It's a trail for babies (PCT Hiker "Lost and Found")...it's not
After leaving Coromandel, Sanna drove us back to Hamilton. We had to stay another day to dry our stuff. Thanks a lot Sanna for the little trip. When we arrived at the YHA again, Yvonne the manager looked confused. She didn’t expect the three bloody Germans. Unfortunately, the hostel was completely booked. Apparently, we looked quite helpless and she couldn’t stand our puppy eyes. She offered us to stay at her lodge and dry our wet gear for free. Our little angel. Thanks my dear for that. In the evening, everything was dry and we were ready to hike again. Coby and Jazz were also in the hostel. They were the first TA hikers who I met. We talked a lot over the trail before Auckland. There was one section which was completely covered in mud. Mud up to the knees. Happy birthday.
| 
| 
|
After breakfast, a very last goodbye and shopping proper rain gear, we left Hamilton around 12:30 p.m. The trail got better and better. Less traffic and more landscape came up and the hike was also easier then before. Torte struggled again with a new blister. He has already 6 in 8 days of hiking. We followed for a few hours the Waipa River. We walked through bushes, over a cornfield and we had to fight a way through a herd of cows again. There were at least 100 of them. One cow weights about 600 KG and when it runs it turns into a tank. Happy hiking. The Old Mountain Road leads us uphill and a quarry were our new home for tonight.
| 
| 
|
The alarm rang at 6 o’clock. Torte was the only one who really got up. Eule and I were still tired. The sunrise was exactly in front of my entrance. Down a the quarry, the workers started with their morning shift. Hurry hurry, before we got caught. After 2 km on the Old Mountain Road, the trail took a left and we had to pass a gate. Behind the gate was a dog. No risk, no fun. A short climb over the gate and some nice words to the dog was the best what we could do. We didn’t get bitten. The Te Araroa leads us over green hills with a tons of sheep. But they were to scared of us stinky hikers. I mean trampers. Bob and Margret were some other TA trampers. They were all the time in front of us. Torte and Eule followed them all the time. A little bit later we had to turn. We walked a bit to far. Then the hardest part for the day came up. The Tahuanui Track leads us to the summit of Pirongia. It should take us 4 to 5 hours and it will take you that amount of time. Mud, roots, slippery stones, lianes and the steep track brought us to our limits. We used every branch in order not to go through the mud. But finally. it didn’t help. At the summit, our shoes were covered in mud and we were absolutely exhausted. We spend the night at the Pahautea hut which was pure luxury. Beds, water, toilets and camping sites were available. Really nice.
| 
| 
|
The alarm rang but everybody was still tiered. We looked out of the window and saw the nicest weather in the world. Rain and strong winds didn’t make it easier to get up. After a good breakfast, we started our way down. But before we got down, we had to climb some more little hills. In the beginning, I tried to avoid the mud. After 2 Km, I didn’t care anymore. I sank sometimes so deep into the mud that it was difficult to get my leg out of the mud. The wind crashed into the trees and you could see how the roots moved up and down. It took us about 3 hours for 5.6 km. We were slowly like a snail. After that it was so easy to walk on the road. The rain started again and we tried to find a place to make a break. Suddenly, a hiker approached towards us. His name was Gil and he was from Israel. He got enough from mud and rain. We talked a lot and it was nice to hear some stories from another hiker. We met also an older man and he told us that this summer is the worst ever since 30 year. Very cool. The rain got stronger and the trail turns into a little river. This was the first time when we camped with another hiker. It was still rainy when we pitch our tents and so we decided to have dinner inside.
| 
| 
|
It was still raining in the morning. It wasn’t funny anymore. Absolutely pissed off, we packed our stuff and hiked out into the beautiful weather. The rain didn’t stop and so we ate our breakfast while hiking. I was very slowly in the morning and I fell behind my friends. My muscles burned like hell with every move. All the mud and the step uphill didn’t make it better. I was pretty desperate and if there would be a taxi in the jungle, I would taken it to the next town. The official breakfast was just sitting there with backpacks and poncho and wondering “Why are we doing this?”. Close to 12 p.m. we did our real break and checked the map. Seriously? We did only 6 km in almost 4 hours. Holly shit. The goal was to get to Te Kuiti. But we were satisfied to arrive in Waitomo. We got a 7 people doom room by ourselves. In spread out our clothes in the entire room and hoped that nobody would stay here.
6 comments
Hallo,
ReplyDeleteauch wenn es sich für Euch nicht so anfühlen mag, wünsch ich Euch schöne Weihnachten. Liebe Grüße aus Dresden!
Marlen
Liebe Grüße von "Familie Eule". Wir beneiden euch nicht wirklich, sitzen hier mit dicken Weihnachtsbratenbäuchen und haben Oma gerade alle eure Berichte vorgelesen. Ihr Kommentar:" ganz schön verrückt!". Wir wünschen euch, dass es das Wetter bald besser mit euch meint und dass ihr durchhaltet , euch nicht auf die Nerven geht. Bleibt gesund. MAPA
ReplyDeleteHallo ihr drei,
ReplyDeleteVielen Dank für eure tollen Bericht.
So ist man immer ein kleinen Stück weit mit dabei.
Mein Freund und ich werden Ende Januar den Te Araroa Track laufen.
Aber nur auf der Südinsel.
Von dem südlichen Ende in Bluff nach Norden in Picton.
Vielleicht sieht man sich ja unterwegs.
Habt ihr für uns noch Tips?
Ihr seit ja mit dem Zelt unterwegs, wir wollten eigentlich von Hütte zu Hütte laufen.
Es gibt doch immer Huts auf den Tracks, oder?
Werden uns auch das Buch vom Geoff Chapple kaufen : A Walking Guide To New Zealand's Long Trail: Te Araroa
Welches Kartenmaterial habt ihr?
Wäre echt toll von euch zu hören
Jacqueline
Also die Südinsel wird sich auf jeden Fall lohnen. Wir sind auf der Nordinsel sehr viel auf der Strasse unterwegs. Was nicht immer schön ist. Es wird aber besser und besser. Es gibt einen Pass für die Hütten, welcher angeblich um die 100 Dollar kostet. Mit den kann man dann fast auf jeder Hütte übernachten. Aber informiert Euch da nochmal genau. Wir benutzten das Kartenmaterial von der Te Araroa Seite. Dort gibt es sie als PDF und als GPX Datei. Vielleicht sieht man sich ja wirklich dann mal auf der Südinsel. Meldet Euch nochmal, wenn Ihr ankommt. Dann kann man sich eventuell auch irgendwo treffen. Beste Grüße, der Maik
ReplyDeletecome on CJ, this is easy for you.....just some rain, this is not California!!! I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI am looking to GR5 this July. 600 km across the Alps.....let me know if interested.....
If it would be just rain, then it would be easy. But mud and steep up and downhill makes you kiss the ground. With the GR5 sounds nice. But I'm not sure if Im back in Germany at this time.
ReplyDelete