Frankfurt – Returning to Te Ika-a-Māui

6. Ohakune – Taumarunui-Cherry Grove – Ohinepane (WRJ 1)

Thursday, February 14: Warm & sunny throughout with occasional cloud

Kayaking: 22.5 km
Tramping (Lauren’s Lavender excursion): 0.4 km

Ohinepane Campsite (Doc, $20)

The alarm hadn’t been set, but I was fairly confident of my ability to get up on time: 6:00 was being aimed for, practically it was 5:30. Had a breakfast of cornflakes, peaches & milk, coffee & two slices of plain toast in the still very quiet house. Alan showed up briefly, and then it was off to pack the final items, shove the suitcase into the room across the hall. Everything I wanted to take with me fit into the two backpacks, and I now have them with me. Which turned out to be a good decision. Read more…

0. Hannover – Frankfurt – Dubai

Friday, February 8: Cloudy, then fine, not really cold

That was cutting it a bit fine. Up at 8:30, then off to the office for a short chat with Joy. Was trying to finalise things back here in the flat, when I heard some scratching at the front door, and Jennifer and Theresa had come early with all of their belongings. Jennifer had taken the day off and was keen to move in at the noon mentioned in the contract. Anyhow I still had a good hour and forty minutes to do, including a shave and a shower, taking out the rubbish, filling in a last couple of boxes, removing my smelly old clothes, and trying to find a way of packing the boots, a pair of shoes that can be thrown away, and the paddling clogs. In the end wore the shoes, put the boots in the backpack and the clogs dangling off the backpack with the bed roll and the ratsack. Read more…