Dec. 24, 2024, Owhango to Trail Angels Roger & Shannon, Kaitieke, 19 km, km 1131,6 , 4 hrs 10 min
At 6:45, we are at the place for canoe safety instructions. We learn about rapids and how to tackle them without capsizing, at least in theory. After the instructions, we can hop on a shuttle that drops us off in Owhango. Since we already walked from Taumarunui to Owhango, we start today where we left off last time.
I start walking at 9:20. The forecast is rain, and rain we got. It is a quiet and wet walk on a rural road. There are hardly any cars passing by. I arrive at the Trail Angels' place 1:30 pm just before very heavy rains pour down.
Roger and Shannon have a huge garage filled with all kinds of things. There are some beds at one end, a table, chairs, a sofa, a board with some food to buy, and in one corner, there is a small bathroom. On their premises is also an old bus with 5 beds and a caravan. Since there is no other accommodation in this area, Roger and Shannon have been hosting TA walkers for a little while now.
They are very kind people. Shannon says that the walkers coming in are like her children visiting, and she wants them to feel they just came home for a night to mum and dad.
Since it is Christmas Eve, Shannon says she will prepare some food for us. There are 6 people in the evening: a British couple we have met on and off, a New Zealander, a guy from Italy that we also run into here and there, and us. The British couple stays in the caravan, the New Zealander takes the bus, and the Italian guy stays with us in the garage. Shannon brings pasta with cheese and some broccoli, as well as some canned fruits and a nice yogurt cream with sweets in it.
I ask the New Zealander why there are so many mental health issues and suicides in NZ.
In his opinion, it is a "man problem." He says in NZ, people always say "he'll be fine." Men don't talk about problems; they get told everything will be okay. So, according to the New Zealander, if they do not have female friends that they can talk to, they ought to keep everything inside themselves. This would result in a lot of drug abuse and suicides.
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