Oh inner-spring mattress, you beacon of all that is good in the world, thank you for a wonderful night’s sleep.
The forecast for today was pretty yuck-like. Yet it was still warm and although heavily overcast and windy, the morning started out OK. Leaving the all-you-can-eat continental breakfast in my wake, I made good time along the western bank of the Waikato, strolling south along the stopbanks and leaping over the stiles.
The rain started slowly, in the classic “let’s see how long it takes him to put on his parka” style. I relented early and immediately wished I hadn’t – it was still a hot and sticky temperature. Once the rain started in earnest though, I was grateful for its waterproofness.
Rain. Rain. A stampede of young cows. Rain. Low cloud. The smoke-stacks of Huntly power station disappearing in the mist. Puddles. Spray from cars. Rain. A downpour for something different. Rain. Rain. Sore shin. Rain.
I had hoped to go further today, but made the call to my friend Maria in Hamilton to ‘please please come pick me up – I’m sore and I’ve had enough’. I sheltered under the verandah of a West Huntly diary and demolished a mince-and-cheese pie. Yum. The sausage-roll chaser wasn’t quite as flash.
Mockingly, the rain cleared once I’d made the decision to pause my walk. Mother Nature sure does have a weird sense of humour…
MyAdventurePlus 