See ya later Southland!

Te Araroa Trail Days 7-11 (131.74km - 206km)

Day 7: December 10 (29.2km)

Birchwood to Telford Camp

Final day of farmland! Within the first hour of the day’s walk, the trail abruptly ended at a fence. On the other side, a herd of muscular cattle ran towards us. We scanned for the next trail marker, and saw that it continued on the other side of the 70 huge steers. 

We spent the next 30 minutes bush bashing through waist high spiky weeds, hopping over a barbed wire fence and crossing a stream, to avoid the scary herd. They followed us from the inside of the paddock the entire time. 

Just as we joined the trail again, we looked back only to see two of our trail buddies crossing directly through all of the steers. It was the two young Kiwi girls Sian and Geena.

“You were so brave for crossing directly through the bullpen!!” We told them later that day.

“Oh” said Sian, who’s fresh out of college, but could easily pass for 16, “I could tell by their body language that they were just being curious and playful.” 

Being able to read the body language of cattle… a skill we didn’t realize would be an asset on this trek. 

A few more hours of passing by fearful sheep, calves and cows, did we finally make it to camp.

When most hikers of arrive to camp, they promptly filter water from the stream, assemble their perfectly taut tents, and begin cooking dinner.

Meanwhile, the two of us have to lay lifeless on the ground for minimum one hour before initiating any sort of camp set up. 

We usually eat a few handfuls of candy (if there’s a time to eat absurd amounts of sweets let it be now) while being surrounded by a mess of our dirty belongings. 

Eventually we muster up the strength to set up shelter. Despite our tent keeping us dry from rain and protected from wind, it always looks a bit sad and frumpy compared to everyone else’s. It’s the ultra light type that uses trekking poles to stand up and we still haven’t mastered the assembly. Thankfully we have two more months to figure that out. 

In New Zealand there are no bears, snakes, ticks, poison oak, or any other plant or creature that can hurt you. 

Someone once put it like this: “In most places if you hear a rustling in the bushes at night you turn the other way, but here in New Zealand you run over with your kids to investigate, because it could be a kiwi!”

So basically the only things we have to worry about besides weather are sandflies - relentless biting buggers that swarm near bodies of water. In Maori lore, sandflies protect sacred lands from settlers.

Today was the first day on Te Araroa where we encountered a swarm. Although we felt pretty silly for packing them originally, our head nets saved the day. Two French girls pulled up to camp soon after, and in their thick, confused accents asked “What is that on your head??”

We woke up the next morning to about 100 sandflies trapped between our tent and rain fly. 

Day 8: December 11 (22km)

Telford Camp to Aparima Hut

We finally saw glimpses of mountain! Got to sleep in a warm hut.

Day 9: December 12 (23km)

Aparima Hut to Te Anau

This morning we met a new foe - tussock. A word we just learned this week. Tussock is a blond grass that grows in clumpy mounds and reaches the height of our shoulders. After a night of rain, traversing the tussock felt like going through a car wash. The grass also obscures the muddy ground below, and sometimes we’d step forward and our leg would drop two feet down into a stream. Our ankles twisted in all directions all day. 

The last challenge of the day was 6km of gravel road that eventually spit us out onto the highway. Southland section complete! A kind German couple in a flashy rental car brought us to town. We beelined to a place called The Ranch. Maddie got a bacon onion ring cheese burger and Anna got loaded wedges. Nuff said.

Day 10/11: December 13 & 14 (0km)

We take our zero days quite seriously by doing absolutely nothing.

Back on the trail tomorrow.

Until next time!

Maddie & Anna