Because coming Monday was a statuary holiday, Marae was full this
evening and 80 people will be visiting tomorrow! As having started a day before
the long weekend, I am having a fantastic weather and a peaceful canoe trip...
what a good coincidence! It was the last day of the canoe trip with 3 most
challenging rapids, and we heard 50% of canoes could get a turn over at the
last one. Started at 9:15 with a bit nervous look. Was interesting to
observe the current - even still surface of water could change current
unexpectedly due to features of river bed, drifted wood and flow-in from a
branch. Jet boats with full of tourists passing by made large waves on the
water often that did not give me a break when paddling. After all, none of us
turned over and safely arrived at Pipiriki just before 14:00.
As soon as
arriving there, got myself ready for mountain bile trip. Jake, who paddled with
me for past 3 days, said to me "Are you mental?" three times. Everyone looked exhausted after 3 days
trip. I was tired, too, but OK to go as my legs luckily had enough break for
recovery. From 14:30 to 17:30, rode about 40km on Wanganui River Road with lots
of ups and downs. Pitched a tent at Otamaire, a place sounding like Japanese. On my way, there were settlements named Jerusalem, London and Athens...
Had a
trouble in drinking water as there was no running water from a water tap at the
campsite. A Sweden couple Livio and Emma, who camped with a camper van next to me,
happily shared some water with me.... and after a chat, they gave me apples and
bananas, too, as they said they were inspired by my TA walk experience - what a
great surprise! Fresh fruits were appreciated more than anything else for me
now. Thank you guys. Paddled 22km and bike ride 40km today.
この週末は月曜が祝日で三連休のため、今晩のマラエは満室、明日は80人もの人が来るとか！偶然だ他少し日程がズレたお蔭で天気も最高で静かなカヌー度ができラッキーだった。最終日の今日はこれまでで最も難しい急流が3つある日で、特に最後の急流は50%の船が転覆すると脅かされていたので、みんな心なしか緊張して9:15に出発。静かな川面でも川底の地形や流木、支流の流れ込みなどで複雑に水の流れが変わり興味深い。三連休初日とあって観光客も多いのか、ジェットボートが頻繁に通り過ぎ、その波を避けるのも大変で退屈している暇はなかった。結局、誰も引っくり返ることなく無事ゴール地点のピピリキに14:00少し前に到着。
自分は休む間もなくマウンテンバイクで出発の準備をしていたら、3日間一緒にカヌー旅をしていたジェイクという男性に「あんた、正気かい？」と3度も言われてしまった。皆この3日でかなり疲れたようだ。自分も疲労感はあるが、幸い脚力は休養充分。14:30から17:30の3時間で上り下りの多いワンガヌイ・リバー・ロードを約40km走り、オタマイレという日本語のような名前のキャンプ場でテント泊。途中にエルサレムやロンドン、アテネといったユニークな名の集落が点在していた。
キャプ場の水道の水が止まっていて飲み水に困っていたら、隣でキャピングカーでキャンプ中のスウェーデン人カップル、リヴィオとエマが快く水を分けてくれただけでなく、自分のTAトレッキングの話を聴いて感銘を受けたと言って、リンゴやバナナまで分けてくれたのには驚いた。新鮮な果物は今の自分には何よりも有難い。感謝。本日の川下り22km、マウンテンバイク走行40km。
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