The escape through the river

Due to the cleaning frenzy, we started washing Willi completely and cleaning the windows thoroughly. A few days early, but it can't hurt. We can't go on our actually "planned"/desired hike. Because we actually thought that it was closed due to storm damage. As it turns out, she would have been open. But by the time we find out, it's already too late for us. Because that would be a day hike, even better one with an overnight stay in the hut. Unfortunately we don't have time for that anymore and take a very short walk in the national park. I picked out a farm for us tonight to soak up nature before we have to go back to Auckland. We arrive at the farm and are immediately greeted warmly. A German woman drives the quad bike and shows us the "campsite", which couldn't be more secluded. It is beautiful here and we are the only ones until evening. There is another couple who stand on the other side of the field. A real contrast to what will await us in the next few days. The farm owner comes by again with the couple and we have a very nice conversation. He says we definitely have to walk to the waterfall nearby tomorrow morning. Once across the field, over the hills behind it, over a cow pasture, through the river and then we are at the top of the waterfall. That sounds great, we'll do that tomorrow morning. Immediately after morning tea, we get dressed, pack the dry bag with bikinis and towels and set off. It's incredibly beautiful. We find all the paths as described. However, the cows are probably not that keen on our visit. We actually felt uncomfortable around cows the entire trip. I also often think about Bavaria and the occasional cow encounter while mountain biking with Marianne. Well, we're walking through the cow pasture and we're starting to feel unwell. All the cows are already looking. We instinctively decide not to walk through the herd, but instead walk down the hill and along the river so as not to scare the cows. They keep staring at us the whole time and we're getting more and more uneasy. The whole herd is getting closer and closer and the situation seems very threatening. I unconsciously close the dry bag backpack. We turn around and slowly walk back along the river. Now the cows follow us and come closer again. Maren slips out of sheer fright and lands on her bottom in the river. I'm trying not to laugh and neither of us is trying to completely panic. Some of the herd is now running away from us and has become afraid themselves. The other part is still there and at the front is the evil cow leader, who is now only 2m away from Maren. The cow lowers its head and we really don't know what to do and are extremely scared. Maren carefully asks what we should do now. And I answer by going straight into the river with all my clothes and the dry bag. Maren briefly thinks about taking off the sweater, but there's no time left for that and it wouldn't have made any sense. She follows me into the water without complaining about the water temperature. The cows follow us along the river and it is now so deep that we have to swim. Only when we notice that the cows are no longer following us, but are just looking, do we become more relaxed and start to laugh in real panic. Our hearts are still racing, but the danger now seems to be over. We swim and walk up the rest of the river to the campsite, hoping no one sees us and we have to tell the story. We wring out our sweaters several times and still laugh about this surreal experience. We almost died of a cow attack a few days before the end of our trip. Adrenaline follows adrenaline and we go to the amusement park. I feel sick on the third ride and am very glad that there aren't quite as many attractions here. We did quite well among people and continue on to the city campsite to finally prepare Willi for the flea market tomorrow morning.