🗓️ December 09, 2025

🏁 Kilometers : 1094

I spent another night in an earthquake-prone motel, located right next to a road and a railway line. The walls shook every time a truck or train passed. I feel tired as soon as I wake up. But there is no time to linger; we have the canoe briefing at 8:00 a.m., and I have to walk 5 kilometers to reach the company's headquarters.

On the way, I cross a bridge over the Whanganui River, which we will be canoeing down. I had expected a bigger, more turbulent river—a fact later confirmed by our instructor during our brief training session. We won’t encounter any major difficulties. We receive some advice on what to do if we capsized, how to reach the camps where we will sleep, what to do in case of heavy rain, and so on. We drop off the supplies we had bought the day before, which we will need nine days later during our descent of the river.

I leave the building and resume walking; I still have 22 kilometers to cover today, and it's already 11:00 AM. My god! My backpack feels so heavy! I have seven days' worth of food with me because we won't have any more opportunities to resupply, except for a small shop at a gas station in a week. I had the bright idea of ​​bringing vegetables, but not knowing which ones to choose, I took a bit of everything without restraint! In theory, it's good to have fresh food, but in practice, I need to learn to manage the quantity better. The sun and the heat are beating down hard in the middle of the day. The fatigue, the heat, and the weight of the backpack—I've never felt so stuck! I think this is the first day I've truly had enough, where I want to throw the bag down and sit on the ground waiting for someone to come and get me. But of course, I don't mean it seriously. I'd only give up if someone ripped off my leg!

After a long afternoon of grumbling, I arrive at the campsite for the night. I cook myself a meal with my lovely, heavy vegetables and quickly go to bed.

Just before closing my tent, I'm treated to a breathtaking sunset!

🗓️ December 10, 2025

🏁 Kilometers : 1134

Today's plan is the 42 traverse crossing, a roughly 40-kilometer route that winds through the heart of a forest and will eventually lead me to Tongariro National Park. I'm still undecided whether I'll only do two-thirds of it and sleep in the forest near a stream, or if I'll cross the whole thing… I'll see how I feel.

I set off at 7:00 a.m. and walk at a good pace for a few hours. I'm a little disappointed; I was expecting a beautiful trail winding through the forest, but it turns out to be just a simple gravel forest track… at least I'm mostly under the cover of the trees! I pass kilometer 1100, and then a little later, kilometer 1111!

After 23 kilometers, I cross a stream and reach a junction. I take the path that seems most obvious and tell myself I'll quickly check the map to be sure… but this thought is quickly replaced by another, and I continue on my way for a good half hour before realizing I've gone the wrong way. Two kilometers in the wrong direction adds another four kilometers to the day's total! What's more, the trees are less dense here, and the heat is intense.

I get back on the right path, continue a little further, and decide to stop for lunch where a river crosses the trail. But first, I take off my clothes and literally lie down in the cool water… I could almost imagine steam rising from me as I touched the cold water, I was so hot! I float there like a dried-up frog that's been deprived of water for too long.

I then eat my lunch and decide to finish the remaining six kilometers to the edge of the forest, which I reach a little before 5 p.m. I hadn't seen anything but trees all day, so imagine my surprise when I saw the majestic Mount Ngauruhoe, towering over the surrounding area at 2,287 meters. A wave of excitement washed over me, knowing that tomorrow I would see it up close! The site was used as a backdrop for one of the famous final scenes in "The Lord of the Rings," specifically the scene at Mount Doom. Even for those unfamiliar with the film, the scenery is breathtaking.

I reach the campsite for the night, feeling rather exhausted after walking the remaining 7 kilometers of paved road. I quickly make myself something to eat, take a shower, and go straight to bed!