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On day 59 of hiking the Te Araroa, the Blissful Hiker gets in touch with her inner brave spirit and gets more comfortable hiking her own hike.


In this episode:

1. Blissful leaves the Tasman Sea on concrete-hard black sand of Koitiata Beach and meets a Kiwi section-hiker who tells her the uneven and difficult trail standard is part of the challenge. 
2. It's road walk from Mount Lees Reserve to Palmerston North and Blissful carries the title of "purist" with pride as she walks every step. 
3. Her friend and fellow tramper Robb invites her to share Christmas with his family and "slackpack" to Kahuterawa rather than camp in the rain. 
4. The trail is muddy and steep and Blissful negotiates crossing a swollen river and avoids getting swept away by a landslip.
5. The owners at Makahika Outdoor Pursuits feed her dinner and Blissful realizes she has managed some tough spots on her own. 

MUSIC: Impresiones de la Puna by  Alberto Ginastera as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano

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