Te Araroa, Day 122

It is raining this morning, just as the forecast predicted, and there is a big drop in temperature. We leave at 8 to position ourselves to hitch back to the junction from where we would walk to Camp Taringatura. It's so cold and raining heavily.

I'm not sure if walking all day in this weather is a good idea since there's no shelter along the road. No cars have stopped so far, and I'm considering staying in the room until 10 before hitching this section. While I'm contemplating, X is also having second thoughts. The rain intensifies, prompting us to retreat back to our accommodation.

At 10, we attempt hitching again, this time on the highway instead of the rural road we had planned to walk. The rain momentarily subsides, but it's still very cold. We wait for over an hour until an Australian couple in an electric car picks us up. They drop us off at a junction, from where we have to connect to the road leading to the camp.

As soon as we step out of the car, the rain starts pouring down again, accompanied by strong winds. We brave the 2 km to reach the junction, where we'll try to catch a ride for the remaining 8 km. I'm not feeling my best; cold, wind, and rain are the worst weather conditions for me, and I'm freezing. X tries to cheer me up, but all I want is to get out and get warm.

Not many cars pass, and none have stopped so far. I text Jenny from the camp, asking if they could provide a taxi service for us. She responds quickly, confirming her availability. In the car, she turns up the heat. Upon arriving at the camp, she insists we sit for a moment in the common room while she organizes tea and a blanket for me. It's bitterly cold.

Once I feel better, we retreat to the small cabin where we'll spend the night. It has thin wooden walls and remains cold despite running a small heater throughout the day and night. It never gets warmer than 13 degrees Celsius. I take a very hot shower and then crawl into bed, falling asleep for about three hours in the early afternoon.
The camp is quite unique. I didn't take any pictures as I was preoccupied with staying warm. There's a couple with two kids who live here for six months, helping to run the place, and spend the other six months in Australia. Rachel, the woman, loves cooking, and since the camp offers dinner, we opt for it. She asks about our food preferences and is happy to accommodate. Later, when I pay, she asks me to fetch X because she wants to sing a goodnight song for us. She loves singing and proves to be a good singer as she performs "You've Got a Friend" by Carole King. There are a few more songs, and we're invited to sing along. H

witv is there is also her daughter and two helpers, one from Germany on a work and travel visa and the other from New Zealand, who usually lives in Australia. After a few songs, we return to the cabin, equipped with extra blankets for the beds.
I sleep in all my merino clothing, plus my down jacket, and two blankets to keep warm.