DAY #19 . 29 KM . SONG = "I Will Survive" . WEATHER = Mix Sun and Cloud
Today Alex and I woke feeling refreshed and ready to go. What could go wrong? We were clean from the river the day before and had had an awesome nights sleep. We were well on our way and trekking for a good few hours until around 10am when we came to a fork in the logging road. Then it all changed.
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| The clouds hang low early morning |
Shortly after that we came to another fork in the road and things started to get confusing. It was difficult to tell where exactly we were and which of the roads was the main one. We wanted to stay on Jacksons Road until Mangapa. Fortunately, at this time, workers in their big trucks started to roll on passed us so we waved a couple down to ask for directions only to find that none of them knew where Mangapa was. But they "thought" it was to the left of the fork we were at. And so we went.
Things started to just not feel right shortly after that and so we began asking more people, trying to frantically figure out where we were. The only definite answer we could get is that we were walking on the road that would take us North to Pupuke which would eventually lead to the SH 10 and Kahoe. This was not what we wanted to hear as we were supposed to be finding a fork in the road near Mangapa to head East to Puketi Forest.
There was a farmland nearby with the main house on the side of the road and so I went to ask there if they knew where we were, only no one was home. We were stuck. Alex and I didn't know where we were and if we should continue on or turn around. Things were not looking good and it was already nearly 11am.
We sat on the side of the road, figuring all we could do is wait for the next person to come by and ask them where we were and hope they could give us a definite answer. Soon after, a big truck came rolling by and we wave him down. We told him our situation and right away he was able to clear up something. Mangapa was not an actual place as in a town - it was more of an area of land. And we were just passing through it. Secondly, he confirmed that the road we were on would just simply continue North to the highway and that there was no turn off to go East into Puketi Forest. To go East, we needed to backtrack to the last fork in the road (that everyone else told us went "nowhere") and take the other option. He convinced us.
We were only too happy to accept a ride from the worker as it would have taken us another hour to get back to the fork in the road - which meant in a blink of an eye, we were being dropped off and we waved goodbye. We were now on track.
Alex and I took the new route which happened to be Mokau Ridge Road. It was the only road around that actually had a label on it and it matched neither our map or our trail notes from Te Araroa Trust. Go figure. Regardless, we went on trusting the last worker who's confidence inspired us to go on.
Shortly after, we came to a group of loggers at the top of a hill who continue to help direct us through the maze of logging roads. They found it amusing that we were wandering around lost in their roads they found to be so clear and didn't exactly understand what we were doing there. Alex and I tried to remain positive about our situation, but it was difficult and I could find myself fighting feelings of pure defeat and the fear that we would not figure out where we are by the time we had to set up camp.
Eventually we were sent along one road of which the workers stated this would take us ALL the way through to Puketi Forest. We just had to get to the gate at the other side. Easier said than done as we still didn't know how far along the gate was and we weren't confident any longer that we were 100% right to be on that road. But we had to put trust in something and so we walked.
A few very long hours of walking on a road that never seemed to end, we gratefully made it to the gate. The loggers had appeared to know something afterall. We got through the other side and then came around the corner only to find ourselves faced with another fork in the road and no clear direction of where to go. There was only one thing we could do. Take off our packs and each pick a route to explore for a few minutes and then meet back at the fork. And so we did. I went left and Alex went right.
I went up a hill for a while until the road began to turn around the corner. It was there I could see glimpses of a DOC sign. I was so elated that I ran to the sign, not caring that my feet and body were tired from the walk thusfar. The sign stated that it would be 6km to hit Wairare Road (where we wanted to get to) and that there was two trailheads nearby. I knew trails generally have a small map at the beginning of the area and so I went to scout them out only to find that a campsite or the Puketi Hut (our original goal of the day) were nearby and we were, in fact, on the right route. I literally ran all the way back to Alex.
We decided to skip the rest of the road walk and take the trails for a change of pace where it would only be about an hour till we could set up camp, and most likely near a water source as a river would be nearby. It felt as though a weight had been lifted. We had been going for so many hours on the hope that we were even going the right way. To find out where we were and have a clear direction for tomorrow was more than what we could have ever imagined.
Needless to say, we made it about 1.5 hours down the path and were so exhausted we set up camp in the middle of the pathway and are heading to bed now that we've had our dinner. It's only 6pm. I only hope no remaining trekkers are on the trail to discover our tent blocking its path.
NOVEMBER 3/10
DAY #20 . 30 KM . SONG = "Oobla-dee, Oobla-da" . WEATHER = Sunny and Windy
In hopes to cover as much ground as possible today - we were up and going by 6:15am. Not too shabby, but considering it was raining at the time and we were still deep in the bush of Puketi Forest, the need for headlamps to direct us was essential. Regardless, we were on our way and set and determined to make it to Kerikeri. We were ready for this portion of the trek to be over.
The first couple hours we pushed hard to get to Puketi Hut. Through mud. Up hills. Down steep drops. Across rivers. Scrambling river banks. Rain, sun, wind. It was all there. And just over 3 hours later we finally were able to reach Puketi Hut. It was such a beautiful sight that we felt the need to celebrate. And so we went to the loo. There was even toilet roll to use and so we were estatic (we ran out nearly 3 days ago).
From there we walked our way along Pungaere Road and were all too happy about that as it meant we could quickly get some KMs done with and we wouldn't have to watch every step we took along the way. And so we walked. And walked. And walked. It was a beautiful feeling to know where we were and where we were going after the events of the last couple of days and Alex and I relished in it.
Eventually we were able to make it to Waipapa which meant we were nearly there. After a quick stop at a gas station for a chocolate bar, we were off for our final push. An hour later we had made it to Rainbow Falls. As I had walked to this point when we were previously in Kerikeri while Alex's foot healed, I was excited to know where we were. Only 40 more minutes and we could be at Ora Ora Resort to say hi to all the lovely people who helped us out when Alex's foot was injured. Alex and I agreed would should at least do that and then we'd head to somewhere to camp for the night.
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| Alex and I make it Kerikeri's Rainbow Falls! |
And now, after a good foot soak, bowl of soup and some catch-up conversation with everyone at Ora Ora Resort, it's time for some well deserved sleep. It feels good to have made it. Part 2 of Te Araroa Trail is complete.
And now - after a day of rest (yesterday) Alex and I plan to head out again. Our destination being Waipu. It's been lovely here in Kerikeri - particularly being able to see everyone at Ora Ora Resort who have started to feel like family. I can only imagine where this next portion of our adventures lead as we are now armed with a pack stocked of food, new maps (thanks to Cookie!!), and more toilet roll. My foot appears to have healed up, as is Alex's so I can only hope that the adventures will lie in what we will see rather than things we injure along the way. But hey - as Alex and I keep telling each other - it's all part of the adventure! :D
** Feel free to check out more of our video clips on YouTube of our trek thusfar at: ONELIFEAdventures
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