45. Paihia: Lookout Track

Monday, March 25: Sunny and quite warm

Tramping: 6.5 km

Jarrad’s

Was up bright and early, well before the others and had my breakfast (finally finished off the hiking crackers). After that travel planning was on the agenda. Managed to get a response from the Cell Block in Whangarei and had to decide between a simple room for $45 and the deluxe version for $60. Decided on the latter and sent off my credit card details via SMS. Still have no confirmation, but we’ll take that as it comes.

Still no news from ATHop so I called them and fifteen minutes later the account was set up and I could see the balance down to the cent. Had to use the uni-hannover.de email account to get an email through at all, and even then stuff went into the trash folder.

Time to get out and get something done. One glasses lead was bought at the dollar shop for $2, some lip balm from the closer supermarket, and then to the only chemists where disinfectant could be bought, but no topical antibiotic. That was brought back here and it was already time for lunch so the pastrami was finished off.

Wanted to get some walking done so I went into town for the lookout track, which was very well maintained and I was soon at the top, sweating because it had become so humid. Took some brackets from there, and took a side trip on the way back to the further lookout neat the beach for a panorama.

Interactive Map

Then it was time to get some wine for the kayak trip and had enough time here, after checking that I had enough cards for the cameras, to develop the brackets and assemble the panorama.

Was down at the pub (The Saltwater Cafe & Bar, 14 Kings Rd) on time and was immediately greeted by Magnus, Anaïs, and a Canadian-British couple, Edgar and Delcie, for the preparation presentation. We will have at least one really long day to get to the Cavallis, starting slowly, so I suppose my hands can take it. Not really any time for pizza so after being given a couple of dry bags I took off to town where I encountered Anne-Marie & Bill (from my digs) outside a pizza place, which was unfortunately closed for the day. However, Bill suggested Jimmy Jack’s, 9 Williams Rd, so I decided to try a burger there.

What a catastrophe that was. I began to suspect that the pattie wasn’t properly cooked and on probing around the center it was still quite soft. Grabbed the waiter and said I wasn’t paying for it, which the head barman eventually accepted. How hard can it be to cook a pattie all the way through?

Stopped by at the ice-cream parlor for a hokey-pokey for $5 which fulfilled some of the calorific needs. Will soon have to start packing.