We arrived at our friends place early 1.30am, we went to every customs person to check various items. I realise I have left my phone in Gareth’s car and I have left my e-book on the plane yikes! Annoyingly I checked the pockets but I obviously didn’t check it properly. Not much I can do till tomorrow so I sleep.

Next morning I am up around 8am, everyone is still asleep so I read Rowan’s book, I don’t last long and I am fast asleep too. We wake up at 1pm! In fairness that is 11am Australia time but unheard of for me. Once I am up I stay up. Stunned that I have lost most of the day we rush out to do some jobs. The airport hotline isn’t answering messages and I don’t know if they have my kindle.

Gareth kindly drives us into the CBD and waits for us as we shop. First stop Bivouac I need to sort out my inflatable mat. Rowan got a cheap one in Australia to replace his one as it is an overseas purchase (none available in nz at the time) his will take a long time to replace. Also my merino camp pants are worn through and have holes. Icebreaker isn’t what it used to be! The team take both of our camp mats and said they will call sea to summit and see what they can do about Rowan’s one.

Next Macpac, my silk liner is already failing and another pair of Rowan’s underwear have failed. May he has big balls or something lol. Gareth kindly takes us to the airport where luckily there is on Quanta staff member lingering around so we corner her to see if they have my book. Unfortunately nothing is in the log book so she takes my name and number. By the time this is all done it is 5pm! So we head back to Michaela & Gareth’s place.

The next day I wake up at a more civilised hour and we relax and drink coffee. Bivouac call and our mats are sorted. I keep trying to ring the airport with no luck, then aha I finally get through. The lady chats to other staff and finds my book hooray! We steal Michaela’s car and head straight to the airport. I run in, check it is my kindle and I run back out. Success dopey has her book back. Now onto bivouac, we get two new mats. We need to pay $65 for an upgraded version for Rowan’s mat as they don’t import his exact one. We are more than fine with that. I get a new pack liner, just a cheap $6 one as we keep breaking the expensive ones. Rowan needs a sleeping bag since we sold my one in Australia. Unfortunately the one he wants isn’t on the shop floor in Dwights and we can’t hang around till Tuesday to get it. So off to Lower Hutt to a different macpac who can replace Rowan’s underwear and we get him two cheap sleeping bags. 1 down 1 synthetic. The synthetic one is more of a blanket than a bag. I am dubious as our track record with macpac is abysmal. However we will give it a go. Finally our gear is under control now to sort dinner and get some food for the walk tomorrow.