15 Jan 2018

A Bit of a Jigsaw Puzzle

From The Long Way Home, 2:00 pm on 15 January 2018

Bruce Hopkins wants to take his dad and brother's ashes back home to Rakiura/Stewart Island. He’s just taking the long way to get there. The long, long way. 

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Bruce poses beside a stone marking the official end of the North Island section of Te Araroa - New Zealand's trail.

The official end of the North Island section of Te Araroa - New Zealand's trail. Photo: Bruce Hopkins

Back on the road again! Bruce flies south and restarts his walk from Otaki Forks. His plan is to fill in some of the gaps in the giant jigsaw puzzle that has become his version of Te Araroa. Five days of walking lie ahead of him. His destination? Wellington! 

Bruce Hopkins Trail Diary - Week 13

3 January - 8 January 2018.

Wellington

"What a buzz!

"Even though I still have two sections to fill in, here I am in Wellington at the end point of the North Island section of Te Araroa. Wicked!

On Paekakariki escarpment looking back at Kapiti Island.

On Paekakariki escarpment looking back at Kapiti Island. Photo: Bruce Hopkins

"I have done maybe 1200 kilometres so far...got some hard slog to go!

You can't beat Wellington on a good day; the view from Mount Kaukau,

You can't beat Wellington on a good day; the view from Mount Kaukau, Photo: Bruce Hopkins

"I've got two sections to fill in; five to six days in the Tararuas (which will be hard out). I've also got about nine days hiking and three days on the river between Te Kuiti to Whanganui. Some hard out days there, too.

"But what a buzz, what a buzz. Real cool to be here. Yee ha!"

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