FRIDAY 10th DECEMBER - LEGLESS HOLIDAY
Its been 10 days since hobbling into Ahipara and I have still not hobbled out again! Recovery quickly turned into a Birthday break and that break has now morphed into a surf interlude. I have fould a lovely spot in a hostel not a stones throw from the beach. If anyone is in the area you have to check it out (www.endlesssummer.co.nz) as it is one of the most fantastic places I have stayed in, a real family here and a proper home from home. A perfect place to spend my birthday I though to myself when I arrived a week ago, so that is what I did and I still havent left. I had a lovely evening eating Japanese BBQ and then smearing home cooked birthday cake over my beaming B-Day grin. Thank you Masai, Masami, Tomo, Yumi, Anna and Blane for such a special day, I will never forget it.
 
I also had my first surf lesson on the quarter century day and now have three quarters left to master the art! Sadly the surfing must come to and end soon and the journey must resume again. I though I should write this little update to assure everyone that I still have wind left behind my sails and that my momentum will pick up again soon. Im not lost in the bush and will be getting on the road again by Sunday on my way over the the bay of islands. After my legs poor start I have purchased some walking poles and will be soon be polling my way across the wilderness with renewed vigour. See you all on the other side.....


MONDAY 13th DECEMBER - HIKING THROUGH THE GLEN
After almost two weeks of rest, much fun and plenty of recuperation I finally rejoined the road South with two new friends. The first, and only joining me for the day, a chirpy and highly amuzing Dutch woman called Marian or Maid Marian as I think she prefers being called! The second, and sure to become my best friend over the coming months, a pair of hiking poles to take the strain off my underprepared and over rested body. Yes thats right, I am now oficially one of those overkeen hikers you see practising for the cross country ski season. I could have almost blended into the bush before with my rapidly propogating Bellamy beard providing ample camoflage but have no hope now!

We skipped onto the Herekino forest track at around 8am and I was soon huffing my way up a seemingly endless incline. It was obviously a serious track as there was no settling in time, just straight into a muddy 60 degree bush track with no messing about. Certainly a welcome change to 90 mile beach (it can have ots proper name back as my mirth has subsided!) and although much harded going it was much more pleasurable to tramp.

Native New Zealand bush is really something to behold. Being engulfed in its lush greenness is a very uplifting experience if you are a greenophile tree hugger like myself! The bush here is what I would imagine the amazon to be like, just on a smaller scale. The huge cariety of New Zealand's national fauna, the fern, the hanging vines and staggering Kauri trees creates a real jungle quality, just without all the nasty bits. No torrential rain, not today anyway, no headhunting natives and no plethora of highly poisonous beasties queing up make you the forests next meal. It really is a joy to hike through and I was elated to be in good company while doing so.

After a few hours and several pints of sweat we came upon the Kauri grove that was signed at the beginning of the track. Before their deccimation by the endless hunger of the logging industry, huge Kauri trees covered NZ with their mighty bulks. Nowdays Kauri wood is highly prized and peices of furniture can fetch well in to tens of thousands of dollars. Just like the mahogany of the amazon nowdays the Kauri trees were plunderes almost to their extinction making the meeting of one in the bush an extra special occasion. I am always humbled in the presence of giant age-old trees and feel firmly put in my place in the general scheme of things when dwarfed by a towering trunk ten men across. When I was stood in the shadow of the largest of the wise cluster of Kauri’s Marian joked that it was a good symbol for the giddying amount of walking I had ahead of me. Agreeing, I felt a need to pick up the pace a little and sped off again after a quick cuddle. A cuddle with the tree not Marian you dirty minded lot! Really!!

After lunch the bush really closed in and we found ourselves squeezing under fallen trees, fighting our way through tangles of vines and sliding our way down slippery hillsides. It was all good fun though and the closely spaced fluorescent triangles kept us on course. Well most of the time anyway. On one occasion we left the track but soon turned back after realizing even a hounded possum would have difficulty penetrating the mesh of undergrowth. When we got back to the track it was clearly marked in the opposite direction.

We eventually tumbled out the other side and after a comedy photo shoot with my new Dutch wife (what the Japanese call Blow up Dolls!), it’s a long story, we both trundled off through the rolling green hills that reminded me so much of home apart from the ferns and bamboo adorning them. We soon hit the road and after several Km’s of gravel and chocolate breaks we parted when Marian hitched back to town and I poled my way down the main road towards my resting place for the next two nights, Rare Earth Orchard, the farm I stayed at before departing for Cape Reinga two weeks before. Thanks Marian for the company, an Englishman always needs to be put in his place!!

My legs were starting to feel the strain as I finally turned into the gate of Rare Earth Orchard. It was nice to arrive not only because I had enjoyed my stay here but also because I had overcome the days walk that had become a bit of a mental obstacle to the restarting of my journey. I knew it was going to be a challenging day and I was slightly worried my new legs may not stand the test. They made it through though with minimal relapse and all of a sudden I was moving again, back on the long pathway carrying me towards a rapidly approaching Christmas where BBQ turkey and sunshine awaited me. I am intending to take the pace a little easier after the beach debacle and am not going to kill myself trying to cover the Km’s. Slow but steady that’s me, its not a race after all.

TUESDAY 14th DECEMBER – LATERAL THINKING
After a days work on the farm thinning apples, I left on my way to Kerikeri. After long and painful deliberations I decided to hitch to the Bay of Islands to avoid a lateral stretch that I didn’t thing I was up to yet. Although it weighs heavily on my conscience, I haven’t gained any Southern distance and I have avoided a nasty stretch on Highway 1 and a long day on the smaller roads. I agonized over the decision but after having made it I feel happy it was the right choice. I hope my sponsors agree!

The next few days would be spent at my next WWOOF location, Homelands, a large community garden alongside the private garden of Susan Caruso and her 5yr old daughter Sophia. I have got my own cozy Wendy house in the beautiful garden with a pit toilet and hot outdoor shower. It suits me fine and it feels secluded although only being a stones throw from the house. I must have made an impression as after only about 10 minutes there a babysitter cancellation left me looking after sweet little Sophia while Susan went to a yoga class. She is a real cutie and we watched Brother Bear and played twister until Susan got home. I was easily wrapped around her little finger but luckily she didn’t ask for chocolate of sweets or I would have definitely been in the doghouse when mummy returned!

I can feel my newly found momentum slowing already!! Why is everything and everyone so nice here? I have been drinking the tap water too…

Maid Marion		Brought to my knees
Me & Tree (post hug!)
		Big Bad Bush

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