One More Sleep - first step tomorrow!!

It's been a funny sort of day today - the lull before the storm. We got up early to drive to Ahipara to drop off a resupply box which took us a good part of the day. I'm not sure whether I am nervous to start or just waiting. I am trying not to think too much about the 'whole' - it gets too overwhelming. I have been just trying to concentrate on the first section from Cape Reinga to Ahipara - big enough on its own as I will pass the 100km on the Ninety Mile Beach.

I'm packed and ready for a 5am start so we can be out the door for the two or so hour drive to Cape Reinga so we can start around low tide (will be a bit after).  I made more adjustments with this final pack (my tent is now attached to the outside), but I suspect it won't be the last change I make.

Pete has been a little forlorn today- he is worried but trying not to show it. I ended up having a chat with him because it was too hard worrying about his worrying! I told him that I know he is concerned that I have bitten off more than I can chew, but that his worrying doesn't help either of us. I need him to have confidence in me (at least confidence that I will call it quits if something goes terribly amiss), because that helps me have confidence in myself.

I think it has helped that we have 'touched' the trail in various places as we made our way North - Auckland, Orewa, Paihia and Ahipara. I have been able to point and say 'I walk along this road' or 'I will be walking in that forest'. It was also nice for him to see some of the campgrounds I will be staying at and to meet some of the people I will encounter. Ros and Hugh at Tide Song made us feel very welcome and were keen to talk about their experiences on the trail. It was good to meet them and I'm sure their positiveness was a balm for Pete.

The photos that I wanted to share with you aren't coming across from Google+ properly which is sufficiently irritating to take my mind off starting for a bit!

A wee beach  walk for the next few days!

Pigeon xx

PS We got quite a few sand fly bites on the river (and around the lake) and being sweet fleshy tourists reacted a bit so the bites became red and nasty and were super itchy when our legs got hot. We finally went to the chemist and got some cortisone cream - amazing stuff ! Cream wasn't even out of the box and my itchiness disappeared!

Touching the trail