Days 23-25: Trail Magic and Puhoi, Orewa and The North Shore

Day 23: In what seems to be becoming tradition, as soon as I published the last blog the wind came up and a thunderstorm opened up above my tarp. Heavy rain, lightening and thunderclaps continued until around 2 am, so slightly tired I missed my watch alarm and slept in an extra hour which meant I needed to get a move on to reach the Dome Tearooms for breakfast and hopefully an Americas Cup victory! I got going.

A couple of trail runners passed me the other way at a good clip. After a bit of a scramble, I got within 3G reception to find out the race was postponed by an hour. Maybe I would make it before the race started! I increased my pace... Eventually seeing...

I found a spot in the sun and ordered breakfast while arranging gear to dry out

Eventually the race was abandoned, but thankfully a superb breakfast arrived, as did the runners, and we chatted about their training and my gear while I ate.

Eventually out of excuses, I topped up from the kitchen's spring water (with thanks!) and headed in the direction of Puhoi. 

The sun was near setting when I got into town, feet a little sore and again legs covered in cow excreta.

I had called ahead to the Puhoi pub/hotel, so my room was waiting for me in the historic building, while Amigo sorted out my dinner and a cold Guinness (pretty sure he was Maori, not Spanish and I forgot to ask him about his name, sorry). The staff at the Puhoi Pub were all awesome and friendly. I walked up to my room ... Past various unnerving implements

I headed for the shower, not bothering to take anything off. Hot water on, lather, rinse, repeat. Clothes off, wring out and air out. Beer o'clock!

Despite having celebrated their town's 150th the night before, the pub staff stayed and chatted with me for a good long while. Eventually I headed for my bed, and amazingly managed to get there without impaling myself on a farm implement.

Amigo left me a bit of 'trail magic' for breakfast (gracias, amigo!)

Day 24: The night before I met Cody who runs the kayak hire place where I would pick up a kayak to get myself down the river to Wenderholm Park. He was kind enough to invite me in to his house to watch the morning's racing. On the way, I took a pic of the hotel/pub;

The general store (love how they have set things up on the shelves in an old fashioned style);

And proof that Brad Pitt does a bit of real estate selling on the side.

Cody's wife Cath got me set up for kayaking, then I settled in to watch Team NZ lose a couple of races. Stink. A friend of Cody and Cath's showed me her awesome Airstream, imported from Idaho and done up here.

Soon enough I was in a kayak and paddling... It was nice to give my arms a workout!

This was my first Auckland signpost! Excited! Made me paddle harder, and in seemingly no time at all I was in sight of Wenderholm.

Back on land I explored some awesome Nikau forest and coastline, including a bit of splashing around the coast waist deep at times, to get into a beach just North of Orewa.

My magic sticks decided to do their bit to  tidy up the forest...

One of my most generous benefactors for this charity walk is Bec, and she was in Orewa with her kids to meet up and wish me well for the rest of my journey!

Thats a picture of me with my magic sticks, drawn by Abby :-) it  was fantastic meeting them and sharing a meal!

Day 25: I said farewell, and got going for Takapuna.

I had a chat with some alpacas along the way, had lunch in Browns Bay at Java Jungle, who's amazing staff gave me great encouragement and some food to speed me along... Cheers guys!

This toilet talked to me, and even played some Burt Bacharach. I didn't want to leave it, but it kicks you out after 10 minutes.

Heavy wind-blown rain had me soaked by the time I arrived in Takapuna, so I opted for a cabin at the campground to dry out. Auckland city next, and meeting up with the SHiNE crew on Thursday!