Te Araroa (day 1) - Cape Reinga to Twilight Beach / mile 7
Maori tradition identifies Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) as the departure point of the spirits as they begin their final trek back to their ancient homeland of Hawiiki. The famous landmark sits on the tip of Te Paki Recreational Reserves and overlooks the meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. I've spend today mostly on the bus from Auckland to Kaitaia, I've asked the driver if she could drop me off at Awanui few miles before Kaitaia (but closer to Cape Reinga) and she agreed. Had to wait no more than five minutes here until my first ride, drivers name was Chris, a Maori retired truck driver who lives with his small community of 200 people in one of the villages on the way to Cape Reinga, he gave me a lift half way through to Pukenui. From here getting another hitch took a bit longer but after about 20 minutes Joe, a crayfish fisherman, called me from the parking lot while loading two crates of beer into his truck and said that he can give me a rid...