Or The Most Pointless Walk in History.                                                                                               I only say this because you walk from one bay with golden sands and a torquoise sea to another. You might have saved the effort and stayed in the first bay. Seriously though it was probably the nicest walk so far, and that is sayimg something. We spent 4 nights sleeping in huts which consisted of minimal facilities. We had to take all our own food and cooking equipment. The beds were for multiple occupation and were unisex. The advantage is that one night I slept in the middle of 5 women and a man at the end. There were 3 fraulines, a male and female kiwi and the most beautiful of them all next to me, an anglo irish italian mongre. The disadvantage was that we were kept awake most of one night with some chap snoring. Even his wife or partner could not stand it and found somewhere else to go. We worked out, but too late that you should avoid sleeping with older people who seem to be the more likely snorers.

We saw lots of wildlife such as stingrays that came in close to the sea shore. Numerous birds of which we do no know the names. They seem to be more trusting of humans than elsewhere. This includes the fantail that seems to delight in displaying itself along the. The other remarkable feature of these walks is an almost total absence of litter. Overnight access to the park is limited to an alloted number of spaces,  either camping or staying in huts which must be pre booked. Access to the beaches is by walking, kyak or water taxi. There is an army of wardens to enforce  the rules. They seem to do it with a smile and are a mine of information about the park. 

We were favoured at our last hut of the walk with our own room. They still had multi occupancy beds but there were  so few people staying we could spread ourselves in a bed for    six. As the light began to fade this man appeared with nothing on but his flip flops. Well Mary ang I and the german couple also in residence were determined to play it cool and no be shocked. Fortunately in the fading light the view was mot too difficult to cope with. Apparently he had just been on a nudist bike ride with hundreds of other people in protest at our dependancy on fossil fuels. He decided that he would continue in his naked state on the path. The cloak afforded by the dusk the night before was not available the next morning when the sun was up and he joined us for breakfast. All I can say is the if I was the sort of person that was envious about certain parts of other peoples anatomy then there was a lot to be envious about and I suspect he knew it. Fortunately he joined us at the table on the opposite side fairly quickly. I wonder what the reaction will be at the more crowded huts. Mary made the astute observatio that we are all naked under our clothes!!!.

We are back at the hostel having had our first shower for four days and have have had a pint of the local brew and wine and also fish and chips. Tomorrow we make our way to Wellington im the north island and then on to walk the Tongeriro circuit round an active volcano..