• Te Araroa kilometres done: 1143
• Official kms: 0
• Garmin kms: 19.46km
• Total time: 4:20
• Calories burned: 1647
• Body battery: 7/10 I have a sore right shin today
• Accommodation: Motel back in Taupo
• Tent nights tally: 10

Today is a Nero (nearly zero) as it should be under 20km of quick easy road walking. I was meant to be walking from 1105 to 1117 today (a definite Nero) & then doing the Tongariro crossing tomorrow, but the weather in the mountains has packed in & all shuttles & tour operators have cancelled. That means I get to Whakapapa via the road a day early, allowing for an extra day off tomorrow!!! So good!

Antonia & I will come back at some stage in the future & do the crossing together.

We have to drop the car at the airport before 4.30pm In Taupo today so I’m aiming to be finished in Whakapapa by 1pm. I’ve decided an 8am start should easily allow for this.

Antonia had me at the start point & I was ready to go by 8.15am. It was drizzling slightly & the wind was quite strong at times.

The walk today covered just over 13km on SH47 before turning off to Whakapapa & was 6km of tar sealed road here also. Nothing exciting today, I just stuck one of my headphones in & powered through the walk.

Within no time it seemed, I had reached Whakapapa & it was only a little over 4 hours before getting to the main centre. Coming up the road you could see the Chateau Tongariro for about 2km before you were in front of it.

Fun fact: My great uncle laid the stone at the Chateau Tongariro back in 1929 when he was Minister of Health. A.J.Stallworthy. This was my finish point for the day, just on 12.30pm.

Antonia & I then drove to Turangi for some lunch, before driving to Taupo where we are staying tonight. We have now dropped off the rental car. Tomorrow we are catching a ride back to Whakapapa to have a zero before donning full packs & walking 3 days to Whakahoro where we will start our 5 day Canoe adventure! Hope this weather holds out & am looking forward to a restful day tomorrow.