Te Araroa, Day 68

Today is a very special day—the last section on the North Island. In the morning, I am not sure if I will be able to manage everything in one day because as soon as there are too many kilometers on pavement, my feet will be very painful. 

X starts before me. I am ready to walk at 5:55 am. After a kilometer, I am at the outskirts of the town. When I pass an industrial company, a worker stops me, asking if I am a TA walker. Lots of questions follow, and good wishes.
I cross the road and enter a rainforest.  
It is going uphill. Steep. There are stairs installed to help with the steepness.  
Something between 700 and 800 steps are to master. I pass a couple of guys walking the steps to lose weight. They have kind and encouraging words for me.

I very much enjoy the rainforest in this early morning and am looking forward to seeing how the world around me will look once I come out of it.

I emerge from the forest shortly after 7:00 am, and the world around me is stunning. I can hardly follow the conversation some cyclists try to have with me.

The morning mist starts to dissolve. We'll have beautiful weather today. For a few kilometers, I am walking on top of hills, having 360-degree views. I see the sea on the west coast from where we came yesterday, the towns and Kapiti Island, an Island that accompanied us since we started that beach walk the day before yesterday.

I see the sea between the North and the South Island, and I see the South Island in the distance. I see the hills that surround Wellington and the ocean/inlet that harbors Wellington. The views are stunning and ever-changing. There is a very strong wind on these hills, and the fast-moving clouds change the sights constantly. This is very, very beautiful, and I am enjoying it a lot.

After a few kilometers on the hills the path goes down into a forest again, for about 2 km. 

Emerging from the forest this time there is a country road to follow for about 6 km. It is a quiet road in a rather empty setting. This feels strange, knowing that the busy city of Wellington is just on the other side of the next hills that we will climb. 

From the end of the road, a path goes up some hills. The wind is very strong. I am not good with wind; it chills me. But since today there is a lot of this highly excruciating sun, the wind is very welcome.

After about 4 km, I reach a viewpoint and get the first view of Wellington. It is amazing and kind of unbelievable to see this city, to have almost reached it after walking around 1600 km, starting from Cape Reinga in the far North. It feels completely unreal.

I have a break here before descending for about 3 km and reaching the first houses in the hills of Wellington. 
With reaching some residential area, there is also pavement. My feet complain. I start to worry. There are still about 20 km to do... First into the city and then around it to the official point of the end of the North Island. 

Luckily, I only had 2 km to manage on the pavement. The route then uses every park available to lead into the city. My feet are relieved when I enter the first little park. Looking for a place to rest. I find X and join his break at a small stream.

For a few kilometers we walk together. Wellington is hilly. After the park there is a steep ascend on the roads and then in another green area to Te Ahumairangi Hill.  Again we get some beautiful views.
Then I walk gradually down, emerging near the botanical gardens and city center. 

I walk through the center and notice that they have some Te Araroa markers on the ground to show the way. Then there is a very enjoyable but also very windy walk along the harbour.

From the harbor, it is not far to the hotel. I check-in and decide to cover the remaining kilometers to the southern end of the Te Araroa today.
It is Thursday.  
On Sunday, we'll be on the ferries to the South Island. There is a lot to do until then, and I want to be done with the "official walking". My feet should be OK. The next 11 km are almost only through parks again with walkways, not on pavement.

Since I did more than 30 km already with a lot of up and down, I decide to "monsterize" and get some food. Almost opposite the hotel is a KFC. I order two large fries. Surprisingly, I only manage one. I offer the other one to a homeless woman. Her hint of a smile warms my heart.

Strengthened by the Monster and fries and with a backpack that now only contains water and some clothing, I slowly tackle the last leg of today's walk and the North Island.

And the very end.... 

Somewhere further south we will continue, walking the South Island, starting on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024