Te Araroa, Day 8

I wake up with the first light, around 5:30. Everything is wet; we spent the night in a cloud of fog. Since we only have a 17 km walk today, there's no need to start too early packing up everything wet.

As usual, I have oats in hot chocolate for breakfast and wait for the sun to emerge. It takes a while to dry the sleeping bag and tent. Meanwhile, the little dairy shop opens, and I grab something to drink as there is no water left at our campsite. I start walking at 10 and reach the Blackridge road campsite by 2:30. X, who started later, quickly overtakes me.

Initially, it's a walk along a gravel road, which turns into a forest road with steep inclines. The terrain fluctuates up and down until we reach the campsite. Many people arrive after us; they are all nice, but after a brief exchange of words, I prefer to stay separated. I go walking in nature to be away from people, to feel immersed in the energy of nature.

Tomorrow will be challenging. The section is 22 km and is expected to take 9 hours. The first 6 km involve walking in the river at the bottom of a narrow canyon, guaranteeing wet socks, limbs, feet, and shoes. After that, there are some steep climbs over 4 km, followed by a 9 km walk on a gravel road up and down through the forest.