Thursday 26 November 2015

Day 26 - Rest day - Auckland - numerous steps, probably numerous kms, up the hill and into the city and back again!

Looked at the 'schedule' and figured the kms out of Auckland are probably unrealistic given that one of us still has to walk into her fitness and one of us has a right appendage that doesn't want to be in the game.

Strategic journeying coming into play. Revised plan looks a bit like this - walk to Hamilton as per route but shorter distances meaning extra two days travel time.  Hire car in Hamilton and drive  to Waitomo, missing a section that is pretty miserable by previous accounts including a bit described as '5km of continuous bog'.  See the glow worms and pick up my box. Drive to Tongariro an do the crossing, then across to White Island for some more volcanic action (missing the whanganui river leg), then on to Wanganui township, drop off the car and back to walking the rest of the trail into Wellington.

Because of this rejigging, had to put on my logistics hat and spent a good part of the day amending or cancelling or making new reservations. Part of the plan is to leave Auckland City a day early, not just because we're keen to get going, but because the backpackers we are staying at, well let's just say it's not our cup of tea and leave it at that.

Went into town to Resupply had a coffee and then came back and got all the supplies  packed up. We were just about to head out again , because we'd promised ourselves an ice cream, when I realised I'd left my hoody at the coffee shop. No worries - we'd just pick it up on the way back into town, but when we got to the cafe  it was shut. Frustratingly, we could see my hoody through the window. Checked their opening hours and they open at 6:30 in the morning - thankfully we will still be able to get an early start, secure a coffee and pick up my hoody!

People who know me, know I'm an icream girl, so it will come as no surprise that an icream by the harbour was a highlight. Majella wanted to walk all the way to the end of the harbour again because she didn't have her camera when we did it yesterday - so much for a rest day!

On the way there is a pedestrian bridge that opens to let boats through. It was opening as we arrived and we stopped anticipating one of the multi-million dollar yachts to appear. And then we saw it - the little boat that could. We figure if it had taken its little flag off it could have gone under the bridge! It was soooo funny. You could just imagine it puffing out it's chest at the indignity of it all.

Pigeon xx



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