A Dangerous Business

Date: 7th December 2023 Start: Jo’s Funny Farm (km 831.4) End: Waitomo Holiday Park (km 865.6) Distance Travelled: 34.2 km Total Distance Completed: 862.2 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: august by Taylor Swift Weather’s Decision-Making Abilities: severely indecisive With a big day ahead of me I had set my alarm nice and early. Turns…

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Date: 6th December 2023 Start: Pahautea Hut (km 816.4) End: Jo’s Funny Farm (km 831.4) Distance Travelled: 15 km Total Distance Completed: 828 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: Enter Sandman by Metallica Soup: good soup The trouble with huts is that you never want to leave them but you always have to. Inside is…

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Date: 5th December 2023 Start: Kaniwhaniwha Campsite (km 808.1) End: Pahautea Hut (km 816.4) Distance Travelled: 8.3 km Total Distance Completed: 813 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: Fernando by ABBA Feet Status After All That Mud: completely dry! We have a new shortest day record! It may have been short but it was definitely…

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Date: 4th December 2023 Start: Village Cafe, Whatawhata (km 784.4) End: Kaniwhaniwha Campsite (km 808.1) Distance Travelled: 22.5 km walked + 1.2 km hitch (23.7 km total) Total Distance Completed: 804.7 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: just Andy Serkis doing various LOTR voices Tomorrow’s Forecast for Mt Pirongia: little bit wet, but otherwise quite…

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Date: 3rd December 2023 Start: Backpackers Central, Hamilton (km 768.7) End: Village Cafe, Whatawhata (km 784.4) Distance Travelled: 15.7 km Total Distance Completed: 781 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: The Shire by Howard Shore Is it Sweat or Rain Inside my Rain Jacket: honestly I can’t tell, hopefully not both Hamilton offered up another…

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Date: 2nd December 2023 Start: Ngaruawahia (km 747.3) End: Backpackers Central, Hamilton (km 768.7) Distance Travelled: 21.4 km Total Distance Completed: 765.3 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: nothing playing, too much anxiety over the Pirongia Traverse Amount I’m Overthinking the Pirongia Traverse: a really unhealthy amount Wake up time today was 5:15am. Let me…

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Date: 1st December 2023 Start: Rangiriri (km 713.4) End: Ngaruawahia (km 747.3) Distance Travelled: 33.9 km Total Distance Completed: 743.9 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: Who the Hell is Edgar? by TEYA and SALENA (poepoepoepoepoepoepoepoepoe) Mental Energy Left After Today: next to none I think I deserve a round of applause, because I finally…

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Date: 30th November 2023 Start: Mercer Motel (km 687.6) End: Rangiriri (km 713.4) Distance Travelled: 25.7 km Total Distance Completed: 710 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: Move Your Feet by Junior Senior Track Visibility: worse than my eyes Guess what? I still suck at waking up in the morning. It’s always slightly demoralising when…

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Date: 29th November 2023 Start: Bombay (km 669.6) End: Mercer Motel (km 687.6) Distance Travelled: ~2 km shortcut + 18 km trail (20 km total) Total Distance Completed: 684.3 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: American Pie by Don McLean State of the Levee Track: lumpy By morning the rain had passed, leaving a cold,…

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Date: 28th November 2023 Start: Drury (km 651.8) End: Bombay (km 664.3) Distance Travelled: 12.5 km Total Distance Completed: 664.3 km Song Currently Stuck in Head: Duel of the Fates from Star Wars Episode 1 Number of Dogs at Farmstay: I lost count, at least 5 A little over a month ago I flew into…

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