Te Araroa, Day 38

I started walking at 6 am today. At the beginning of the trail right at the campsite there is a sign letting me know that it takes 4 hrs and 8 km to get up to the top of the mountain.

In the beginning I walk a few kilometers on a pleasant trail through the rainforest, gradually climbing.

Then, I start to feel the cold. My watch says 6 degrees Celsius. I had hoped to get warm by walking and climbing up, but it doesn’t seem to work. I change into my warm merino shirt.

There are very strong and cold winds, and I am glad that the forest gives some protection. Soon, I walk inside wet clouds. Sometimes, some rain is mixed in. This is not my most favorite weather: cold, wet, plus cold winds.

Next, the mud starts. First, still quite okay, like on the following picture:

It gets steep and the mud is always there. As I later understand, this part, going up, is still the best of the whole mountain up and down.

On the summit is a platform with a 360 degrees view. I can hardly keep myself up. The ice cold wind blows me around. I don't spend much time up there. 

There is still a bit up to get to a hut and some other kind of summits until the track goes down. And that is when it really turns into hard work.

It is unpleasant. No fun. Very, very exhausting. The whole "walk" down is no walk. There is mud/mud soup everywhere. No path, just mud. Knee-deep and even deeper. It is steep, and I have to focus and concentrate for hours to not get stuck in the mud and fall, to not slip and fall, to not sink in deep and hardly get out. It is trying to avoid the most dangerous passages while still just being in slippery, wet, muddy ground.

I only stop briefly to eat something "on the go." It is too cold and wet and muddy to find a spot to sit. There is nothing. It is "hell." At least that is what I think while being on that... - don't know how to call it. It is not a path. It is just mud. -

I could not even take pictures.

After 6 km of the downhill mudslide/-pools, I finally get to a gravel road.

It is raining. I still cannot stop walking: cold, wet, wind, a bad combination for me. We still have a road walk of about 9 km to get to a "trail angel" that provides accommodation. There is nothing else "official" where we could stay. I walk fast to get warm. I do not get warm. I am very glad when I finally arrive at "Jo's Funny Farm."

There are many other hikers there. She has a big garage that people can use to sleep in. There are old sofas, mattresses, etc. There is also a hot shower in another building. I meet Jo and opt for setting up my tent. Then get out of the wet clothes and enjoy the hot shower.

Jo offers dinner too and is just ready to bring it into the garage. After this day, I feel I need to eat a lot. I am very hungry and exhausted, so I am glad that there will be dinner.

She has some salads, buns, homemade feta, mashed potatoes, peas, and butter as well as a vegetarian pie. There is some meat stuff too, but that is not my kind of food. I load my plate until nothing fits onto it anymore and then quietly reload it into my stomach.

Afterwards, between rain showers, I pitch the tent and finally lie down.

What a day!