01/12/2024
📍 AUK- TAPAPAKANGA- THAMES- FANTAIL BAY- FLETCHER BAY. The first stretch of the Corromandel adventure.
Since there is no longer a ferry from Auckland to Corromandel township, I had to do a few extra days of riding. Bit of a roundabout trip, going down just to come up, but everything worked out in the most perfect way possible.
Going all the way to the Northern most part of the Coromandel is very remote, after Colville (about halfway up the west coast), there is nothing. No food shops, no cafes, barely any houses, very few cars, few people and just one very rough gravel coastal road. So Olive was carrying some extra weight in supplies to ensure we could comfortably spend a good few days adventuring north (she did great ofc, despite the wild westerly winds that made it even more challenging for us). (*Lemme tell you legs of steel are being built!!)
It was super interesting watching my mind jump between two contrasting places: on the one hand, going to such remote places is beautiful, the west coast is truly wild and untouched. It feels really special to visit such a wild, raw and beautiful place that fills you with awe. On the other hand, I also experienced many contrasting things. (Flipping between these two experiences in a matter of seconds). I felt really exposed, vulnerable, alone and scared.
Of course there are always people to call I guess, but in these moments they feel (and are) quite far away. In these moments, when you feel like you are your only resource, I found it challenging to feel more fun than fear.(But I kept going, because the point of this whole adventure is to get uncomfortable.) And then a car would pass and they'd wave and I'd feel a temporary sense of relief, "see, you're not that alone, relax" I'd tell myself. And then the wind would howl and the skies turn grey for a bit, I'd be getting tired and there'd be nobody for a few more hours. Then the fear would settle right back in, so comfortably. Like it never left.
The mind, what a funny, curious, strange and wonderful thing.
