Te Araroa, Day 17

I wake up at 4:30 am and have an early breakfast before starting to walk to the first river at 5:45 am.

Thanks to the markers and a very calm river, the crossing is not difficult. My aching feet enjoy the cold water.

After finishing the river crossing, I turn around and snapp at least this picture:

Then the mud walk follows. It is thick, cold, black mud with lots of mangrove roots.

The feet get a good massage but the walk in that thick mud is not easy and I am relieved when I reach the parking area with the puddle.

I clean feet and legs in there, and while I am putting on socks and shoes, a (double) rainbow appears.

We are a group of hikers now starting the road walk to the next river crossing. 

Letterbox:

We have time before the crossing and enjoy a nice break.

The crossing itself is an easy one—calm and rather shallow waters, with sand banks in between.

Crossing done.

Now the mud.

It feels like those mangrove roots pierce my feet. I am glad once we are through the mud.

There is a short climb up into some meadows. One by one, the meadow fills with tired hikers.

There is no water here, so everyone finds their own way to clean their feet or not.

I have some wet wipes, and together with a piece of cloth that I use to dry my tent, I work on getting the mud off as good as possible.

Then follows resting and eating.

There is a hill climb ahead, before a descent to a bay, and a 6-7 km beach walk. Lots of varied ground will be covered today.

View from the top of the hill:

The trail goes down to the beach, and then we have to walk to the mountain at the end of the beach. There will be some space where we can pitch the tent and have a simple shower.

The mountain at “Ocean Beach” will have to be climbed the next morning. There will be lots of ups and downs. According to the information we have, the mountain crossing will be about 7.5 km long, and the estimated time for that is 5-6 hours.

Walking down the hill we just climbed and a gravel road towards the beach:

While I walk down the mountain, it finally happens:

I arrive.

I have been in New Zealand for more than 3 weeks, but my body did not feel “arrived.” I mean a feeling when everything matches and feels centered within myself. Of course, I have been here with body and mind, but still, the body felt scattered.

Now, walking down, I feel, for the first time, the energy of the nature around me. I sense my “body parts” energetically becoming one. Everything feels like moving in its place now, centered, and I feel the energy of the plants and of "New Zealand" moving through me.

I am back. I am there. Completely. Finally.

It makes me teary.

And when I walk the beach, it gets stronger.

I feel good and connected. I am here .

Beach walk:

Walking the beach there is another river crossing. 
Those are rivers that flow into the sea:

Arriving at the campsite around 2:45 pm, nine hours after the morning start, we try to wash our shoes and clothes, utilizing the last rays of sun to dry them as much as possible.

Holding painful feet up in the air before a good night's sleep in the tent.