Thursday 16.03.2023

• Te Araroa kilometres done: 2419
• Official kms: 34km
• Garmin kms: 34.45km
• Total time: 8:40
• Calories burned: 2814
• Body battery: 8/10
• Accommodation: YHA Tekapo
• Tent nights tally: 18
• Zero days had so far: 24

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 ended up with a hut mate last night. Grâce turned up around 7pm, she is also SOBO (southbound).

I was up at 5:30am as I’m wanting to leave at 7am. This allows me 10 hours to do the 34 kilometres to Tekapo. I’m aiming to be there by 5pm at the latest.

It started off the same as it’s been most mornings lately, cold! I managed to rock hop the stream for the 1st 1.4km but couldn’t avoid it from this point so was straight in with wet feet.

The 1st 3km were pretty straightforward but then I hit a wall, literally. It was straight up! It was a steep climb of nearly 200 metres, but I felt good. I’m starting to enjoy the ups again.

After gaining the top it was a fairly flat walk for the next 15 kilometres or so before descending down to Lilybank road which was around 19km of today’s walk. I also past the 2400 kilometre point & didn’t realise until 2 kilometres later.

There was cellphone reception from this point onwards to Tekapo. I received a video message of support & encouragement this morning & it really made my day! These messages & the support i get is what keeps me going. (Thanks Denva!)

I walked along the gravel road for a few kilometres until I found a small creek to filter some water. After this I found a nice place to sit & eat my lunch of wraps, tuna, cheese & aioli.

Just before 1pm & having had 30 minutes of sitting around I was off again. It was only 13km from this point to my destination of the YHA in Tekapo. The last 3km being a walk around the lake & past the Church of the good Shepherd then into town.

I’m in a 4 bed dorm tonight, I quickly got showered & feeling fresh again after 4 days in the wilderness then went down to the Local Foursquare to resupply for the next section through to Wanaka.

I decided on an easy dinner of takeaways & am about to call my biggest supporter Antonia. 5 weeks and counting……