Day 44 - ostrich
Tauramanui —-> National Park YHA
27km + 21km hitch
Whilst I had been really enjoying walking on my own for the most part, I’d gotten a little sick of my own company so having Steph around for the last few days had been immensely more enjoyable. From chatting to the other TA hikers at the canoe company yesterday, I learnt that there was a big group all setting off on the river on the 2nd Feb.
I booked in to start the river at the same time - having a big group doing the river together sounded amazing and being able to share the journey afterwards with other hikers would be something I hadn’t experienced yet.
In order to join the group on the 2nd, I would need to shorten the next section of hiking getting to and from Tongariro. I was a bit bummed to have to skip a few sections but I was very willing to accept this in order to have some hiker pals for a while!
Today I planned to walk to Owhango, and then hitch to National Park from where I would actually walk the TA route NOBO for a few days - partly because I thought it would be easier to then hitch back to Tauramanui for the start of the river, and partly because I wanted better weather for the Tongarirro Crossing.
I left the motel in the rain and waved goodbye to Steph; she was planning some off-trail walks over the next days as she’d walked the TC before.
After walking back through the town I passed over the Whanganui river where it was very much in flood - a deep murky brown colour and flowing extremely fast.
It was mostly road walking today but thankfully along very quiet country roads. Having not walked for a few days, I was grateful for the easy terrain, and by 9.30am, my raincoat was packed away and the sun was trying to peek through. I’d expected a day of rain so this was a wonderful surprise!
I made a new friend - they’d bolted from the other side of the paddock to come say ello. They then bopped along with me, matching my footsteps as I continued along the road.
This sign made me giggle - had to have been a TA walker who’d updated it.
After lunch I climbing a fairly steep hill to look over stunning farmland before following more country roads all the way into Owhango.
I had barely crossed the road and stuck my thumb out when a very fancy car pulled up beside me. It was a brand new Lexus, the driver was just on the way home from picking it up! I told her that I didn’t want to stink it out so politely said I’d get another lift but she was so lovely and had already started moving bits out the way for me to get in.
She dropped me right at the YHA where I’d booked a bed for the night. All the rooms were built around a climbing wall which made for an interesting entrance!
I bumped into Wyatt in the kitchen of the hostel - he’d been there for a couple of days waiting out the weather. I headed to the pub across the road to meet him and another TA hiker Austin (from Brighton) for a few drinks before going back to the hostel for dinner and my first sleep in a dorm bed since I was at uni. (Spoiler - I will never be doing this again!).
