Te Araroa Day 28, Hamilton to Whatawhata

Starting km: 800
Finishing km: 816
km covered today: 16

After two back-to-back monster days, I figured I deserved a bit of an easy one.
I spent my morning hanging about in Hamilton, buying a DOC hut pass, a phone charger and some jet planes (NZ lollies for our overseas readers!)

After this, a bit of hanging around the library reading NZ Wilderness magazines while charging my phone.

It was a beautiful day, so I had to do at least SOME walking.  What I did was suitably relaxing: some city streets, some city parks (from one of which I got my first good look at Pirongia, the mountain I'd be heading up shortly), an arboretum (whose trees were mildly interesting, but blessedly cool on a day where the sun shone fiercely), a bit of State Highway verge, then just after 16:00, arrival in Whatawhata.

I planned to spend the evening at the pub. Hardly unusual. But in this instance I'd be sleeping there. The owner kindly lets hikers pitch their tents in the rear area of the garden bar.

My early arrival gave me plenty of time to repay the owner's kindness (or was that part of the plan?) by buying some beers (I limited myself to three Steinlagers [hooray for the best beer at rural pubs in NZ]) and chatting with fellow walkers, American couple Tyler and Hannah.

And, of course, painting my nails, which were in dire need of a re-do!