A tramp to Mangamuka Hut, Kaimai Ranges

On Sunday I went tramping with the local tramping club to the Mangamuka hut up in the Kaimai Ranges. It was a hot and sunny day, so it was nice to be in the bush for most of the walk.

It starts off walking up a farm drive way at the end of Te Tuhi Rd. It is shingle and up, up, up. I was pretty puffed by the time I got to the stile into the paddocks. We crossed over several stiles as we went across the paddocks. (Has anyone else noticed that stiles come in many styles)

There was more up as we went to the bush line. At the bush line we crossed over a pretty stream, which was hardly flowing, because of the drought. Then it got steep. Whew! I was quite wobbly in my legs and had to sit down for a while and drink some electrolytes. 

We went down into little gullies with almost dry stream beds and back up the other side again. A couple of streams smelt like something dead was in it. Phew! We were glad to cross them quickly. It is a pretty bush, but not a lot of bird life. We heard 1 tui and a few fantails.

At the top the track leveled off quite nicely and walking was much easier. We had lunch at the hut and after a rest we headed back down again. It was easier as it was more down hill than up. By the time we got back to the cars we had done 13.08 ks. I thought I would have sore legs this morning, but all is good, so I am very pleased about that. 

bush views

The picture of me was taken in front of a huge tree root that had blown over.

bush views

Low flowing stream

A Social Weekend

It is still hot and sunny weather with temperatures into the low 30's at the caravan some days. The windows are all open and the fans are going. We have used the air con a few times, but it really could do with a gas top up, so it isn't very efficient at the moment. 

There was supposed to showers today, but we only got a light drizzle that dried before it hit the ground, so that wasn't much use.

I had a cold which was really annoying in the summer. I never had one at all last winter. I shared it with Eddie and he isn't impressed. He didn't seem to be too bad, but at the weekend his sore throat came back and now he is feeling miserable.

We have had a very social weekend.

On Saturday morning, we went to a friend's 70^th birthday. He isn't Maori, but he had a marae like beginning where we were called on to the marae. In the back yard they had set up a marque that we sat under for the formal beginning. There were speeches and songs. Once the formality was over we had morning tea and then games. Eddie managed to avoid them and had a nap on the couch on the back porch, while we were at the bottom of the garden playing games. We were divided into teams of 6 or 7 and there were 7 teams, so there was quite a mob of us. We had trivial pursuit, a tug of war, the game where you put your head down on to a cricket bat and run around in a circle with your head down 10 times and then you have to run to the wicket and back. One of our team members fell straight down and he wasn't a little man either. I was a bit worried we wouldn't be able to get him back on his feet, but he valiantly rallied and ran to the wicket. I thought I was going to be sick when I first stood up, but all was good. That would have been so embarrassing. Running in a straight line was a bit tricky. I was trying to go left, but kept going right. A most peculiar feeling.

Once the games were over we had lunch. We came home just after 3. Eddie was feeling a bit grotty with his cold and I was tired too.

On Sunday we went to lunch with one of  Eddie's friends from work. She came over from Tauranga and we went to the Italian restaurant. We had a lovely meal and get together.

On Waitangi day we had a lovely tiki tour to Eastern Beach in Auckland. We went through Hunua, Clevedon and Whitford. Hunua is where Eddie's Great Grandparents settled when they immigrated here in 1865. We went past the road called Trail Rd where they had lived. We came home with the fishing kayak that Eddie had bought. It is made from recycled plastic in China. The man we bought it from has been importing them for about 8 years. It is all set up with rod holders, a fish pod to put the catch in and a bait board.