TA Day 8 – Illness and stupidity

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31st October

28.3km

Makene road 155.6km to bushcamp 183.9

I arrived at the store around 9am. I was not in a good way. After the short 6km roadwalk I felt like I was burning up. Coughing and clearing flegm from my painful throat. My ears were sore and my throat glands were swollen.

Sometimes I do stupid things. I think I do them less often than the general populous my nonetheless it happen.

This is how my day should have gone…

After only a 6km walk to the Mangamuka General Store I set up my tent on the grassy lawn behind the very welcoming store. I eat what I can from their grill while resting and keeping my fluids up. All the while taking some form of medication to alleviate my man flu.

After only 2km I had to rest next to the busy highway 1

Instead, I eat a bacon and egg roll, washed down with a litre of milk. Another hiker gifts to me a couple of paracetamol and I convince myself I’m fine. I continue hiking.

In my semi stupid state I forgot my 10am photo, I know some if you like them. I was probably sitting at the cafe table blankly staring at the menu. Worse than forgetting the photo, I forgot to resupply. I have 72km to hike with only 1 dinner, 1 breakfast and some snacks. That’s a rather long distance to hike with my man flu. And to make things worse. I only realised this when I opened my food bag to cook dinner at the end of the day.

It was a pleasant walk through the forest

In the history of thru hiking, have you ever heard of a hiker leaving a resupply store and forgetting to buy food. As I’ve covered about 22km of the 72km I’m sitting in my tent contemplating a 50km hiking day. And I’m still coughing up half a lung. I suspect things will only get worse.


Next – Day 9 Man Flu

All the tips you need to hike the Te Araroa Trail : 
Complete Guide to the Te Araroa Trail
Te Araroa Trail Resupply Guide
Te Araroa Trail Gear List
Te Araroa Trail Gear Review

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About the Author:
Brad is an Australian who has completed the hiking Triple Crown after he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail. He has hiked on every continent (except Antarctica) and has cycled from Alaska to Ecuador. He is an expert on outdoor gear currently living in Chile.

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14 thoughts on “TA Day 8 – Illness and stupidity”

  1. I hope you feel better soon and do alright with the small amount of food. While I was reading I wanted to bring you food, but that would be impossible from across the world. Good luck and thank you for sharing all your adventures, good and bad.

    Reply
  2. The dreaded man flu! Rest up mate! Yep… never heard of a thru hiker forgetting to resuply! ???????? hope you shake it off fast!

    Reply

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