spikes sticking out and reminded me of mini tumbleweeds. Expecting to see Clint Eastwood riding past on a mule, I whistled the theme tune to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!
I left the beach at Marsden Point and walked roads to One Tree Point. My map showed a camp there but apparently it closed down many years ago. Having failed to find any affordable accommodation I hitched into Whangarei where I stayed at the Bunkdown Backpackers.

Yesterday morning I hitched back to my starting point and walked 31km back into Whangarei. Most of it was on SH1 with lots of fast traffic. Friends had given me contact details for Lisca, who had offered to put me up in Whangarei. She collected the pack and I from the backpackers. She, her daughter Rhianon, Chris (Rhianon's husband) and Chris's daughter Shayla have all made me very welcome. Today I am having a day of rest, updating this blog and restocking my nose bag.

I feel that the end is in sight and was excited to see my first road sign showing Cape Reinga. It is only 266 km from Whangarei by road but probably nearer to 500 km by my more easterly, coastal route.  

I have now walked over 2000 km in the North Island and a total of 3881 km.

Locals comment on corruption in Northland.

Auckland To Whangaparoa

Before I left Waiheke Island, Diana from the Waiheke Marketplace newspaper interviewed me and took photo's of Jan and I. (An article appeared in the Gulf News that week and in Waiheke Marketplace the next week.) Jan and  Mika then took me to the ferry terminal where I caught the ferry to Devonport. Once in Devonport I took a bus to Takapuna and booked into the Motor Camp. There was quite a wind blowing and heavy rain forecast so rather than be in my tent I took the cheapest bed available, $72 for a caravan for the night. After dropping off my pack I caught a bus back to Devonport and walked the 6km back to Takapuna, via North Head, beaches and roads. As it was low tide I managed to walk the final section over rocks and onto Takapuna Beach.

It rained overnight and the caravan was rocking in the wind, I was glad not to be in my tent. As it was still raining in the morning, and I only had 14km to walk that day, I stayed abed until 7.45am. The rain stopped just after I left at 9.50am. I mostly followed the coastal path but as it was very close to the beach the sea was blowing over the path in places and I had to revert to the streets for some sections.

Coastal Path north of  Takapuna

After 1.5km I met Fred walking his dog. As he lives 2km north of where I met him and was about to drive home he agreed to take my pack.  When I collected the pack I had a cuppa with Fred  before I went on my way. My destination for the day was Long Bay where there is a Regional Park. Unfortunately no camping is allowed in the park but I had been told about and phoned the  Sir Peter Blake, Marine Education & Recreation Centre (MERC). Their facility at Long Bay has accommodation for 70 as well as large kitchen and dining facilities. As they had no groups booked for that night they allowed me to stay free of charge. On arrival Lynette, who I had previously spoken to on the phone and who had arranged for me to stay, showed me around. Later I met Paul, the manager, who gave me advice about my route the next day.  I had the spacious complex to myself for the night. I am very appreciative of being allowed to stay at this wonderful place, especially since I was an unknown stranger.

The next day I initially made a wrong turning and ended up in a new housing development and no way through the security fencing. Once heading in the right direction 8km of road walking brought me to the Okura Walkway. This is a 6km walk through wonderful bush. I met many people using the walkway, including Jonathan and his grandson who were checking rat traps.
Once at Stillwater I went to the boat club to see if I could get a ride across the Weiti River. I was gruffly told  "no, you'll have to walk". As I walked away I was told to try at the Camping Ground. Backtracking to the camp, I initially found nobody around but eventually found Bruce working on his yacht, he agreed to take me across on his inflatable tender. The hundred yards across the river saved 15km of road walking.

Bruce took me across the Weiti River.

Once on the other side a rough track eventually led me to suburban streets and then to Arkles Bay    on the Whangaparoa  Peninsula.  While walking I met Maureen who was on her way to the shops. She showed me to the bus stop, as luck would have it a bus to Auckland arrived 4 minutes latter. On arrival in Auckland I caught another bus to Hamilton, where I am enjoying a few days with Charissa.  I will return north on Friday and resume walking on Saturday.

Total Km so far = 3682.

Waiheke Island

When I first started this adventure I am having, I met Jan on Stewart Island. We walked together for a few days and he told me about his life on Waiheke Island and about a planned 5 day around the island walk. He suggested that once I got this far, to do the walk of the island. Over two years later here I am.

