Day 27: AKL Intl Terminal to Clevedon

Distance today: 35.8km

Distance total: 745.5km 

Time hiked: 9h 07min

Time total: 219h 08min

The check-in area is getting busy at around 4am. Even though I found quite a nice, secluded spot yesterday, it's hard to fall asleep again. So at 5 I decide to stow my sleeping pad and bag and wait for the sky to turn blue.

At 6, with the first light, I hit the very busy road. Heaps of cars heading opposite towards the airport. With the first long haul aircraft approaching on stunning morning light, there's also something interesting to see (at least for me ;), during this otherwise boring first steps. The shoulder is wide, so it's not too bad to walk. Only one cyclist seems to be unfamiliar with the term "share the road" and rides so close to me that he actually hits my backpack. Idiot. 

After a short river walk it's back to road walking again, this time through Auckland's industrial suburbs. Not really interesting. Walks along the river and through the botanical garden bring some variation before the next road section. And I'd call it a road from hell. Narrow, hardly any shoulders and many large trucks heading to and from a nearby quarry make the hike really uncomfortable and very tiring as I need to pay a lot of attention to the traffic. 

The last section ro Clevedon is tramping standard again. And after walking mostly on roads and very well formed tracks for the ladt few days, the first steps up through uneven, rough pasture are quite hard with my super stiff ankles. 

Tent is now pitched on a scout camp ground in Clevedon - a small cute little community in the middle of nowhere.

Today was mentally not an easy day for me. The 2nd time after Ngunguru on this trip. Being there at the airport, observing all these passengers checking in, I was thinking how easy it would be just to buy a ticket to one of those little tropical island, get a warm shower and free food in the lounge and then watching a movie in the plane while en-route to paradise... 

Not hours of dangerous road walking, carrying a heavy backpack full of noodles, nuts and dried fruits. 

What wasn't helping: Today's hike was mostly idling to the east, even a little north. Not really motivating, when you actually want to head south.

Well, my mood improved again with every step, especially when I looked back and saw the tiny Sky Tower, far far away in the distance. Amazing how far one can walk in just two days - even when basically walking in a huge circle!