Sunday 19.03.2023

• Te Araroa kilometres done: 2503
• Official kms: 30km
• Garmin kms: 26.15km
• Total time: 6:33
• Calories burned: 2242
• Body battery: 7/10
• Accommodation: Stu & Shells studio unit.
• Tent nights tally: 18
• Zero days had so far: 25

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

Today should be a nice easy walk along the canals to Lake Ohau. I had a couple reach out to me a week back & offer me their studio unit when I come through. Thanks Shell & Stu such an amazing offer!

It’s also forecasted to bucket down Monday afternoon through until Tuesday morning so I messaged this morning & asked if I could stay 2 nights as it looks to be nearly 100mm of rain coming. Shell said they were going to offer anyway. I feel so grateful to have this offer! There really is some amazing people out there that are willing to offer a hand & support & ask for nothing in return.

I just want to say a big thank you to all those that have helped & supported me along this journey, you know who you are. You are all amazing people!

It wasn’t until just after 9:30am that I set off, no rush today as the route I’m taking following the canals is around 26km to Ohau. I could walk back onto the official TA but that means walking around Lake Ruataniwha which was already extra kilometres the other day. I will rejoin the TA around the 15km mark after crossing a weir to regain it.

Within a few kilometres I had reached the canals where there were quite a few people fishing, funnily enough after being on the canals alone I was seeing so many fish where the fishermen weren’t just sitting in the shallows!

Since I ate a huge breakfast i decided I would walk until around 1pm before stopping for lunch. Just before this & right before the weir I met a couple of people fishing, Richard & Suz, they are staying at their holiday home in Ohau & after asking if there is any shops there they told me Twizel is the nearest. I was hoping to buy some fresh milk & Richard & Suz have offered to grab me a bottle in Twizel on their way back & drop it off to where I’m staying. More trail magic.

I sat down for lunch, this time my wraps containing fresh salad & sliced beef! Luxury! From this point it was just over 10km to my destination.

It was a nice gentle walk around the lake & at one point there was a nice little hut maybe a fisherman’s hut?

It wasn’t too long after this point that I hit another milestone. 2500km! Only a little over 500km to go, I’m really looking forward to reaching the finish line!

Being only 3km left to go & a hot day I decided that once there was only about a kilometre to go I would stop strip off into my togs & go for a dip in the lake. It was amazing! So nice to just lie there in the cold water.

I then got changed & finished off the last kilometre to Stu & Shells place. What an amazing house & the studio unit is so good, I am so lucky!

I was also invited to dinner of fresh vegetables & venison. It was delicious! They also had another couple here for dinner & we all sat & chatted until about 9pm. It was a very nice evening.