Day 10: Kerikeri to Paihia (223-247 km)

Today was a nice and easy day! I got to the post office before it opened so I could get my bounce box and ship it off to the next big town I'll be going through. Curly wrote some postcards and got coffee and we headed out of town a little after 11.  

Around noon we got to the Stone Store (the oldest stone building in NZ) and the Kemp House (the oldest building in NZ), where our TA trail started for the day. 

In no time at all we were in the Waitangi Forest, which was such an easy hike compared to the three forests we had just gotten out of!  

Once we were out of the forest, we took a wrong turn for about a block but decided to keep going that way because we knew we'd get to Paihia. It was a great decision. The road quickly dropped us out at Haruru Falls, and we saw that there was a 5 km trail to the Treaty Grounds, which would put us back on the TA. It was a beautiful detour along a river, with some bridges, a boardwalk and Tui birds. 

In another hour or so we were in Paihia and after shower we went to find some fish and chips. That might end up being my go-to meal for the next 5 months. The fish here is so good!  

Stone Store, the oldest stone building in NZ

Inside the stone store. Lots of little trinkets!  

The Kemp House...I think it's the oldest building in NZ  

The Waitangi Forest - you could drive a car down this trail - nothing like the Raetea Forest! 

Our 5km detour trail from Haruru Falls to the Treaty Grounds. It was so beautiful! And flat and easy walking. 

Paihia, Bay of Islands

My bunk room for the night at YHA Paihia