Paihia - Cape Reinga - Twilight Beach

Day One on the trail. Met Jakob from Germany waiting for the intercity bus from Paihia, and later the Kerikeri - Kaitaia bus was filled with budding thruhikers including Lina and Ben from Aus and Olli and Heiko also from Germany. Greg of Tuatua Rentals gave four of us (Jakob, Olli, Heiko and me) a ride to the Cape from Awanui, and gifted us great advice & an Ugly Fruit each for the road.

We set off from the Cape around 16.00, cutting it a little fine for the 12km to first camp before the dark, but despite a close call with a quickly filling ocean river we made it to the Twilight Beach (appropriately) just as the sun was setting.

First ever tent set up was an experience (not ideal, couldn't quite puzzle it out in the dark) but it stayed up enough for the night! A problem for site twoRead more