The following days between Kerikeri at km 223 and Ngunguru at km 348 were characterized by lots of kilometer along roads and through farmland.
After we left Kerikeri, a little more refreshed after a well-earned zero day, we aimed for Paihia Holiday Park. This would make a relatively short day, and perfectly timed for paying the Waitangi Treaty Grounds a visit. This is the location where in 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between Māori and the British Crown which gave Māori the rights of British citizens and allowed them to continue to self-govern; however, in exchange for the British Crown becoming sovereign. Of course, history has shown that things are not that easy: as the treaty exists in English and in Te Reo Māori and both languages differ in expressing various concepts (eg owning the land vs the lands owns them), conflicts and even wars awaited.
But we hiked on: the next morning, with the help of a cute ferry we set over to Russell which once was a whaling town and now serves as a fancy beach resort place. The Bay of Islands is pretty popular: 144 little islands are shattered in the ocean off Paihia which makes a picturesque area for a vacation.
A long roadwalk brought us through forests with majestic kauri trees, to a working farm that offers campsites for hikers. However, the trail is further inland and we did not really get to experience the beauty of the Bay of Islands. But for a hiker, more remote and less populated areas are more appealing anyway.
More roadwalk, more forests and more farmland eventually brought us to Whananaki, where we stayed at the local holiday park. We enjoyed burgers, milk shakes and laughter with fellow hikers. The town itself is tiny and is proud to offer the longest pedestrian footbridge of the southern hemisphere (395 m) over an estuary in Whananaki Inlet. While having burgers in the tiny joint, people came and went: a cyclist, a few van travelers, but mostly the local Māori including our – big surprise!- guide from the waitangi grounds and a guy who looked pretty frightening on a very loud motorbike.
The remaining kilometers to our next reqsupply town, Ngunguru, led us along beautiful coastline with ever-changing views towards the glittering turquoise Pacific Ocean.
