• Te Araroa kilometres done: 626kn
• Official kms: 33km
• Garmin kms: 34.79km (got lost walking Ihumatua)
• Total time: 9.18
• Calories burned: 3323
• Body battery: 7/10
• Accommodation: Troys place.
• Tent nights tally: 6

This morning we all agreed to be ready by 7am & to call an Uber back to where we were picked up from.

Some old friends from Kerikeri messaged me this morning, wanting to say hi as I walked past. Bruce, Jodie & their kids came to say hi at the start of today’s hike. It was great to see them & really great that there are people like them just happy to support such a cause! Really appreciated it.

Not long after this we climbed steadily up towards Mt Eden, unfortunately the very top was closed but we were able to get a photo from the platform just below the summit.

After meandering down & around we hit another milestone. 600km!

This was cause for a celebration so we stopped at Royal oak mall for a 10am lunch. I had sushi & after this, that was all I ate for the rest of the day as it was very filling.

It wasn’t long before we were at the Mangere bridge, unfortunately this was closed & we had to detour under the motorway bridge.

The rest of the day was spent walking the Kiwi esplanade walkway, Ambury park through to Ihumatao in which we got lost & had to detour through farmland to find the trail again. During this we farewelled Jon & Caroline as they are looking at going back to complete the Dome & also have a zero day or two. We are hoping that they join us for the Whanganui River journey.

After walking past the airport a few kilometres a good friend Troy picked us up & Gokul & I have gone back to his place for the night.

Tomorrow we are catching an Uber back to the start point, hopefully doing a 30km day & then going to an Airbnb for 2 nights as Wednesday we are having a zero day to rest & recover!