Moeraki to Kakanui (15.33 miles/24.69 kms)

It was cold last night and I had the little heater going all night long. As I said, I am getting spoiled in the cabins and little trailers or I would just be dealing with the elements in my tent. It’s just happening that the distances that I have been trekking lands me in spots that give me an option for lodging.

Being in that warm trailer did get me going fairly early or I’d be dragging my feet getting out of that sleeping bag if I was in my tent. I left about 8:00 and walked up a steep street into town. It’s a good way to get your heart pumping first thing in the morning.

I stop at the local cafe bakery, Vanessa’s Cottage, and had a great vegetable quiche, one of the best quiches I’ve had. I also got a chicken wraps loaded with lettuce and tomatoes. For you Kiwis this is probably the norm, but I have found the cafe bakeries in many of the little towns and I really like them because they make and bake such different items. Today’s were exceptional.

After that it was the stop at the market to pick up my fluids. I have been trying to get at least a 1.5 liter of carbonated water and then a liter of orange juice. I mix them and it gives me the more natural energy boost when I am running low on energy. I started doing this when I was trekking to Canada, and on my treks in Spain I can get fresh squeezed orange juice at almost every bar restaurant during the day.

I started out on Highway 1, and after about five miles turned onto the Waianakarua Road, which is the scenic coastal road. The distance from here along the coastal road is similar to staying on Highway 1, being obviously less traveled and more scenic.

I was surprised that it wasn’t very hilly as the road out of Waititi. After on slightly steep hill at the beginning it was mostly flat. I hate to keep saying it because I don’t want to set standards, but the trek along the coast today was absolutely beautiful. For much the way the road ran right next to the ocean, and I wasn’t out of sight of the water very often.

The water looked turquoise, almost tropical color in places. Miles and miles of deserted beaches. During the whole day I saw maybe 25-30 cars. I am really surprised that more people don’t drive this road just for the scenery. It’s probably good they didn’t for me.

Funny, I wanted to pick the perfect spot to have my lunch and it took me a long time to pick one because there were so many beautiful spots. I finally picked a big grassy spot on a bluff about twenty feet above the beach.

I made it to Kakanui, and the Kakanui Camping Ground motorcamp, about 3:30. There weren’t very many people here and it almost looks deserted. The owner was a pleasant lady, would she being a Kiwi really be any different, and gave me that horrible choice again! Tent site, anywhere you want, or a cabin? It’s suppose to rain tomorrow, and it might get cold tonight, etc., etc., etc. Then she said I’ll let you have it for $50 ($34 US), instead $60, and I’ll give you a towel. Ok, I’ll take the cabin. Good choice Ted, I said to myself.

There really isn’t much here in town, other than a small market and a restaurant that’s not open much. The owner told me they might have food at the little market, so off I went walking another mile into town. Surely, not much here but I found the little market. It had empty shelves and maybe only one can of each item. The owner said they had just bought the store a few months ago. There was a hand written short list of food for take out items and I decided to have one piece of fish and some chips. There were some other interesting things on the list that she thought I might like, but I thought I’d stick with something simple. She again, was very pleasant.

I got a banana and a drink and went outside to eat it. She came out with this huge paper warped bundle that looked like a Christmas present. It was my one piece of fish and small order of chip. When I unwrapped the two layers of paper (she thought I was taking it back), I found a big piece of fish, a curry vegetable roll, some other crab cake, a pineapple ring, and a huge amount of chips! Every day seems to end with someone here doing something for me out of the kindness of their hearts. It’s almost starting to embarrass me, but I have to remember that there are more good people on this planet than bad. And it’s those very few indifferent ones we unfortunately think at times are the majority.

When I went to pay my bill and it was $10! All that food, a $3.50 drink and a banana. I said, I think you are short changing yourself, and she said it’s fine you needed that food for your walk. What could I say but, thank you, I am grateful. What a way again to end my day!

Back I went to my cabin to shower and wash clothes.

Hopefully it won’t rain tomorrow, but it’s in the forecast. I am staying on the coastal road but there is a landslide near the end so I will have to take an alternate route. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.