Day 12 ~ Raetea Forest II
2nd December 2020 ~ He Tangata/It is the people
We still haven't learned how to sleep well on these noisy inflatable mattresses. Surely soon?
The wind dropped in the night, so the morning was calm and the dawn chorus was glorious. A very wet pack up with everything soaked by the clouds. Our muddy shoes and socks didn't stand a chance of drying out. Nevertheless, we’re pretty chirpy as we start the slip and slide along the ridge and back down the mountain.
A few good stacks and tears. But we’re all a bit excited today, we know at some point our favourite hiker on YouTube, Elina Osborne/Tip Tap will pass us. Back in our lounge room in Oz, trying to convince the kids that the trail was a great idea we showed them a bunch of stuff on YouTube and Elina’s films of her adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail in the States are the best by so far. We’ve been chatting on the ‘gram and planning to meet up.
Eventually we hear branches snapping, squelchy footsteps and gentle chatter behind us. It’s her - yippee! We hug and introduce ourselves, enjoy quick chats and compare mud coverage. Her and her new mate, DiCap’ (yep, trail names are a thing) head off at a great pace (they started a day after us and have already passed us by lunchtime) motivating the kids to start running (and slipping) in the hope that she’ll be at camp tonight. Total fans.
Toward the end of the bush track a lovely fellow, Andy/Marv, with a fluro orange pack cover joins us. We walk together ‘til we get to camp. He becomes like the Pied Piper, the kids loving having him to chat to. We’re all chuffed actually. Turns out we’ll spend the next four nights camping with these guys and become good mates.
We’re beginning to see how it’s the people that make the trail so magic.
“It’s Tip Tap day!”
Northland Forests - mud glorious mud
