Today- 32km from Mt Lees Reserve to Whiowhio hut, Palmerston North

Total 1462km

Good day into Palmy today. Spent the morning on the roads, nice back roads today and boy, it was hot. All of the water and sunblock today.

Had alllll the town snacks today, rolled into Fielding about 10.30am for a can of cold orange mountain dew, then continued on another 10km to my lunch spot at Bunnythorpe.

Trail was all road today apart from a short stile climbing paddock bit, and a weird little track diverting you from a local refuse station over a couple of streams.

Lunch was a yum affair outside the local dairy, where I got some choccy milk and liquorice. Met Ralph [ Swiss] and Iben [Danish] at the dairy for lunch and then we walked into Palmy together.

A few kms later we were at the supermarket, and as usual buying wayyyyy too much for our resupply.

We then rolled down the road to our preorganised home for the night, trail Angel’s Anthony and Fiona.

These guys are awesome! They have made a proper hut in their backyard, like a DOC hut, and have room for tents too.

After showers [with real towels- amazing] we get fish and chips and have a wonderful dinner.

They kindly bring out a big map and give us some good advice on the next section, the Tararua Ranges.

It was a pleasure to meet these kind people and I love their hut, and enthusiasm for hikers. They have tramped the TA South Island NoBo and have a wealth of experience with NZ tracks.

I totally forgot to get a gas canister but luckily they had a spare one I could buy – legends!