Te Araroa (day 22) - Taumarunui [Nero day] / mile 650

A near zero day, I've only walked 10 miles to town and called it a day. There was a lot of chores I had to do, mainly charge up the phone, wash the clothes and have a shower. Taumarunui seemed like a perfect spot as it had a 'hiker heaven' a canoe renting place which allowed people to camp for free even if they didn't book anything with them (there's a canoe section incoming, but I decided to skip it for the time and money saving reasons).

Morning was quite foggy which made for a few interesting pictures. I arrived at Taumarunui before 11am, had a Maccas, resupplied in New World and started walking towards canoe hire campground which was few miles out of town, I got stopped by Gavin a local builder who offered me a ride there.

After arriving at the campsite I had a quick nosey around, picked up a funky Hawaiian shirt and a cycling leggings someone left behind and put them on, all my stuff was going to the wash. I put the phone on charge and set up the tent to hide things I wouldnt be taking back to town. Then I packed all the dirty clothes and got a hitch back to Taumarunui with road workers going back there for lunch.

First stop was the laundry, 10$ for a washing powder, washing machine and 13 minutes of dryer, then I had a shower in town's information center (sic!) it was 2$ for half an hour of glorious hot stream of water, I also trimmed my moustache with nail clipper. Afterwards I had two amazing sausage rolls (2.5$ each) in the bakery en route to the supermarket to get more food and spotted Nil sitting on the side of the road. We talked about the previous section and plans for next couple of days, Nil didn't know where to stay tonight so I told him about the canoe place and that the shuttle will be taking everyone back there at 3:30pm. He thought it was a good idea.

Shuttle arrived on time and it took eight of us back to the campground. The office sorting out canoe hires was open now and everyone was booking and talking details with the owner. Four day trip paddling down the river cost 300$. You had to book the campgrounds with Doc separately which was around 50$ on top of that. Although this section was apparently stunning I could still hike alongside the river and see it without canoeing. I had to still book a boat crossing as there was no other way to get through the river in the national park, a pick up cost 110$.

Canoe campsite was full of hikers, I never seen so many on TA before. A big group of French people cooking burgers and drinking wine, a couple of mysterious Germans sticking to themselves, a Dutch girl with funky hat she weaved shoelaces into, Tommy a firefighter and a farmer from North California who just did Patagonia trail in Chile, Flipper from Cambridge who hiked Appalachian Trail few years ago and many more interesting individuals. 

David, owners son was riding around the campsite on his four-wheel motorcycle offering people bread with butter and honey for free. I sat down with Nil and had a chat about Pyrenees, how he loved it and hated it at the same time, how he used to go up the mountains in the winter, dig a shelter in the snow and spend a night sleeping there. He had his own little business producing honey and soap from the beeswax, olive oil and salt which he would sell to the local people. We agreed that if I ever hike GR11 he will give me a place to stay as he was living on the trail right in the middle of Pyrenees. 

Soon it got dark and cold and we said our goodbyes, Nil was taking the canoe trip which would slow his progress by few days, but there was a possibility I could still meet him on the South Island. After all you never knew what Te Araroa would throw your way.