Day 26 - Papakura

A rainy day forecasted today. No surprise for me, but it is to the locals. They have all been telling us all along that it has been an exceptionally wet spring. Record breaking from what I hear. We walk rain or shine however, so up I got and started trudging through Ambury Park. The park is a bird sanctuary so wildlife spotting is great. I really need to get a bird book or app going.

 

Some sort of Māori based retaliation against expansion of the industrial zone. 

Forgot to take my 11am photo, but I remember I was ordering McDonald’s so don’t feel like you missed anything lol

Today was admittedly grim. An endless 37km road walking adventure through Auckland suburbs, in the rain no less. 

As we neared our stay for the night I was approached by a Māori woman riding her bike. Georgina was her name, and she is a local trail angel . Someone phoned her saying walkers were coming into town and she should check up on us. She was enthusiastically volunteering her house for us to stay at, but we had already contacted a different trail angel for the night. She was disappointed she couldn’t help but loved to talk about our adventures so far. She herself is planing to section hike the northlands in January. 

Not a few steps after this conversation did a car pull up and in it our own trail angel was driving. She offered us a lift to her house, we declined but the offer was appreciated. 

At our trail angels Zoe’s house with her friendly cats. Here I pitched my tent in her yard. She even offered us some cold beer, and gave us advice on the coming sections. Legend.