Day 5. Ahipara

I woke up around 7:30, later than I anticipated today. I made a slow breakfast talking with Danni about adventure and travel, then packed my things and said my fairwells. I felt sad but It was good to be back on my two feet again.

I wasn't sure if I was going to make it Ahipara today but, I thought I would just walk until I feel like stopping. As I left Hukatere I could see a large object washed up on the beach in the vast distance in front of me. As I got closer I discovered from the smell that it was some sort of animal that parished from the recent storm. It turned out to be a baby grey whale. It was a spectacular animal. I spent far to long looking at how beautiful it was.

As I Continued walking I was passed by lots of vehicles, and after 3 days of walking on this beach having everyone just drive past me a car stopped to chat. He had a bright smile with a look of shock on his face when he said "where ya from!" I said "Canada!" , and he laughed and said I was mad. We talked about how long I've walked and his very young grandsons offered me a bottle of Pepsi. They don't even know what that bottle of Pepsi meant to me.... the chat was short as the tide was rising and they had some more driving to do.

The rain continued while I walked today, but it wasn't so bad now that I had a bottle of Pepsi to sip on.

As I approached my mid way point with an option to camp I started passing fisherman along the beach, and after talking to one for a bit I discovered there was a fishing tournament going on at the Holiday park. I decided to push to Ahipara though because  I hadn't felt like I was ready to stop just yet. As I continued to walk I grew tired and pain started to arise at the bottom of my feet. I had misread how far Ahipara was and I ended up pushing myself too much. Eventually I reached a YHA hostel where I collapsed in a dorm room. I ended up making friends with Creig and Linette who are from Auckland. They were up here for work hunting fresh water eals. The first thing he said to me was "you're that guy, walking with a stick on the beach. We drove past you!"

I purchased some well earned chocolate m&m's, took a hot shower, and rested in my dorm room bunk-bed. Currently trying to keep my mind from thinking of the pain in my lower half.