Day 2: Kaitaia to Omapere

After a large hot pie of uncertain content from the bakery, followed by muesli and pancakes at the Gecko cafe, I set off for Mangamuka. The first 18Kms pass through pleasant rolling countryside. I notice the high volume of roadkill.

If anyone paid less attention, in school road safety lessons, than the young hedgehog children, then it was young Peter and Pauline possum! Despite the relatively light traffic, those poor creatures are spread everwhere, and in so many poses! I even pass one very bushy intact tail - just a tail!

Mangamuka is a 400m continuous climb, for 5Km. Not the big deal of the century, but if you want a workout, try cycling for 5Kms, non-stop, up a 8-10% gradient, with a fully-loaded touring bike!

Turning off SHW1, thus avoiding the growing number of thundering logging trucks, I follow the picturesque HW12 towards Hokianga Harbour, where I just make the ferry as last man aboard - yes!

Later on, I learn that I was fortunate indeed as, a few days before, the ferry crew turned up in the morning morning in Rawene to find that their ferry was missing!! I have heard of misplacing your car, but your ferry!? Apparently, some local wags had slipped the mooring the previous night and Kohu Ra Tuarua drifted off to beach on some mud banks.

After some more punishing hills, I coast into the beach settlements of Opononi and Omapere, nestling on the banks of Hokianga Harbour.

I check into GlobeTrekkers - my first "backpackers", which is run by Sue, an English nurse, who bought the place in 2002, as an alternative to living on her meagre nurses pension. Property prices have since tripled in New Zealand, apparently.

I spend a pleasant evening over a few "handles" of DB with Chris, a Dutch carpenter who is 54 and weighs 68KG. He is a marathon runner and we swap stories about "hitting the wall" and dietary measures to avoid this. I advise that New Zealand pies are the way to go - did the trick for me today, at least. Sue kindly includes my laundry in her family wash and I am off to sleep at ten. The stars are amazing here!

Distance today: 91 Km, cumulative, 208 Km

written by

John and Claud on January 23, 2007 from Omapere, New Zealand

from the travel blog: Cape Reinga to Bluff

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You've even managed to get someone to do your laundry over there!! Great to see pictures of your new mates! Keep using the factor 50 and drinking the beer - not sure about the pies though!

Wife

written by Pat Taylor on January 24, 2007

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