Day 11: Rest Day in Kerikeri
We both slept fitfully with our sore feet and legs having us toss and turn all night long. But! It was so nice waking up knowing we could take it relatively easy. Relative is the correct term because there was so much to do… We went to the post office to pick up a package, to the hiking store looking for insoles and various small items, to the bike store for padded gloves for better shock absorption and sun protection, to the butcher for more salami, to the shoes store for one pair of flip flops (we each carry one and share the pair!), to Pizza Hut for lunch, to the appliance store for a new phone charger, and to the grocery store for food resupply. Whew!
One thing we noticed time and again is that going to specialty stores like the butcher or appliance store resulted in premium service. The appliance store was friendly, gave us a discount without asking to thank us for taking the time to walk their country, and removed all the packaging for us with a box knife. The butcher opened a large salami and cut it up so we could sample it and then sold us a whole one. This must have been what it was like before megastores took over in the US. I think I might make a better effort in the future to visit the specialty stores in the US in the future.
By the way, speaking of service, we’ve been getting great help from the silk liner people at Terre Vista Trails. We ordered the bags weeks before we left the States, but they are made in New Zealand and are shipped (apparently) from the UK. The short of it is that they got held up in customs and we left before they showed up. The company was great, though, and shipped us new ones from within New Zealand. Liners can keep your expensive sleeping bag or quilt much cleaner, are lightweight, and can add a little warmth. Their jag bags are highly rated and come in fun colors too. Check them out if you’re in the market!
After all the errands, we must have travelled another 3 km or more. We were beat! Since we both want a real day off, we are going to stay here one more night and minimize all movement tomorrow!