Dec. 13, 2023, Jo's Funny Farm to Otoruhanga Holiday Park, 29,5 km (km 878,6), 6:45 hrs (road walk)
It rained last night and I pack a wet tent.
We decided for a 2-day road walk to Te Kuiti instead of using the "trail". Because of all the rain we are likely to encounter mud again and I am not really up to it today.
Leaving the farm, there is some sun for a few moments.
There are 30 km of road ahead. The first road is not as much traveled. At some point, a guy stops beside me and asks for my destination. I tell him, and he offers to take me there. Since I want to walk the entire distance, I decline. He then turns in the other direction. He would have made a detour of about 40 km if he had taken me.
I have my first break after 10 km, somewhere along the road. The second break is after another 10 km. There is still rain on and off and this very strong, cold wind.
All the nice spots along the road are exposed to the wind. Then there is this earth wall, about 1 m at the side of the road. It is not high. In front of it and along the road is a ditch. I make myself small and sit in the ditch, protected from the wind. My rain jacket is in bright orange, so cars will see me well. I take out some nuts and a "Monster," an energy drink. A car stops on the other side of the road, and the guy inside makes some signals, asking if I am okay. I am very okay, but I can see that me, crouched in a ditch along a busy road, could look unusual. Anyway, I start to smile towards the drivers while having my break so that they would know that I am fine.
Later on, while walking again, another car stops, and the driver offers to take me on board. They are really nice, those New Zealanders. I decline and keep on walking. The destination today is Otorohanga Holiday Park. I arrive 6 hrs and 45 min after I left Jo's Funny Farm.
We share a cabin that has a small kitchen. After a shower, drying the tent and a walk to the supermarket, I eat half a kilo yoghurt and cook myself some pasta with a lot of cheese and tomato sauce.
Add comment
Comments