Three days in Palmy will leave you shattered

16 April

Whiowhio Hut to Whiowhio Hut 

KM 1480

Distance: 4km of trail

Elevation: flat

Steps: 18,000

Time: 7:30am - 8:30am

We took the opportunity this morning to finish those last few kilometers that we had missed between our two stints in Palmerston North so far. This was all along the beautiful Manawatu River Pathway. 

That being done, we immediately found a cafe and had sweet treats to supplement the leftover chicken fried rice that was both Vaughan's midnight snack and our breakfast. It was delicious. 

We then walked to a grocery store to pick up food for the next section of the trail, which should see us supplied through to Taumaranui, and then back to our accommodation (hence the step count).  Later, after good chats with both sets of parents as well as lunch and a nap, we biked 8km across town to family to deliver a Covid isolation care package. This earned us another ice cream bar each from a local dairy.

We will have no problems putting weight back on once we leave the trail...

17 April

Whiowhio Hut 

KM 1480

Distance: 0

Elevation: n/a

Steps: 10,000

Time: n/a

Happy Easter! We went to a local farmers' market, where Vaughan found not one but two cheese stalls - so he bought one cheese from each. Some time after that at a small cafe nearby to truly over-eat and over-caffinate before heading back to the Whiowhio hut. Last night, Vaughan had mentioned to our hosts that we would be looking for a pub where we could watch the Warriors game (rugby league), and Anthony mentioned that his father, who lives nearby, would love some company for the game. So around 4pm we walked over together, and had a great time watching the game and denigrating the Australian commentators who were bent on denigrating the Warriors. Then back to our temporary home to pack for the bus in the morning.

Of course, Vaughan managed to test out one of his new cheeses, pairing it nicely with some of our hosts' ah-may-zing feijoas, croissants and a fascinating book they had put into their hut, which kept Vaughan entertained for most of our stay.

18 April

Whiowhio Hut to National Park New Plymouth

KM 1167.5 off trail quite some way

Distance: 0

Elevation: n/a

Steps: n/a

Time: n/a

Today we planned to bounce up to National Park, skipping past both the section we had done earlier, out of order, and the Whanganui River section that we will come back and do some other time. This means we are officially skipping 88.5km of walking and 119km of river rafting. We are pretty sure that all of the walking we do around towns doing errands etc more than make up for this skipped 207km of the 3,013 of the entire trail.

So, simple plan: we take the 9:45am Intercity Bus from Palmerston North to National Park. Vaughan's parents would drive from New Plymouth to National Park to stay with us there at an AirBnB, and also be able to do drop-offs and pick-ups for us so we can "slack-pack" the next few days, which includes the Tongariro Crossing.

Everything went according to plan up until about 10am... 

No, it's not what you're thinking - the bus was just fine. It's more that Eliza had a horrid case of motion-sickness on the bus, that started just a few minutes after we left Palmerston North. She managed to hold on until we reached Bulls (yes, that Bulls), at which point she, sweaty and pale, looked at Vaughan and said "I can't do this" and walked off the bus. Vaughan, amazing and unflappable, managed to get all of our gear off of the bus, and Eliza situated on a bench where she could sleep it off.

Meanwhile, Vaughan's parents were driving happily to National Park. After some time, they decided that they could just drive down to Bulls to pick us up - even though it meant a few extra hours on the road for them. Along the way, they stopped briefly for a break and to check directions / phone messages when they heard a loud noice like a rock had been thrown up by a passing car. Moments later, they saw their entire back window crack, then spiderweb, then shatter and fall into the back of the car.

Uhm...

They were still some way from Whanganui, and luckily an absolute angel named Arnold stopped by (drove past, pulled a u-turn, stopped his car) to see if they were okay. Not only did he help them put some plastic across the back of the car, and then drive behind them to make sure it held; when it didn't hold he drove in front of them to guide them in to a service station that he knew would have a vaccum to pick up the glass; then he offered (several times) to drive down to Bulls to pick us up and bring us back to Vaughan's parents! So that is how he became a Trail Angel! Thankfully, by the time he turned up in Bulls Eliza was feeling 100% again. 

By the time we got to the BP, Vaughan's parents were across the road at an auto glass shop (yes, so convenient!) where a worker happened to be, well out of shop hours, trying to catch up on some work. He was able to not only finish the clean-up more safely and completely, he also put  some proper wrapping on the back of the car. 

While it is good wrapping, and weatherproof, we were all a bit nervous about driving to National Park, around to lots of points over the next few days, and then Brian and Bessie driving home with the car like that. At this point, Bessie suggested we instead drive back to New Plymouth, swap out their car for our car that is living at their house while we are on our walk. It took us all only a moment to realise the genius in this suggestion. 

So tonight we are in our home-home for one night only, before driving to National Park tomorrow, back on the trail on Wednesday. 

It means we also got this reunion.