Te Kuiti - Garden at 935km (23km)

So Luke woke up with whatever it was I had the day before so we sat around until 10am both running back and forth to the bathroom. While probably our most risky division yet, we decided against putting more money into the miserable camp owners pocket and made a move. 

Having started late and both feeling somewhat unsettled we took the path alongside the river fairly slowly until we reached the toilets in the car park at the start of the reserve. We made the most of the stop here!

The path from there was boggy, up and down, and mostly walking on the side of a bank that meant our ankles were on a constant angle and slipping into holes or in mud puddles- the day we assumed to be easy was not so easy and we were again reminded not to ever assume the trails simplicity before starting! 

Once out of the reserve, we followed gravel road up to the 935km point where we flagged down a car to ask about camping. He told us to jump on the back of his truck, which we did, and he drove us up to his farm. We pitched our tents in one of the fields next to their pet goat which had a collar on and was tied to the fence. The guy who picked us up went back to work on the farm and his wife came out to greet us. She invited us in for showers (shampooed and conditioned my hair twice as was the first time I had been given conditioner since I left England), and offered us toast and stew with mashed potatoes for dinner (which we gladly accepted.) 

For the remainder of the evening we drank red wine and snacked on maltesers while our host taught us about sending out 'good vibrations' to the universe in order to get what we want. 'Money comes freely and easily, I always have enough for what I want' was what she kept telling us and it was very clear that was the motto she went by by the boxes and boxes of unopened things she had all around the house. 

After refilling our glasses many a time, her husband and another guest they had staying with them returned from the farm to join us. They were the most crazy people I had ever met. Fritz, the guy who had picked us up, the from Switzerland. He had this high pitch voice and always always shouted at the top of his voice and swore every other word. Their other guest was also from Switzerland and actually Yodelled which was impressive but also hilarious and very awkward. 

After being completely mesmerised by how absolutely nuts they were, but still overwhelmed by their kindness, we slipped away to our tents and slept like babies thanks to the red wine!