• Official kms 24km
• Garmin kms 29.10km
• Total time: 7.55
• Calories burned: 3942
• Body battery: 7/10.
• Accommodation: Sister in-laws parents cottage. Andrew & Rosie’s place.
• Tent nights = still 3

The alarm was set for 7am this morning, I awoke at 6am. I’m missing my wife Antonia this morning, more than normal. I also miss my 2 dogs, which I won’t see for at least a few months. Antonia will be joining me at Christmas, I’m really looking forward to that!

Just on mental health and well-being, one of the reasons I’m doing this, not only for me but to have some input into changing others lives for the better, you could be a part of that! Please donate if you can ⬇️

https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/walking-te-araroa-3000km-for-the-key-to-life

This morning we say goodbye to my sister & family, mum also as she will drop us at the start.

We jumped in mums camper just before 8.30am & arrived at our start point 15 minutes later. Mum dropped us off & we said our goodbyes. Was so good being able to spend some good quality time with mum & a huge effort in supplying the hikers with rides & lunches!

We took off just as the sky’s opened up & the rain jackets went straight on! It only lasted about an hour though & then it turned into a hot rainless day.

We walked a good 15km along gravel road before we hit some actual trail, this is the 1st time in the trail that we have had tracks. It’s here we stopped for some lunch, we were lucky enough to have some of mums yummy asparagus rolls & corn fritters!

We started off on this new trail & it soon turned to mud & made for difficult travel, it didn’t last too long though & we came across some nicely done steps before some pretty decent trail.

About 4km before our end point we hit Rainbow falls an attraction I have frequented before as Kerikeri is where I grew up.

We arrived just under the 8 hour mark to Andrew & Rosie’s place where they have been amazing to accommodate us for the night. Such a comfortable place, with such excellent hosts who even let us use the swimming pool.

To make life easier for the hungry hikers we ordered Domino’s pizza to be delivered to the cottage & devoured 5 pizzas between the 4 of us!

It was another fairly big day, feet are tired & am looking forward to bed! I am so grateful to Andrew & Rosie for this comfortable accommodation & their generosity. Tomorrow is supposedly 23km but I’m starting to lose faith in the TA App as todays 29km was supposed to be 24km according to the App. But let’s just see how we go.