Now again to clarify, I don't wantto road walk when I can easily avoid it by taking say a vehicle with four wheels, or a bus. There is a 15km walk to Whakawhaka which is pronounced fakafaka. When I bought a bus ticket I said Whakawhaka when I clearly knew it was wrong but I didn't want the teller to go "what'd you call me!!"
While waiting for the bus I had made a bounce box with things that were in my bag that I didn't need. I lost about 5lbs, including camera (I've taken 3 photos), thermal bottoms an tops( cause it's summer), a t shirt, and some body and foot creams I don't really need now that my feet are say 'acclimatized' to walking 30km a day. Sent it for 6$ to Taumarunui.
Took a normal city bus 12minutes to Whakawhaka, found the only shop there, bought a nice cream bar and was on my way to the base of Pirongia.
10km in a high school van pulled beside us and offered a lift tithe base, but since cheating already today we denied. The road walk wasn't too bad, there was barely any traffic so progress was good.
As the ominous mountain/volcano thing came nearer and nearer into view I kept wondering how bloody muddy this jungle is going to be. Every jungle has been just brutal, this one will be better tho because there is a 16person hut at the top. Either dinner or lunch will be dry..temporarily.
At the end of the road there was a 2km walk to another campsite area at the very base of the mountain. Set up camp and had dinner on a bench! Heck yeah.
Side note I have had feet problems and I was assuming it was sand under my shoe souls. Therefore I sliced at the base of the shoe soul and found about a 1/4 cup of sand per shoe. Now why in the hell would a shoe have an inner liner where the only way to get particulates out I it was to destroy the shoe??? Anyways, tomorrow I my feet will be ok