Monday Day 1 of hiking Tutukaka

Our day started out interesting enough when we were running late for the bus. Our bus driver Murray got pissed and told us to meet him around the corner as a form of punishment. We got dropped off in whangarei (fan-ga-ray) and started hiking. Oddly enough we got lost inside the city and while trying to make out again. After finding the trail we ran into a couple of locals who gave us our first (but certainly not last) warning about maoris and their sketchy ways! We realized soon that we were not going to be able to make it to Tutukaka by foot. It does not help morale when people ask where your going and then start laughing when you tell them your planning on walking there as well. 26Km outside Tutukaka we were picked up by a glazier named Bruce Webb, we were unaware that soon our lives would be changed drastically. Bruce is a glazier, honorary game warden, sail-fisher, crayfish diver, semi-crazy racist, and all round badass whose favorite word is cunt. Bruce put us in the back of his van and then took us to meet his wife Jenny. After unloading our packs we went on what is hands down the best sight-seeing trip I have ever experienced. Bruce's game warden status allowed him access to a variety of private beaches. We returned home and Bruce took us out in his Dinghy to go gather pipis (mussels). We had a pretty big feed of pipi sandwiches and a few beers then retired to our tents in the back yard. The next day we walked around tutukaka then came home to hang with Jenny and watch Good Morning ( NZ version of Good Morning America) while Jenny wrote her Christmas cards Donnie and I planned our route and then had Pipi sandwhiches. We then took the dinghy across the bay and climbed some sand dunes. When Bruce returned he took us to the harbor to check out his boat ,Idle Vice, and she is quite a beauty. After checking out the harbor we returned to Bruce's where Jenny had cooked roast beef and mashed potatoes (amazing!). We had rum and shared some stories, Bruce's were a lot better than ours, and had an all around pleasant evening.