3 November 2026 Nikau Bay Eco Camp to Treasure Island Holiday Park 16 mi/25.9 km I am so loathe to leave this wonderful camp this morning that, despite getting up before 6, I’m still not ready to go when it’s just before 8 and Ben and Sam are standing around chatting to James while I …
2 November 2026 Whananaki to Nikau Bay Eco Camp 16.5 mi/27 km This is the first morning of changes in the group. For one, Joel is taking a zero day to rest his feet. Also, Izzy and Hannah are headed on a side quest to Tutukaka to dive at the Poor Knights, an area off …
Continue reading TA Day 14: Down the Road and Across the Bay
1 November 2026 The Farm to Whananaki 25 mi/40.5km Today is long, so the morning is early. I don’t really mind early mornings when there’s an indoor space and a place for me to pack up my bag though, and today has both. Hot coffee in a comfy place, bag packed on a porch and …
31 October 2026 Russell to The Farm ~14.7 mi/23.8km It’s October 31st! Back home, the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and pumpkins are being prepared for Halloween night. Here, it’s springtime. Flowers blooming, lambs and calves in the fields, tropical-feeling forests bright green. I’ve been away from home for Halloween before, but …
30 October 2026 Kerikeri to Russell ~13 mi, plus 2 mile ferry/~21 km plus 3.2km ferry It’s always slow leaving town for me. I’m ready to get moving again but at the same time, inertia is a powerful thing. But I heave my newly heavy pack on and we get moving. A little while down …
29 October 2026 0 km/0 mi Sweet, blessed zero day. I make it my personal mission not to move more than is absolutely necessary. The morning is spent writing (and eating yogurt). Unsurprisingly, I’m behind on drafting my posts. And also unsurprisingly, I do not write in a focused manner. I scroll. I text our …
28 October 2026 Puketī Hut to Kerikeri 15 mi/24.3 km As far as I can tell, I’m the first one up. I fell asleep before 9, which makes this 5:30 wake up a nice thick 9 hours of sleep. Not that I was asleep the entire time, because I’m never that lucky backpacking, but still, …
26 October 2026 Blackbridge Road Campsite to Puketī Forest Hut 13.5 mi/21.9km Possums in North America are very cool. Possums in New Zealand are not. They are introduced, loud, vicious, and incredibly destructive to the environment. They’re also mean little thieves. For example: Ben left a granola bar tucked under the tent so that he …
26 October 2026 Makene Road Campsite to Blackbridge Road Campsite 14.1 mi/22.6 km When the alarm goes off, I sit up immediately, pop out of the tent, and take my legs for a test drive. I can definitely still feel the sore spot, but it seems less intense than yesterday. I make the call to …
25 October 2026 Krishna Sanctuary to Makene Road Campsite 13.7 mi/22.1km Did you know that they make backpacking frying pans? Well, they do, and we have one. We got it in Auckland and have been carrying it since the start but just got a chance to use it today. More specifically, Mash uses it to …
