Day 5 | km 168-197 | Northland Forests continued...Omahuta - Puketi

I know your all dying to hear about how I met my 4 pawed forest friend…

…but first, what a night. I didn’t make it to Apple Dam Camp, I could feel the gremlins of negativity creeping into the corners of my mind so I made the executive decision to wild camp just off the disused forestry road and under protective tree cover from the approaching storm - no dead trees in sight don’t worry, I didn’t want the rude awaking of a tree branch snapping onto me. My foot, yes that thing, although it wasn’t painful I was definitely afflicted with an acute bout of elephantiasis! Or more precisely acute extensor tendonitis - only I imagine from tightening my shoes that bit too tight to avoid them coming off in the mud and then walking down some very step terrain working my foot extensors really hard with an added 10Kgs on my back (12Kg when I’ve full water supplies!)…

oh look what I found, H2-glorious-Ooooooo

From no water to water water everywhere and beautifully clean feet :D

Now the bit you’ve all been waiting for, DOGGO story time! I’m super please to have powered it through Puketi, knowing at 4pm it was going to bucket down with thunder and lightening storms and how changeable the Waipapa River could be with flash floods I felt pretty relieved to have crossed it when I did. With the voices of Outward Bound Instructors in my head of how to cross a river safely - thanks Nick & Freya for the last min low down - I raised an eyebrow at how fast the river was flowing (FYI that is NOT the river in the vlog above, thats a contributory stream with me having an enjoyable paddle. I didn’t fancy getting the ol’GoPro out mid river crossing and once across the other side my attention was taken by a certain fury friend, so no river footage, but it wont be my last I can assure you of that!). It’s HERE I MET DOGGOOOO, deep in the depths of Puketi Forest, I just turned around and he was there, no barking at me, no warning of his appearance, he was just magically THERE! After realising there was no owner in tow and his eyes were just pleading with ‘CUDDLE MEEEEE I’m LOST & LONELY’ I fed him what I could and enticed him along the trail. (I have since been told you should never feed a dog chocolate, I’m sorrrweeee I had no idea and its the first thing I pulled out my pack, he woof-ed (hehe) it down and then followed that with tuna and closely the can if i hadn’t pulled it away from him, he was STARVING and skinny and i think the choco gave him the energy to hike with me another 4 hours to escape - Im sorwee I promise to never feed a dog choco again!!) Anyway, it seemed to give him the perk he needed and we were instantly best friends, oh my heart flips thinking of him! xxx

He’s safe and sound now with Kerikeri’s SPCA, I totally wish I could keep him as my trail companion. I’ll tell you more tomorrow about my friend Mel, missioning into the forest to save me from this suspicious sounding ‘male’ - oh Mel, how I love you! xx