I crossed over to Waiheke on the ferry on Tuesday 14th January. Jan met me and brought me to his home in Ostend where I met his wife Jackie and daughter Mika. After a cuppa Jackie took us back to Matiatia (where the ferry comes in) and Jan and I walked 15km back to his home. The coastal route took us mostly along tracks but also along beaches and across rocky headlands. As we walked we talked about our lives over the past two years.

Jan on beautiful Waiheke Island

Me in same spot

On Wednesday I walked another 18km via tracks and roads to Rocky Bay. Then more tracks towards Awaawaroa Bay. At one point I took a wrong turn and ended up trying to bush crash through gorse and bush lawyer before turning back and finding the right track. There were some very steep sections. I stopped at a cafe and bought a cuppa and while there dropped my water bottle. The bottom cracked and leaked water, so I had to carry it upside down for the rest of the day. Whenever I took a drink, water would dribble out of the bottom. Later I stopped to ask two ladies, working in a vineyard garden, if I could refill my bottle from the garden tap. It was a hot day and they asked if I'd walked down the hill. I told them I was about to go up it. "Your bloody mad" was the response. I then found out why, the hill was very steep indeed.

On Thursday morning Jan ran me to the other side of Onetangi and I hitched to my start point. My 24km for the day consisted of mainly quiet roads. A side road leads off to Stoney Batter where there are large tunnels from a WW2 gun emplacement.  I got a ride with the local mailman the 2km to the end of the road then walked the final km.  I was the first customer of the day and when the custodian went to unlock the gate into the tunnels she found she did not have the key. There then ensued a Dad's Army scenario of me assisting her to find an angle grinder, then a power cord and working out how to operate the generator. Once we got the generator going, the grinder needed to be assembled. Finally when we had everything together and operating she cut the lock off. Once inside the tunnels they were very impressive. Quite wide with long stairways and totalling over 1km in length. Later more road walking and then 2km along a nice bush walk brought me to Onetangi Beach. Finally 4km of road walking brought me to Jan & Jackies.

While here I am sleeping in a 2 bedroom cottage in front of their house which they recently had moved onto the property and are doing up.  Meals are taken with them and Ive told them I might not want to leave!

Friday was a day off from walking and I updated this blog, did some shopping and blobbed. On Saturday Jan and I took part in the 25km Wharf 2 Wharf run and race. Jackie dropped us off at Matiatia and we caught the ferry to Orapiu, put on specially for the race.  Jan ran it in 2hrs 22mins while I took a more leisurely 3hr 59mins to walk it. Near the end I walked past Peter Leitch's (The Mad Butcher) home and as I did so he came around the corner, shook my hand and said "good on you mate, your going well, your nearly there".  After the race Jackie picked us up and Jan and I had Fish N Chips.

This morning, Sunday, Jan accompanied me from Onetangi to Oneroa along roads, walkways and beaches (including one nudist beach). He gave me a commentary on the various areas and where he has been involved with establishing the walkways and the graphics his company, Snapper Graphics, has produced for them. At Oneroa we had a cuppa and Jan went home and I was joined by Gary, Chris and their son Connor as well as Buster the dog. Gary is the Auckland City, Parks and Recreation Officer for Waiheke and Great Barrier Islands. As we walked to Matiatia he told me of the history of the areas we passed and of the problems encountered in establishing and maintaining the various walkways. He is very passionate about his job and quizzed me about my experiences and thoughts while walking the island. Once we arrived at Matiatia there was a frantic search for Buster the dog, who had gone missing. After much calling and whistling he was finally spotted racing down the beach towards us half a km away. Gary then drove me home.

Todays walk completed my circular walk of the island. I have enjoyed stunning views, lovely walks, steep hills and great hospitality over the past week. The around Waiheke walk is not yet signposted or advertised as such but I can recommend it to anyone looking for a scenic, if at times somewhat challenging, walk close to Auckland.

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.

Coromandel Peninsula

On Monday 9th December I caught the Intercity bus to Coromandel then hitched to Te Rerenga. I  stayed at the Waikawau Bay Motor Camp again. Next morning I was up early and away at 6.30am. The first 2km was along SH25 then 5km along a forestry road. Glenn from Earnslaw One had previously given me permission to walk on their road and given very explicit instructions about where to turn off the road onto an old track. At the turn off point I found a log with my name and an arrow painted on it, showing me the way.

The first half a km of the track was through gorse and I nearly gave up. However persistence paid off and eventually I was able to follow the overgrown track reasonably well. It took me 2 hours to walk the 4km. Eventually the track came out onto the Kennnedy Bay Rd. I only saw 3 vehicles going my way in the next 3 hours. Thinking I was 7kms from my destination I hitched a ride with the 3rd vehicle only to find I was just 2km from the camp. After setting up my tent I got a ride back with the same people and walked the final 2km. Total for the day was 29km.

