But some detours are awesome, as this waterfall barely indicated.

I arrive in the Waitangi forest, on the afternoon :

 

The next day I joined the coast, past the Memorial of Waitangi, where was signed the Treaty of the same name that made the Maori sovereign of their lands. The British Crown did not respect its commitments and barely 1/10EME of the territories are currently held by the natives. Some are still struggling to recover them.

I'm along the coast between drill and beach.

Discover wath's the mangrove, this tree that is rooted in the water.

 

As it is still winter, I am obliged to adapt to the means of transport. The one where I could paddle to clear my 20 kms path, I am obliged to make a detour by the ferry, from the stop to pass a dangerous road, and then to survey a long, dusty track under an eprobative heat. But the beautiful encounters give me a smile and when the evening exhausted I find no place to plant my tent, I have a door and see me offer a piece of garden flat and a meal. Cool.

Yes we managed to get my bag into the mini, it was just...

 

On the last day of August I cross the Russell forest. I had been told not to  be lose... Indeed I find for a short time the marking, crosses several times the River then nothing.

The foliage is dense, the steep slopes, the invisible markings and the weather goes to the wrong. I visualize my map and take the only possible decision, reassembling the river against the current. What I'll do on two kms.

 

 

In the evening, I am in front of the first House at the exit of the forest. The locals offer me immediately their hospitalites and I have the right to a good shower, slippers and a meal.

The next day I continue but I begin to feel my body weakening and shaking. My ankle did not appreciate the walk in sandals of yesterday.

Before crossing another forest I take advantage of the passage from the top of a mound.

Meet french guys : Julien, sufer and his girlfriend.

I plant my tent next to the beach of Matapouri, a little corner of paradise. Do a long meditation in the morning at sunrise with a Maori.

 

 

 

Here I take 2 days of rest in a campsite, I eat with pleasure some flounders fresh fishing and barbecues of meat in the company of retired people. Perfect after so much day at the diet couscous-soup.

I continue the way through the longest pedestrian bridge of the south hemisphere.

After a passage in the forest and the visit to this great Kauri I cross with difficulty an estuary...

 

Find the ocean and the beaches... Meet this charming lady who offers me breakfast and a shower:

 

Walk the Te Whara road, a forest crossing on a ridge where I spend the night on a plateau with a view overlooking the ocean.

 

The next day I go down to sea level and make boat stop to get to the following of the track. It works and it is at all speed, hair to the winds that I arrive on the other side.

 

 

Unfortunately barely reboots, feet in the sand for a stage that promises to be still long, my legs shake. My whole body does not want to go forward, I listen and stop, I join a campsite in the next city.

I will stay there for 3 weeks, one to have rest and reflection and two to work in one of the known racehorse stables in the country. I learn a lot about horses and myself.

 

View of the campsite, with far on the right the mountain where I slept my last night of this part of my adventure pedestrian:

 

 

***

 

Manuka, the honey plant :

Young palm branch :

Orchidees :

 

Sheep merinos :

King fisher :