Taumarunui – Returning to Te Ika-a-Māui

21. Waitotara Road End – Trains Hut (TMM 1)

Friday, March 1: A bit cold to begin with but soon becoming warm & sunny

Tramping: 13.2 km

Trains Hut (Doc, $10)

Sleep was very intermittent last night and I was up way before 7:30. The proximity to the highway was not helpful. Anyhow I had plenty of time for breakfast (cereal, toast, coffee, and two cans of L&P in the fridge), took out some rubbish, packed my stuff together (hopefully a little better this time) and just after 9:15 went outside to await my chauffeur.

He – Dave – was there pretty much on the dot of 9:30. Among other things he had been a fire investigator with the voluntary fire brigade, which, of course, was right up my skeptical alley. And Howard had been right: He was the guy with the “golf carts on rails,” which I could make no sense of yesterday evening. Read more…

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…

4. Auckland – Ohakune

Tuesday, February 12: Very cloudy to begin with, some drizzle, later changeable & somewhat warmer

Arawa Lodge, 43 Arawa St, Ohakune 4625 (airbnb, $50.8)

I was awake from about 5:00 onwards and got out of bed just before the alarm rang at 6:00. Not an eardrum bursting experience, but will do just in case I snooze off. Turning the thing off seemed to require going through the whole procedure.

No one else was up, although eventually Adam did make an appearance. I was concentrated on finishing the liquids, the yoghurt and the toast, and when that was done, the rest of the stuff had to be packed into the suitcase and the large backpack. I was wearing the boots today, but the shopping of the last couple of days made up for the space saved. Anyway an elephant was required again, but it all went very quickly and I was all set @ 7:15, waited around for a while and then decided to push off for the bus. Read more…