​Day 40. 42 Traverse – Ketetahi Carpark.  34km. Total 1118km. I am starting the day at 6am while the Canadians seem still asleep. It’s a bit misty in the morning and pretty cold. The hike continues as yesterday on this easy to walk on road, although it’s now longer stretches going up and then very…

​Day 38. Waihaha hut – Ngakonui-Ongarue road.  36km. Total 1039km. The night was pretty busy, it felt like everyone was at least twice at the loo. Anyway, I head out after waking up before everyone else is even getting up. The sun is back again! The trail to the next hut should take 7h for…

​Day 34. Waitomo – Mangaokewa River Track. 26km. Total 923km. Today I wake up at least every hour and finally get up at 5.30am, taking my time to prepare and pack up inside the hostel. My stuff is somewhat dry, but outside its raining again. I wait for the rain to become just some dripping…

​Day 30.  Hamilton – (shortly before) Kapamahunga Range. 25km. Total 825km. Rainy day and blisters.  Last night I woke up in total darkness and was completely lost. I thought I am in my tent but couldn’t find a way out, I touched a wall and thought for a moment I had fallen into a big…

​Day 26. Mercer – Rangiri (plus a hitchhike into Hamilton and back). 26km. Total 745km. I had a horrible night. All my moskito bites were itching like crazy and I was feeling so unwell I couldn’t sleep. I had to read and do other things to not think about the itching. It was also raining…

​Day 22. Ambury Park – Brookby Road. 37km. Total 650km. Trail Magic! It rained quite a lot last night but when I prepare breakfast it stopped – just to start again once I am finished. I stay a bit longer in my tent, waiting for the rain to stop before heading off. There are still…

​Day 19. Orewa Beach – Tatarata Point. 32km. Total 576km.  The night was alright but the best is the sunrise I can watch right from my tent. I am not in a hurry as the river crossing in 20km can best be done at the lowest tide at 3.17pm today. So after packing up and…

​Day 16. Coastal Cows – Omaha forest. 34km. Total 482km. Incredible, I have already done the first section, Northland! I didn’t sleep much the night with the guys having their party and myself a few things to organise, write, prepare. I still wake up at 6am so I slowly get going, giving my parents a…

​Day 14. Jaggers camp – Urititi camp. 33km. Total 412km. Getting up very early again to see the sunrise at the beach. 6am is a perfect timing for the reddish clouds shimmering over the ocean. How can any day start better?  A few kilometers on the ocean until the trail will get tough again. From…

​Day 12. Whananaki – Ngurunguru / Nikau bay Camp. 26km. Total 338km. After yesterday’s crazy long hike, I am of course tired today! The night in the small hut was so nice and dry but I think I even sleep better in my tent now. As always I start at 7am. We have about 26km…

​Day 10. Beachside Holiday Park – Russell forest hut. 22km (12 by boat and 10 by foot). Total 273km. What a perfect campsite. I lay in my tent in the early morning and watch the sunrise right over the sea. The birds are singing and as I have the luxury of not hiking this morning,…