• Te Araroa kilometres done: 1529
• Official kms: 14.5km
• Garmin kms: 15.82km
• Total time: 5:47
• Calories burned: 2421
• Body battery: 8/10
• Accommodation: Ian & Franks hut (Tokomaru hut)
• Tent nights tally: 14
• Zero days had so far: 11

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

Track me live here:

https://aus-share.explore.garmin.com/curtiss

I woke at 6am after a long sleep, I need to buy a new airmat as there is new holes! I slept fairly well though in the hut. The other 2 that were in the hut left early. One was gone before I woke up, the other left around 6:45. They plan to do what we are doing over the next 2 days in 1 day.

Should be nice & cruisy today with only 15kms to do. I left at 8am. Nici was about 15 minutes behind me. We agreed to meet 3km up the trail at the picnic table as that was the last cell phone reception for 1 & 1/2 days. I decided to get there & call Antonia & to get yesterdays blog finished & posted.

We must of sat there for nearly 40 minutes. This was the last time I would see Nici today as she took her time enjoying the track & even having a swim. From there it was the start of Burttons track which was amazing! It was nice to be on bush trail again. It was a 200 metre descent into the Tokomaru valley.

From the valley floor it was a beautiful benched track for most of the day, there was a detour at one point that climbed 200 metres before descending the river again due to a slip. After reading some notes I decided to head up the river instead. It was easy as i zigzagged the river only a few times & I assume the bypass would only be necessary if the river was up.

I rejoined the track at the old Burtton hut site & sat & had another 30 minute break eating a handful of cashews. During this time a couple from the UK stopped to chat for 15 minutes, they were heading Northbound (NOBO). I asked to let Nici know I was sitting at the clearing when they seen me.

From this point it was only another 7km to go to get to the hut & only around 11:30am, satisfied from Cashews I pushed on to get there & arrived just after 1:30pm for a late lunch of wraps & tuna.

Nici turned up about an hour later & was so happy with todays track because previous days had been a lot of road walking!

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing, I even had a 40 minute nap. Tomorrow is a bigger day where I’m expecting about 22km with some good elevation. Planning to leave at 8am.

Antonia is in Palmerston North for work tomorrow & will pick us up after 5pm as it’s a 40 minute drive from there, I’m going to stay back in her motel & she will drop us back leaving at 6am the following morning so she is at work before 8am.

Really looking forward to seeing her.