I slept like the dead. I’m not kidding. The holiday park could have detonated last night and I would not have woken.
I had made a double serve of dinner, couscous dried veggies and packet chicken (yes, that’s a thing, who knew). And loads of ginger nuts of course because I think I have already established that scoffing ginger nuts is a daily necessity.
After dinner clean up I crawled into my sleeping bag and lights out folks. The end :-)
I didn’t notice last night but I realise this morning I’m only a 45 minute drive from Wellington.
That’s a two day hike! So close. So, so close.
Even though I ate for Australia last night I gobble down a huge breakfast, break camp and head off.
I’m on a new track today, from Paekakariki to Pukerua Bay. It’s only a ten k section but I reckon it’s probably a highlight of the trail. While it is steep, narrow and exposed, because you know, it is the TA, it is a lot of fun and has spectacular views.
The ascent and descent to the lookout is via stairs. Many stairs. Many, many stairs.
There are lovely small sections of forest and 2 swing bridges.
It’s like all of the various elements of the TA have been squished down into this one 10k section!
It’s gorgeous and then I drop down onto Pukera Bay for a monster sized coffee before I step off to a walking track to Porirua.
It’s obvious I’m close to the end of the South Island. I’m definitely hitting a lot of suburbia.
I see a lot of coffees in my future.
I am mirroring SH1 but at least I’m not on it! I pass a cemetery, rail overpasses and a bridge. Special note here for Nikki. To my horror, I walk across a pink pedestrian overbridge. Oh the pain, the pain :-)
I wander through the grounds of Gear Homestead and pass up the opportunity to hit up the Adrenalin Park activities.
It’s been pretty easy going today but I know the next 21k will feel like I’m back on the trail. There is still a bit of road walking to do and it’s quite urban (notes say turn left at the New World Supermarket carpark!) before I get to the marked track to Colonial Knob and then onto Mt Kaukau.
The last 14k includes hiking through Spicer Forest and I stop here at a trail angel’s.
Higher than it looks!
Mt Kaukau
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