Thursday, February 12: Overcast throughout the day, clearing a little in the evening

Tramping: Coast to Coast (Te Araroa), 16.3 km

Chinara’s

• GPS Tour
• Youtube Video
• Topo Map

Slept through to 9:30 and didn’t hear Chinara leaving at 8. I wanted to do the Coast-to-Coast Walkway today (a section of the Te Araroa Track) and had a map prepared but … First of all, couldn’t find the glasses, then couldn’t find the file, except finally on the safe page on the web. WTH. Saved it to the laptop, packed the pack with only the laptop and some water, and was eventually ready to go by 12:00.

In town I checked the location of the InterCity bus terminal and the ferry building for Saturday morning and Friday afternoon respectively. The track was marked – yellow and black the way I was taking it, and blue and white in the opposite direction. Markings were a bit patchy every now and then, so I had to take the laptop out once in town to check the direction and the next moves. In the run up to Mt Eden there was a physical map which I photographed, and that was much more accessible for checking progress for the remainder of the trip.

On Mt Eden itself (very impressive: the crater) I took pictures of downtown and Rangitoto. I had lost the track on the way down and was scanning for a sign when a helpful guide gave me a lift in his van to where the track branches off the road. Pretty steep descent and very dry, so the care he urged was well heeded.

I was getting a bit hungry by now, but could only spot a Burger King and had the double cheeseburger meal with chips, drink and sundae for $6.5. Now it was into the next park complex, first very orderly with BBQs, drinking fountains and toilets, and a good 20 or so couples in wedding dress. Then it turned into farmland closer to One Tree Hill. There was a side trip to the top of the hill itself, which I decided was worth a go, and passed a number of craters along the way. Pictures at the top again, and then down through a more cultured park and the Royal Oak Shopping Centre.

GPS Tour

Here I was able to use the map to select a street at a six-way intersection along which to continue, and was rewarded by a sign. Then I stopped off at a dairy for some lemonade and continuing along the street reached the Onehunga Mall, but had lost signage. Again the map came in handy and I was soon back going towards Jellicoe Park (very pretty) which I walked along the outside of before turning right, into a residential street and the left down to the Tasman Sea. I had walked across the country in a single day.

Turning left again I soon arrived at the centre of Onehunga, which I recognised from yesterday. Now the only problem was that all my money was in 50s, and the first bus driver that I asked was none too willing to change one of them. I spotted a supermarket and bought a $1 bottle of lemonade and that was fixed. Then the bus ride.

Auckland Coast-to-Coast

This was the mother of all bus rides. At first I didn’t think the bus was heading in the right direction at all.

I asked some women behind me where the bus was going and after some consultation they reassured me that it was heading for town. Of course, it was rush hour and progress was sometimes quicker on foot. Eventually we did reach Khyber Pass Road, and I recognised where the track crossed and, soon after, downtown. All in all over an hour on the road.

There was quite a walk from the last bus stop in Queens St to where my buses left, but there were plenty of buses leaving in any case and I was soon back at Chinara’s, although the place was still empty.

I warmed up my fried rice from yesterday while Chinara and I. arrived, and Chinara had something to eat while we chatted. I gave her a copy of the book which she was suitably impressed with.

Arranged some details for the last couple of nights and asked for a future night stay to pick up the car. That seems to be fine, but it was getting late, so I will have to see about getting some data crunching done. Left leg is still hurting from the cramp.