The 120k section from Ahipara to Kerikeri makes the connection from coast to coast, traversing through four large forests.




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The first forest, Herekino, was like one of those mud, sweat and tears races - albeit with gorgeous palms and strangulation vines. I can’t quite articulate the fun of trying to climb up steep muddy slopes whilst  being simultaneously dragged backwards by a vine. Such Fun.
​Having talked with other TA trampers, it seems that this section is famous for causing trampers to lose the will to live. I camped at the only ‘flat’ area I could find in a field and crashed out after a nutritional meal of processed cheese slices. I had no spare water at this stage.
The lack of water in these forest sections was dire. I managed luckily to go off track to find a stream on the way to Tangaho wild camp and this section was yet again a mixture of a tough mud race and Survivor combined. Mangamuka dairy was open especially late for trampers: The owner is super friendly and let’s you camp next to her shop. Water, coke, lollies and a 1 scoop ice cream that was massive. (I am now possibly pre diabetic as a result!)
Omaha forest that turns into Puketi was again an obsession with finding water- it is very humid in the forests. I took a few wrong turns when trying to see a red marker on a distant tree and it’s actually pretty scary when you all around is apparently impenetrable forest. It was also very rainy forest, with the river flooded as a result. Luckily I met a couple who had done all the trail last year apart from this section (as it is often flooded).

By now I was feeling what I presume passes for normal as a TA walker - sore back, sore knees and sore eyes from desperately searching for invisible TA markers!

This whole section can be best summarized as torrential rain, wind, misery, swollen flooded river, alternate flood route, desolate muddy campground, soggy river bank walk, exhausted Rache.

Arrival at Kerikeri was therefore very welcome - a chance to rest, recuperate… and dry out! The Flashpackers ‘Hone Heke’ here is fantastic... Not only do they provide a lovely place, but heaps of oranges too! 
Caught up with 3 other TA walkers Jo, Scott and Lois too. They educated me that a rest day is called a ‘zero’ day in the TA community (as in zero progress). Fortunately it doesn’t equate with abstinence however…rehydration via beer is included. Feeling better!

Ka Kite
RachXX 

Another expensively shot video below of this section....

Well, it’s been a busy week!

Monday saw a lunchtime departure from Christchurch Airport, with a low-key send off from friends Mads, Matt and Paul, all in their business attire… They would be returning to very different day jobs compared to the task I’m about to embark on!
Arrival in Auckland was very much quicker than the return journey will be….even the transfer by shuttle to the Central City YHA,  thanks to a supportive discount from the driver.

Early Tuesday saw departure from the big city for the rather different and quieter Northland town of Kaitaia. The driver started screaming at a woman who wanted to get off – which seemed a bit unreasonable, given that the driver had forgotten her stop. This was on a windy section of road, with massive police signs saying ‘dangerous road/many fatal crashes’.Eventually the irate driver stopped and dropped off the poor woman to walk back alongside the speeding cars for 2 km. Meanwhile, the driver resumed her continuous drinking of V cans. Not quite S America, but I was somewhat relieved to get off!

By the time we got to Kaitaia, I was keen to head to the track start at Cape Reinga, so I started walking on the road and without even hitching, a car stopped to offer me a lift…easy-as!

No reception there for me, either in terms of fanfare…or cell phone…Like a lot of places up here, it really does feel ‘off the grid’! Despite this, at the Cape it was chocka with a bus tour and so, without much or indeed any ado, I started the track. And so it begins!

A summary of the first section departing the Cape would be: jaw dropping views, sand flies, wild pigs in the bush, more sand flies, more jaw dropping views….and more sand flies! There were also a surprising number of fellow AT trampers, many foreign - who, in something of a contrast to myself, seemed to be all outfitted with neatly pressed cargo pants and brand new shiny gear.

After a late night arrival at first wild camp, a second very long day followed along 90 mile beach. I knew this stretch would be hard mentally and it was…(You may get a sense from this little video, shot at great expense by the helicopter film crew documenting my adventure for the Discovery Channel ;-):

90 mile beach?:
Sand, sea, sand, sea, wind, rain, sand, sea …and errr... Repeat.
Not enough water …and ultimately a weird rash made its appearance on my back. I have to be honest and say I missed out the very last section of the beach suffer fest as my back was unbearably sore and I wanted to get it checked out, in Kaitaia, before heading into the Herikino forest section which presents the next challenge.

