12 Nov, 19km

Having taken the elevator ride up Durie Hill yesterday Rob and George dropped me there at 7:00 this morning to continue on my walk.

The weather is about to turn over the next few days from the burning hot sunny days to some wet weather. Today was cloudy but hot and once I got to Fordell the slight breeze helped cool the road down.

It was a road walk for 19km. The walk to Koitiata is usually completed in one day but 37 km in one hot day with loaded pack I thought was too much for me. With a day pack Rob and George collected me at Whangaehu and have offered to return me back there tomorrow morning at 7:00.

Opposite this tree, I stopped behind the bushes on a farm yard drive looking for a pee spot. Just as I had the TP out a car pulled in the drive, caught. I quickly said, “I’ve just stopped for lunch” to the reply “go up to the farm house back up the road for a cuppa tea”. I didn’t but had my pee and was off.

Hidden in this scene is a woman walking. I saw her ahead and walked fast to catch up to her. I did catch her just before the sign thinking she was a TA walker. I needed to turn right and she walked on ahead. It was then I saw her crutches and her direction told me she wasn’t a TA walker.

I stopped for lunch at 10:30 with only a few km to go with this view.

Apart from this feather I saw a man on a bike with a dog wandering along beside him coming toward me. The bike passed and as I passed the dog I noticed the dog was having a feed on some road kill.

Rob gave me an afternoon garden tour, filled with stories meaning and purpose. I went with George to get Friday takeaways, hangi and rewa bread. We finished with carrot cake and sat out the front with a glass of wine in 20°C heat listening to an event happening at the local bowling club nearby.

George took me on a driving tour of the murals in town! Amazing but sorry no pics.

Thank you George and Rob for your hospitality, friendship and knowledge of TA.