For the next 3 nights I stayed in my tent at DOC camps. The first night was at Waikawau Bay where the staff were very helpful. They arranged for Tim the local Rural Delivery mailman to take my pack on to Sandy Bay the next day. I was walking at 6.30am again and arrived, 18km later, at Sandy Bay at 9.50am. On the way I passed through Port Charles. Tim arrived at 12.20pm with my pack and I walked the final 7km to Stony Bay.

Thursday was a perfect days walking. The first 9 km was along the Coromandel Walkway, mostly through bush, with the last 2 km across farmland. There were great views across to Great Barrier Island. I was away at 6.15am and saw nobody until I arrived at the DOC camp at Fletcher Bay.

Looking down on DOC camp at Fletcher Bay

Two German tourists agreed to take my pack 6 km onto the next camp at Port Jackson. I walked up the road for 3km and then turned off onto the Muriwai Walk. This is a grass track with a drop to the sea on one side and farmland on the other. It reminded me of coastal walks in the UK. That was until I came to a view of Port Jackson and its long sandy beach, then I knew I wasn't in the UK!

Port Jackson from Muriwai Walk

Friday 13th was a long day, in the heat, all on roads. The first 3km was uphill then most of the next 28km alongside the coast. Tama stopped to offer me a ride about half way. He agreed to drop my pack at the Colville Store. I stayed that night in a backpackers 2km south of Colville where the only other guests were a French couple. Their English not much better than my French but they went into my blog on their tablet and used software to translate it into French.

On Saturday I walked the 2km back to Colville then took a back road, a track and then the main road to Coromandel. About 9km from Coromandel I met a German guy walking and heading for where I had stayed the night before. It is unusual for me to meet other walkers and even more so to find someone doing the same walk as me in reverse! I stayed in another backpackers that night after a 27km day. A long  hot day with my big pack.  I met some people from Hamilton who agreed to take my pack to Tapu the next day.

I slept in on Sunday morning and didn't get up until 5.20am but was still away at 6.15am. Shortly after leaving Coromandel I came across the survivors of an all night party, sitting drinking around the remains of a fire. There was rubbish strewn all over the place including the side of the road. As I was walking on the main road I was wearing a Hi Vis vest. The party goers must have thought I was someone in authority come to chastise them. When I called out a greeting they told me "don't worry about the rubbish bro, we'll clean it up"!

Later I walked through Manaia, I wondered if the inhabitants were referred to as Manaiacs?
I asked for a backpackers room at the Tapu Motor Camp and was given a cabin with a double bed for $15. I've paid more for a tent site in other places. As there was a pub over the road I shouted myself a pub meal that night as I'd walked 35km that day. The camp manager agreed to take my pack into Thames the next day.

The final 23km to Thames was once again mostly on the road, fairly narrow in places  and I had to have my wits about me. Once at Thames I followed the stop-banks for 1km and then the Coastal Walkway for 2km. After collecting my pack I hitch hiked to Hamilton. My 4th and final ride for the day turned out to be someone I'd worked with and Mike took me right to my door.

I will resume walking in the New Year from Thames towards Auckland. I wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. See you all here in January.

Total kms walked to date = 1627 North Island and 3380 in total.

Santa's Little Helper

Kaylah and I at Opoutere School

Looking at Pauanui from Paku 

Friends Jo & Peter

Mangroves at Whangapoua

New Chums Beach on a rainy day

On Sunday 24th November Charissa drove me back to Waihi Beach and we stayed in the lovely holiday home of  Ange Annas, an ex colleague. I walked 9km on the beach from Bowentown to the end of Waihi Beach. From there a track goes overland to Golden Valley. However there was a sign saying the track is closed due to storm damage. Therefore Monday's 34 km  was all on roads. Perhaps due to the 25c heat, two people stopped in the afternoon to offer me rides. My grandson Cory drove out from Whanagamata to collect me and I spent the next 3 nights staying with my son and daughter in law, Adam & Adele, and my grandchildren, Cory, Hadyn & Kaylah. Later Adam drove me back to Waihi Beach and we collected my pack.

On Tuesday I gave a talk to the pupils (including Kaylah) of Opoutere School. They all seemed interested in what I am doing and if Rae, the Principal, hadn't called time then I think the questions would still be coming. Later that afternoon I completed another 8km from where Cory had picked me up, to the northern outskirts of Whangamata. That afternoon Kaylah slipped off the wet deck at school, sprained her wrist and had her arm in a sling.

