Left the campsite at 7:00 and started to walk uphill mountain
path. After about an hour, got to Mangatawhiri Track. At the entrance there was
a warning signboard for TA walkers and average track time on DOC sign was
scraped off... premonition of something not good. Track was totally neglected
and ruined. After bashing the bush in the middle of nowhere, then track turned
up out of the blue. Especially vine plant probably a kind of Rata spreading everywhere got in my way
and caught my backpack - struggled to go through.
Last half of the track close
to the foot, the condition became better somehow. It took me 3.5 hours for only
7km on a down-hill ridge line walk. In addition, at last several hundred metres
walk in the farmland along the river, many parts of the track was collapsed. Managed my way somehow, climbing over the fence and steep cliff hanging onto
tree roots at the end. It was a very unusual condition. At the exit, found a
track closure sign!! Track safety information should be put up at each track
ends.
Then walked 6km road and stop bank of Mangatawhiri river. Was not as easy
as expected - surface to the track was uneven with numerous cattle footsteps
and covered by knee-high overgrown grass. Arrived at Mercer at 16:00. Could not
find the backpacker on the map. Knocked on the door of nearby house and asked
where it was. Was told it was 5km away near the airport. It made me at a loss. Nelson, a guy of Hong Kong origin, gave me a ride to the accommodation. He was
a really kind guy and offered me a return ride tomorrow morning... just could
not thank him enough. It costed me $35/night. Was a bit expensive as a backpacker,
but occupied one whole room and will get a free ride back to the track next day
- not a bad deal. Walked 25km today.
7:00にキャンプ場を出てすぐに山道を登り出す。小一時間も歩くとマンガタフィリ・トラックに到着。入り口にはわざわざTAウォーカーへの警告看板が立ててあり、DOC看板の標準歩行時間が削り取られていて嫌な予感。トラックは荒れ放題といった感じで、道などなさそうな茂みをかき分けるとその先に道が現れたりする。特にラタ類地と思われる蔓植物のツルがトラックを縦横に遮り、背中の荷物が引っかかって思うように進めない。麓に近い後半は道らしくなったが、それでも下り中心の7kmの尾根歩きに3時間半もかかってしまった。そして最後の数百メートルの川沿いの牧場歩きは道があちこちで崩れ、フェンスをよじ登って牧場内を歩いたり、最後は急な崖を木の根に掴まりよじ登ったりして、やっと抜けることができた。おかしいと思っていると、何とトラック出口に「トラック閉鎖」の看板が！！こういう案内はトラックの出入り口全てに立てておいて欲しい。
その後は6kmの道路歩きを経てマンガタウヒリ川の土堤歩き、これも想像していたほど楽ではなく、牛の足跡でボコボコだったり、逆に膝丈まで草が生い茂っていたり。4:00頃マーサーに着き、地図で見たバックパッカーを探すが見当たらない。適当に飛び込んだ家で尋ねるとまだ5kmも先の空港横だという。途方に暮れていると、その家の青年、香港系のネルソンという人が車で送ってくれた。そてもいい人で、翌朝迎えに来て再び町まで連れ戻してくれるとまで言ってくれたが、宿の人が無料で送ってくれることに。感謝に絶えない。宿は一泊$35とバックパッカーにしては高めだったが、一部屋を占有させてくれたので良しとする。本日の歩行25km。
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