Knowing there was a loooong and dodgy road walk of indeterminable length ahead of us ( we’ve gone a bit off-piste map-wise ) on the way to Thames we decided not to die in the heat en route, and hitch a ride ;)
An amazing bit of luck, but a hiker ( who had literally sprinted past us along the rough *path* two days earlier ) spotted us and asked if we needed a lift. Yey! He was clearly a seasoned professional hiker, with calfs like kauri trunks. Proper hardcore. Cookie noted his ‘all wool attire’. None of this modern poly-fibres malarky ( that I’m dressed head to toe in ) ;) He has clearly seen some miles in his time.
Thames, by the way, has a big wiggling river running through it, called, you guessed it … no, not Thames. But you’d have thought it would be eh with that name!
Plan A was to stay up high and follow the ridge southwards over Hihi, Motutapere, then the highest peak in the region, Kaitarakihi. I couldn’t find out a whole lot of info about the track condition, other than the NZ Navy use the route as training for their sailors.. So based on our half a mile an hour progress the other day, we decided to give that one a miss.
Plan B was head down the valley then cut across just south of the mountain Kaitarakihi and onwards to Puriri, thus avoiding the ridge altogether. I’d read accounts of this route that made it sound more difficult the track we’d done the other day. Which Nicky said she didn’t want to repeat anytime soon, so we had to think of another plan..
Plan C was to hitch down the valley and get a beer! This decision was made a lot easier by a kind offer of a lift before we could even get our thumbs out. Thames here we come.
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