Day 32
Feet are sore and have blisters on both feet now. I applied some Compeed to the left foot, to see if that helps. I suspect it will not.
Another hot day. At the half way point was the Botanic Gardens of Auckland. It was nice to enjoy the gardens and the cafe. I know I must smell a little, even with the daily showers and the Merino top I am wearing, so it is always a little weird sitting in a nice cafe having lunch and coffee. I really like walking through towns and cities with the easy access to shops and lunch spots. It is hard to find a latte in the wilderness.
Caroline is flying in from Napier and we planned to meet at the Airport hotel. Based on my good pace, I made it to the hotel before she did. Because of issues with aircraft, Caroline ultimately did not arrive until around 10pm. Her original flight was cancelled and she was re-scheduled through Wellington. But she made it.
I have almost finished the first section. I still need to walk from the Airport to downtown Auckland, but I will do that sometime in the far future. I also want to head back up to Cape Reinga and walk the section of the track that was closed when I started. Caroline and I will travel to Northland tomorrow with a rental car. This allows Caroline to see Kerikeri and other parts of Northland and allows me to complete the missing first 20 kms.