It was an early start on Wednesday as Adam dropped me off at my start point at 6am. Just after 7.30am I had done 10km and called in and had a cup of tea with Rae at Opoutere School. Another 7km of back country road brought me to a forestry road. I had been given permission to walk the 5km through to the Hikuia - Pauanui Rd. I saw no one as I walked through mature pine trees. I left them undisturbed, quietly growing. It was overcast all day, which kept the temperatures down, but didn't actually rain. I had an ice cream at Hikuai, after 28km in 6.5 hours,  then hitched back to Whangamata.

Another 6am start on Thursday meant that I had completed the 12km to Tairua by  8am. At the local dairy I picked up copies of the Coastal News which featured Kaylah and myself on the front page. I stayed at the holiday home of friends, Jo & Peter, in Tairua for 2 nights. Adam delivered my pack that night. Charissa came through on Thursday night and Jo & Peter on Friday.  It was nice to be able to socalise with friends and family, after a days walking, for a change.

On Friday I climbed the local hill, Paku, walked the beach and then on SH25 to Whenuakite, a total of 15km, before hitching back to Tairua.

It was another early start on Saturday as Jo & Peter drove my pack and myself to Whitianga, where they had arranged accommodation for me with their friends. Shirley and Chris were away but had made a bed up for me in the unit in front of their home. After dropping my pack off they then dropped me at Whenuakite.  22km later I arrived at Ferry Landing, having walked along roads towards Hot Water Beach & Hahei, without actually going to either. I caught the ferry to Whitianga after climbing Shakespears Cliff.

Sunday was spent reading and resting. On Monday I became Santa's Little Helper. The first 2km were mostly along the beach and then on SH25. Out of Simpsons Beach  Sara stopped to offer me a ride, she agreed to take my pack to Black Jacks Backpackers in Kuaotuna, my destination for the day. A few km's later I stopped to pick up some Xmas presents which had been partially opened and discarded. I put these in pack day pack and continued walking. Over the next 5km I picked up ten or so Xmas presents.

Carl and Carol made me welcome at the  backpackers and Carl  agreed  to take the Xmas presents into the police station next time they went to town. I felt sure they were the result of a burglary. As some of them were obviously intended for kids I was keen for them to be reunited with their named recipients.

The next day Carol was heading to Auckland and agreed to drop my pack at a cafe, near where I was hoping to stay that night. The first 3km was along beaches at Kuaotuna where I was thrilled to see two tiny Dottrell chicks. I have been on many beaches with signs saying how rare these birds are. In fact I think I must have seen most of the total 1700 population between here and Stewart Island. This was the first time I'd seen chicks.  A narrow metal road then brought me to Matarangi and another 4km of sandy beach. At the end of the spit there was a track around the golf course and then through the subdivisions to a cafe, where I stopped for a cuppa and cake.

As I walked over a wide grass verge on the way out of Matarangi a car drove over the grass and stopped alongside me. The driver was wearing a name badge. Initially I thought that I had transgressed some local bylaw and that this was a vigilante come to run me out of town. This was far from the case as Puk is the local shopkeeper and the owner of the Xmas presents I had picked up the day before. Carl had recognized the names on the gift tags, phoned Puk who had gone to collect. He then set out to track me down to thank me. On learning where my pack had been taken, he phoned the cafe owner to arrange lunch at his expense. The good news is that the burglars had been apprehended, with the booty from Puk's and 2 other burglaries.

Another 9km later I enjoyed a lovely lunch at Castle Rock cafe then booked into the Whangapoua Holiday Park. Suzanne & Aaron have refurbished an old Forestry Camp and have reopened it as a Holiday Park. They generously allowed me to have two nights for the price of one.

Rain was forecast for Wednesday but I took a chance and walked to Whangapoua, then over a river and along a track to New Chums beach. This a a world renown beach for which access is only via the track or by boat. It was raining by the time I got there so after walking the length of the beach I returned to Whangapoua from where the local postie, Kevin gave a ride back to the camp.

It rained all day Thursday so I stayed put and read. As further rain was forecast until Monday I returned to Hamilton for a few days. The plan is to return on Monday and start walking on Tuesday. I will be in my tent for a few nights as I walk around the top of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Total km walked to date = 3220

Whakatane to Waihi Beach

11 & 12 yr olds at Thornton School asked some good questions

Keita & photo of Tyrese

Allan rowed me across the estuary from Pukehina to Little Waihi

Overlooking Mt Maunganaui from "The Mount"