​Finally arrived in Ahipara however, for a reviving shower and a nice cup of tea! Bliss.

I have met some very friendly locals and some not so friendly....the driver of the Kura bus yesterday who gave me a lift to Kaitaia. He gave each child some lollies when they got  off the bus, as this stops them running straight off the bus into traffic. I was the only one not able to speak Te Reo and felt very embarrassed as a result.

At first it looked like there was only a few kids on the bus but heads kept popping up when  they woke up. Apparently some of the kids travel 60k return. I got some lollies when I got off ☺

I have to say that, at the moment, there seems to be somewhat of a disconnect between the Te Araroa Trail and the local communities that it passes through, at least up here: I asked the people in the 3 op shops that I visited (looking for 50c books!) and they didn’t know of the Trail, and neither did the Kura driver. I also had a long chat with the woman at the info centre and she and the DoC staff are very worried that overseas trampers are not prepared sufficiently for the difficulty of some sections of the Trail. In fact the DoC guy thinks it shouldn’t be called a trail but a 'route' as 'trail' implies, well a trail - and there isn’t one clearly defined trail.
 
I have looked at other people’s blogs and I’m a bit different(!) – I’m less interested in a detailed recount of the route and more a description of what I personally think is interesting. I am trying hard to mention MS at any chance when chatting to people and at least it does seem to be reasonably well known as a disease.
 
I will also try very hard to take photos! The trouble has been that after hearing a few horror stories of broken phones, I’ve wrapped the phone up perhaps a bit too well. My paper maps are a godsend however as I’m using them and Paul’s great schedule all the time, as well as my Garmin routes (Paul again!).
 
Anyway I plan to forego the Rugby World Cup semi-finals and head off into the forests today for a few days. It’s raining which us why I’m sitting having yet another brew writing this - but departure beckons!
 
Ka Kite
Rach XX

Well quite a few people have been asking when I'll be in their area, so I've put together some docs that show this. Of course, this can only be tentative..I'm sure they'll be one or two...(or more!) unanticipated delays and so don't hold me to sticking exactly to it!

For those that like statistics, I'm hoping to take around 145 days, of which 129 (sounds precise aye?!) will be actually spent on the trail. This is 3,008km long (2015 official route!), so I think it should take me around 4.6 million steps...This also happens to work out at around one step for each New Zealander! I'm thinking of taking a pedometer and maybe should run a sweepstake to the closest estimate??!!

For those that just like the highlights, here's the simplest version:






For those that want a bit more detail, click here for a pdf version that shows where I currently aim to be  each day.

For those that really want to walk (but can only do so vicariously) and have access to Google Earth, my planned stages can be viewed here....And finally, when I get around to it, I'll try and get around to posting a gpx file with all my planned stops...and the unplanned backup ones, before I leave!

Ano,
Rach

​Counting down to leaving Christchurch on October 19th for Auckland and then Cape Reinga on 21st October. Actually getting to the start of the track without a bus trip on 90 mile beach (tempting!) is not easy.
 
I am looking forward to spending some time with the crew from MS Society Auckland on the walk back down.
 
I am arranging my food drops on the trail and a very big thank you to Ruth, Dominic and Bob and Vicki for tramping in to leave stashes for me. Hopefully unlike Scott of the Antarctic I won’t be found frozen a few steps from a food drop that I couldn’t find.
 
I have had some lovely emails from people involved with MS in various ways and some truly splendiferous offers of accommodation and non-dehydrated food. I am picking up a banner from the Christchurch MS society which I will try to photograph in lots of places. Keep an eye out for it on my future blogs.
 
So please comment on here especially if anyone has any great ideas for tramping breakfasts apart from porridge!
 
Many many thanks for the donations from far and wide, it totally makes my day to get a message from people who donate as this tramp is all about connections .This week Wendy who was my BFF from age 4-16 sent me a message with her donation. Honestly without getting all Oprah about it I’m constantly gobsmacked by the messages of support and help from people. Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover it.
 
Ano,
 
RachX