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| I found this flag in the hut... wonder if it is still there? |
One year ago yesterday, I set out from Cape Reinga to walk across New Zealand. Seems like a good time then to revisit the trip, and first of all come up with some numbers for how far I walked, how many nights I camped and so forth.
Total distance walked along the route : 2,881km
This is approximate, for one there were sections near the start where the marked route involved kayaking but the guide had this as an option, in each case I walked instead. There were also numerous sections where the path on the map was impassable, or simply didn't seem to exist - often due to erosion. Generally I kept to within a couple of kilometres of where it was supposed to be. Finally of course, in a lot of the bush I remain adamant the route on the ground was considerably longer than what the guide claimed - I'd be amazed if the actual distance was not at least 100km more over the entire journey. In any case, I think it is fair to say that I followed a route that was as long as, and always pretty close to, the entirety of the walking sections of Te Araroa.
Total distance along the route by kayak : 83km
From Pipiriki to Wanganui.
Kayak section missed : 32km
Yes I missed a section of the route, from Mangapurua Landing to Pipiriki. I am not going to beat myself up over it too much given I covered rather more distance walking around instead.
Additional walking : 230km
Again this is approximate. I'm not including all the walking around towns to shop, to pubs and back, etc., but rather firstly the bits where I walked off route to find accommodation, for instance to Levin, and secondly where I detoured around an obstacle, most notably the Rakaia river.
Times I left the trail by motor vehicle : 3
I really didn't want to do this, witness the lengths I went to, carrying many days food, to avoid having to hitch into a town to resupply. I guess I liked the idea of getting to Bluff and saying 'I have come here all the way from Cape Reinga, walking or kayaking except when there really was no other way than to get a boat'. Well that didn't happen... The three occasions were : 1) Hitching to Wangarei from that stupid jetty, then taking a bus back towards the route; 2) The bus to Greymouth and back, for resupply and desperately needed new shoes; and 3) Hitching away from the dangerous Rangitata river crossing to Geraldine, and then back to Mesopotamia Station.
Total days and nights on the trail : 120
Including the very last night in Invercargill. Of which...
Nights spent in the tent : 80
Actually more than I planned - I got quite comfortable in my little tent, and as the weeks passed I was happy enough to rock up in a town and find a campsite rather than looking for a motel. Then of course there were places like Taumarunui and Greymouth where there really were no rooms to be had.
Nights in Department of Conservation huts : 14
I should have done this more - not least I still had 4 hut tickets left at the end.
Nights with a real bed : 26
Ranging from campsite cabins that were little better than the huts, through cheap motels and student halls, up to really rather nice B&B accommodation.
Photographs taken : at least 721
That is going by the number I've uploaded to my Google albums, I of course took plenty more. But the internet only needs so many pictures of huts, signs, birds, signs with birds on them, and indeed huts with signs on them. I have now created a 'page' on this blog with links to all 10 albums, there should be a link to this on the right somewhere. And there is video! Edited together from 60 or so clips I shot over the course of the trip this hopefully gives some feel for the experience.
Enough numbers then, and indeed enough looking back. Going forward, this will hopefully not be the last such trip I embark upon - watch this space!
