Sunday 12.02.2023

• Te Araroa kilometres done: 1871
• Official kms: 0
• Garmin kms: 0
• Total time: 0
• Calories burned: 0
• Body battery: 8/10
• Accommodation: Aunty Briars
• Tent nights tally: 14
• Zero days had so far: 16

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

Pretty relaxed day today, I slept in until I was ready to wake up, surprisingly that was as late as 7am!

With this weather bomb coming through & a deadline of needing to be in St Arnaud before Monday the 20th, being in the mountains with the predicted big winds & rain would be unsafe, Wednesday would be the only viable time to re enter the Richmond ranges.

Unfortunately that would not give me enough time to get through by Sunday night & leave no wriggle room.

I have decided to still connect my journey & spend 3 days next week road walking around to St Arnaud, staying in Nelson with my Aunty until next Monday when my brother flys in & we will start Nelson lakes together.

I have done the Richmond ranges before so I feel I’m not missing out on it & I also know it would be dangerous to do some of those sections in anything but fine weather.

I went into Nelson to get a few things, including new shoes. I got these ones from the Shoe Clinic and they seem very comfortable!

After getting back & having lunch with Aunty B I even had an afternoon nap.

Cousin Narelle & Zhan turned up for dinner with the kids, it was good catching up with them & we had an amazing dinner!

Tomorrow Aunty B is taking me back up to the Hacket car park & I’m going to walk about 25-30km to somewhere past Wakefield & then take Tuesday off to sit out the bad weather.

It’s unfortunate that I’m missing this bit but I am happy that I have made the right & safe choice. It’s also made it easier having such an amazing Aunty that is putting me up for a week & going out of her way to drive me around & cook amazing dinners!