Te Araroa 35 - Whatawhata to Karamu Homestead

 

19km today. Best day yet. 10/10. It was awesome. Problem when you’re the first to leave, you have all the wet dew on the grass so your feet are soaked. At least you clear it for others. Two surprises today. First a gate I tried to open was electrified, it was shocking!! Second I met my trail daughter, Steffie, wonderful surprise. We climbed to high hills and walked among the sheep. Only

19km but the next stop is 5 hours. So stopped at lunchtime for a bunk room and promise of coffee and eggs for breakfast. A Baptist pastor runs it. Great chat about grief and recovery. 

Location:-

Karamu Homestead,Katamu

https://maps.app.goo.gl/V9N2fF3RnxYc9Nv5A?g_st=ipc

Te Araroa 34 - Hamilton to Whatawhata

 

New friends. 

28km today. Went into Hamilton and got chatting to a mother and daughter on a bridge. They invited me back for coffee and toast. I even got a shower. The mums husband was in hospital with an infection. I left and joined a small group at Nazarene Church. Resupplied and had a burger for lunch. Walked out of Hamilton into the country. Arrived at Cafe tent spot and there were 10 tents up. I’ve hit the bubble. Some old faces and some new. Went for a beer and dinner in pub. Live music, very busy. We have to be gone by 7 before the cafe opens. 

Location:-

The Village Cafe,Whatawhata

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5uDEQAaQBY5sjZrB8?g_st=ipc

Thought for the day. 

Again it is from a song. 

To honour you in all I do. 

As Christian’s regardless what we do we honour God. It could be work. Regardless of what work we do and who is our boss we actually server the Lord. I worked 45 years for the same company but I always really served Jesus and honoured Him. 

It could be washing dishes. 

It could be minding kids. 

It could be brain surgery. 

It could be unemployment. 

Regardless let’s honour God in it. 

Certainly don’t dishonour God. 

Te Araroa 33 - Huntly towards Hamilton.

 

27km today. Short walk on road out of Huntly to start of a forest section. 1000 steps up and then up and down for 4 hours. Then 1200 steps down. I went another 7km towards Hamilton to be close enough to get to church. I’m tenting on a stealth site beside the river. 

Location:-

Stealth site

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pccs5k6wGfHToDcA6?g_st=ipc

Thought for the day. 

Burden

My pack felt really heavy today. Maybe because of the rest yesterday or something. I was thinking of the burdens we carry. 

First the burden of sin. We carry sin and the effect of sin for years, before we find the solution. There is only one solution to sin and that is the cross of Jesus. He is the one that took our sins and died for them, so we can be released. In pilgrims progress there’s an image of pilgrim coming to the cross and his burden falling off. 

Second the burdens we carry.  Jesus said “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”. When we come to Jesus we can bring all our burdens to him. He sometimes takes them away. He sometimes carries them with us. He sometimes gives us the strength to carry them. He never leaves us alone. 

Te Araroa 32 - Huntly (zero day)

 Zero day. Went to town and ate well. Ate the most delicious rhubarb & raspberry pie and coffee in a cafe. Yum. Washed clothes. Relaxed. A few hikers I know came into camp. Good to meet up again. Ready for a mountain trail tomorrow. 

Te Araroa 31 - Mercer to Huntly

 

43km today. The next logical stop. Tough day but overall fun. Started with a boggy section to get to the river. Wet feet all day. Then walking the dike beside the river. They build a dike 100meters from the river in the floodplain so the rest of the land is usable as farm land, even if the river overflows. The dike went through a golf course which was nice. Had dinner in town before getting to campsite. Taking a zero day tomorrow. 

Location:-

Huntly Camping Grounds

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ryDbZYRU2Fpyirao7?g_st=ipc