HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALC!!!!!
Had a really good sleep…. cornflakes and tea for breakfast and on the road by 9am…..the drive took me first on the highway and then onto rural roads and at one point I thought I was in Mexico seeing cows on the side of the road…I stopped along side of them and as soon as I did every single cow looked me ..how funny!!
I soon entered the Egmont National park and this narrow approach road
As I approached the car park the huge mountain Taranaki was engulfed in cloud but by the time I got my boots on and my back pack ready this was the sight!!!!
My destination for today’s hike was two fold first
A nice track through goblin type trees to these cool pools…
Then it was onto another track to here
I did a video of the falls but could not download it onto the blog the noise from the falls was wonderful!!!!
I really enjoyed seeing these falls!!
I then drove to the town of Stratford named after Shakespeare's birthplace found the information centre and the lady there was very kind and helpful and booked me a room at a Flashpackers hostel!!!
Before I went to the hostel I stopped at the Z gas station to fill up Little mellow yellow….as gas is very high I found out that one of the huge grocery chains Countdown gives a 4 cent off per litre coupon when you shop there. I stopped in one yesterday which is where I found out about the coupon..anyway I spent 28 dollars in the store and when I got my receipt I asked the cashier about the discount and she then told me that to get the coupon you need to spend 40 dollars…..I did not want to go buy more stuff but the cashier asked me to wait went off and came back a few seconds later with a receipt for 45 dollars and the 4 cents coupon ..she told me another customer down the line did not want it so she gave it to me..how nice…..so when I pulled into the gas station there was a lady out there pumping gas and I went to her with the Pearson charm and told her it was my first time at a gas station and what was the procedure and she said I do it all so she filled the tank…check out the price!!!
She did the Visa card stuff and scanned the coupon so I jokingly said could I have the coupon back for the next fill and to my surprise she said yes!!!! Here is the kicker she told me that if I had gone into the station paid with my card in there and shown them the coupon they would have redeemed my 4 cents but kept the coupon…out here if you scan it you can use it as often as you wish…I know I am only talking about $1.50 but you save where you can ..right???
So i found the hostel this is a bit more upscale than a back packers lodge and just below a motel…..the house used to be an old chapel and it is very clean and nice so are the owners…..there are rooms for 11 people but only three of us are here. I have my own comfy room with a sliding door onto the garden and also a sink and two great beds one is called a kingsingle never heard that before it is just a tad bigger than a single…..share the bathroom facilities and the kitchen and a huge common room…it is perfect for me because the room is private there is a huge bathtub with I took full advantage of…a large fridge to store and freeze my drinks a place to relax and great Wi-Fi and I washed my hiking stuff and put it on the line outside and all for 60 dollars and remember this is NZ dollars so you will have to do your own conversion for your country!!
Today’s route about 250 km and i reckon i walked about 11 km…..
Another good day!!
Yashi Koshi!!!
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