Te Araroa, Day 19

Leaving late today at 8:40 am. The section today won't be difficult. First, there is a 6 km beach walk—nice and quick in 1 hr 10 min. Then, a short 4 km road walk to Waipu.

Waipu is a charming little town everything is on one street and people seem to enjoy talking to hikers and extend their best wishes.I get warned about the sun and receive advice on how to protect myself. 

I meet some of the other hikers. Everyone is getting food. I buy some supplies in the supermarket and a pain au chocolat to eat right now. The store next door gives out free coffee, and soon all hikers who were spread out along the shops somehow get the word and move towards that shop.

I walk to an Indian restaurant to eat their lunch special. I need something other than fries or a vegetable burger or pizza. I don't want to sit inside, and since there is no official seating outside, the owner invites me to sit in the private garden of the restaurant. Here, it is calm and quiet. I feel good.

The food is excellent, and the owner of the restaurant fires away with lots of questions. I had a few Indian people asking me along the way what I was doing. None of them were aware of the TA. None of them could imagine walking the whole country or just walking to their house instead of driving. This one continues to ask me where I had parked my mobile home. He could not grasp the idea of walking the whole country with everything needed on my back and sleeping in a tent. I think he is still wondering where my mobile home was.

Resupplied and well-fed, I continue walking the remaining 7 km to Waipu Cove Camping on the road. I see a letterbox in the shape of a Volkswagen bus.

We stay in a cabin there. It is a very nice, spacious, and relaxing cabin right next to the beach—a place I could have stayed longer than just a night.