The trip back home was achieved but not without incident. The woman who runs Waitiki Landing complex offered me a ride on a truck going through to Kaitaia. I had intended to ride down the beach and one day i will go back and do that. But the offer of a ride was one too good to refuse. I was really looking forward to being home again.
Once I got to Kaitaia I tried to get my flight changed because I was there 3 days earlier than planned. But it was going to cost a huge amount extra to change the flight. The dilemma then was to catch a bus or wait the three days and fly back.
I tried to find some cheap accomodation. Ahipara was the nearest camp ground but it was 7kms out on the coast. The first backpackers was closed - locked up and no signs of opening. Along with the pub it was attached to. The second was a bit further away and was very welcoming although there were strange vibes about the place from the beginning. A two story wooden building, pool table and seemed OK,but a bit dirty and unkempt. Strangely the manager wasn't in a hurry to take my money which struck me as a bit odd, but proved to be very fortuitous.
I went and got some supplies and came back to my room. In the middle of the afternoon I heard voices raised, shouting, swearing. I also heard someone squeezing the hooter on my bike which didn't please me at all - wasn't just once.
I rapidly came to the conclusion that I didn't want to stay there. So I packed up my gear, returned the key to my room and left. The argument between the manager and a guest was about alcohol. Apparently there was a ban on drinking there- a bit strange because there was no sign up. Also there were a couple of large bags of empty beer bottles in a shed by the back door. So I walked up the main street heading towards the bus stop I would need to be at early the next morning. Being so close enabled me to strip the bike and bag up the contents in the comfort of the motel. It all worked out well in the end. A bit more expensive, but a good decision.
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