The Twinames Trek Te Araroa

Whilst in lockdown in Auckland, we visited a few local gems as training walks… Heading out to Pararaha Valley (via Karekare Beach) to test out our gear.  About ten minutes in to our walk on a glorious sunny day. I think I will be following that great view quite a lot over the next few months! The sand is very soft and makes it quite hard work.   Great friends, Irene and Graham, brought us some liquid refreshment!  Early bird catching the worm? Or dancing?  Walking with the gorgeous Anne at Scandretts Regional  Park, Mahurangi Peninsula.  Gannet Colony, Muriwai beach Omanawanui Track, Waitakere Ranges Walking up towards the Pararaha Valley from Karekare beach (a different day). 

D-Day - 100 days "I am going to send you an invite to a meeting." my GM said. "Is this the kind of meeting where I should bring a support person?" I asked. And that is where it began! As soon as we knew I was being made redundant, we started to plan our Te Araroa South bound (SOBO) walk. Some amazing friends offered to drive us to Cape Reinga and walk the first few kilometres with us. A date was set and the countdown began! D-Day - 50 days First day of Level Four LOCKDOWN! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! "That's OK" we said to ourselves. "We will easily be at Level Two by 07 October." And so the nervous wait began.... D-Day- 10 days Now in level three. We will find out in a week's time whether we will move to level two the day before we planned to start walking! Keeping fingers, legs, arms and toes crossed. D-Day - 3 days With my bag pretty much packed, we watched the press conference with fingers, toes, legs and arms crossed. Still level three! NOOO