Day 9: “Shocking”-ly Fun

Saturday October 19th

Puketi Recreation Area to Kerikeri Holiday Park

Kilometers: 197.4-221.3

Another immense nighttime rainstorm kept nearly the entire camp up last night. From about 9:30pm until 5:00am, the pounding rain echoed throughout our tents. The noise was so loud that many of us had to resort to listening to music just to try and catch some rest.

On top of the rain, last night was unusually warm compared to the nights prior. It was quite difficult to get comfortable with the combination of the consistent pouring, humidity, and temperature.

Most of us were only able to get four to five hours of shuteye.

I woke up to a campsite filled with puddles and low morale. Despite all of this, everyone was eager to get up and out. Today was the last day of walking before real beds, hot showers, and a day off.

Alex, Toby, and Nicolas were off about 15 minutes before me. With all my ailments still flaring up, I carefully laced up my shoes and set off at 8:45am.

After less than 100 meters, I took of my shoes and instead opted for another day of sandal walking to spare my Achilles and ankle.

The morning hike featured a steady downhill on gravel roads out of the Puketi Forest. Vikky caught me about 20 minutes into the day and helped me keep pace for most of the morning. She had found out that the farmland Guthook suggested we go through was actually closed, and that an alternative route had been posted in the Facebook group.

Alex and Toby proceeded through the farmland without this knowledge. When trying to get over a stile, Alex received a pretty nasty shock from an electric fence. He was apparently so surprised by it that his first reaction was that he tore his hamstring.

On our alternate route, Vikky and I walked all the way from the edge of Puketi to Highway 10 on Puketotara Road. The gravel road had little elevation change but marched us through yet more magnificent farmlands.

Farmland picture taken by Ethan on alternate route

Picture taken by Alex walking through the farmlands

Just after passing a Kiwi Sanctuary, Vikky peeled off and decided to eat lunch. Unfortunately, she informed me that Kiwi’s are not only super rare but are also nocturnal. In her many visits to New Zealand and her six months living here, she has never seen one. It would seem that my only hope to see one now is to go to the zoo.

I cruised through the remaining 5 kilometers and found myself walking beside Highway 10, the final kilometer of road walking before the Kerikeri River Track.

After running across a bridge with no shoulder, I found another TA hiker rehydrating at a pavilion next to the trail. I eagerly launched myself over the stile and began the short hike to the river.

After some mild confusion about how to get down the the track, I too found an electric fence between myself and where I needed to be. After watching the other hiker go over, I tried the same. My aching legs did not have enough to lift me and my pack over and I too received an unwelcoming shock from the wire. Moments later, I realized there was an a safe way to remove and reattach the wire just meters away.

Following the second shock of the day, I was greeted with a welcoming site, the Kerikeri River.

I hiked alongside the river for five kilometers and met Alex at the absolutely breathe-taking Rainbow Falls for a quick lunch.

From the falls, we made the trek to the holiday park. Toby reserved a hostel with four beds for the Nicolas, himself, and the two of us.

Once Alex and I were settled in, we set off for the grocery store to get snacks and then Dominos Pizza. After eating more food than we have any of the past 10 days, we all spent time caring for our mess of feet. Alex’s blisters healed little to none since yesterday and the swelling in my ankle, Achilles, and knee have only gotten worse. It’s looking increasingly likely that we will be taking two rest days in Kerikeri.

-Ethan