Day 29 - Coastal Highway (Part I)

I set off from the Empire Hotel after a quick start, as my German neighbors invited me for a cup of coffee. Like the whole tour, it was quite hilly. After about 30 kilometers, I took a short break at Lake Ianthe for a small breakfast. From there, I continued to the village of Hari Hari. There, at the only shop in the village, I met Sophia from Sweden. Sophia has been traveling for 9 weeks and is cycling from Cape Reinga, the northernmost point in New Zealand, to the southernmost point in Bluff. After that, she will work here for a few months and then explore Australia without a bike. We met again a few kilometers at the beginning of Mount Hercules. This mountain went uphill for about 7 kilometers with varying gradients. After that, we cycled together for about 10 kilometers before she wanted to take a break. We arranged to meet again at Okarito Campground. After about 110 kilometers, I arrived at the campground. It was a great place, right next to a deserted beach. There, like everywhere else, I met German tourists. Since I had come further than I thought, I decided to stay there for two days. Sophia also stayed at Okarito for two nights. We ended the evening watching a beautiful sunset.