Bushcamp to Waitomo
27.4 miles
Mile 531.3
I woke up to find a layer of fog had moved in during the night, and shortly after I got moving it began to rain.
The first few hours of my day consisted of road walking.
Finally the route left the roads, taking me on a trip through farms, forests and fields.
Around 2:00 PM the rain finally let up. The rain makes using my phone for navigation and pictures a pain, but besides that I don’t really mind it since it keeps me cool.
Just before 5:00 PM I popped out of the forest onto a paved road. About an hour later I reached the village of Waitomo.
I needed access to WiFi to upload blogs, download new audiobooks and make some calls, so I decided to stay the night. After checking in at a neat hostel called Kiwi Paka, I headed down to the “General Store”, which is really more of a restaurant/cafe than a store, to grab some dinner.
The special was bbq chicken with three fresh salads and a loaf of garlic bread. So damn good!
Cheers!
Great stuff Austin,
Fascinating sights on the South Island, all that green must mean lots of rain. Looks like a combination of Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. I can feel the dripping sweat, slipperyness of the roots, the oozing mud and that damp clammy feel that never goes away.
It takes a certain type to enjoy, which you have in abundance.
From bleak, never-ending heavy rain storms in California, it feels good to look at the other side of the world.
Thanks for that Austin,
John
I’m actually still on the North Island for a few more weeks. I’m very much looking forward to the South Island, as that’s where I’ll find some of the most scenic sections. Cheers!
Just wanted to drop another WOW on you! Great stuff, and keep up the great work. 🍦🍺🤛 PS, still jealous of you
Thanks Chris!