Day 56 - Palmerston North to Kahuterawa reserve

I woke up the the sound of rain hitting the roof of the hostel. At least I had a dry area to eat and pack my gear before facing it.

Alex and I stood on the porch of the hostel, both in full rain gear. We both went through our seperate processes of making sure everything was weather tight. We shook hands and went our seperate ways.

The rain was hard to start with, but it wasn't cold. Since the 3 week period of stopping and starting up again the temperature had become significantly warmer. For once I was actaully enjoying the freshness of it all.

I was soon off the palmy sidewalks and following a nature track through the last part of the city. When I hit the end of the trail I ran into a runner and she stopped and said "are you a Te Araroa walker?". She asked me all sorts of questions regarding my experience, and how I find walking solo. Our conversation was short and sweet, and I continued forward yet again.

After following the back roads for a while longer I came to a section where I knew I had some stream crossings to take on. I was in no mood to have wet boots so I went through the process of taking them off and fording barefoot. After putting my socks and boots back on I walked some 30m before finding another stream. So I went through the process of taking my boots off again. I figured the next stream crossing probably wasn't too far so instead of putting my boots back on I walked barefoot for some 50m, and sure enough I found the stream. I forded my third and final stream with clenched teeth before putting my boots back on and carrying forward.

I followed the road for a short while before it turned into a bike trail. After finishing the bike trail I was shot out back onto the road. I had the reserve where I would stop for the day marked on my map, and when I passed that mark without finding the campground I started to feel unmotivated. There wasn't much else to do but keep walking though. Right as I decided I would push for a different campground I came around a bend and found the Kahuterawa reserve. The reserve had a flowing stream for fresh water, with toilets and even some steel bbq's to cook on. I had a nice campsite and was relaxing before 4pm. It was nice to have a shorter day, and I took advantage of it by having a rainy read in my tent.

I was fast asleep. Then I awoke. A car had pulled into the reserve.

What time was it? 1am.... I had already been sleeping for quite a while.

Then I began to hear the loud sound of an engine together with stones being thrown across gravel. The car continued to do burnouts, lights passing through my tent every few seconds. I was pretty sheltered in the trees, and I honestly don't think anyone knew I was there.

Eventually, I fell back asleep, but was awoke several more times to cars coming in, stopping for a while, and then continuing into the night. What a strange place to sleep.