Bruce Hopkins spends five fabulous days on the Whanganui River. He finds some amazing friends and (not-so-amazingly) retains his reputation for losing stuff.

Bruce Hopkins Trail Diary - Week 17, 4 February - 9 February 2018
Taumaranui - Whanganui (5 days on the Whanganui River)

"Whanganui River .. so calm just now. Lots of swallows darting 'round the river. Very, very peaceful.

"So I'm feeling very safe with you two on the river (Monica and John from The Yukon) - nothin's gonna come at us ... possums?

"You guys (Hunter and Jacqui from Australia) ... honestly, just watching you last night and then today paddling the river ... wicked. Man, if more people your age were doing this kid of gig, we'd probably be destined for a very nice world

"Is it different from doing this sort of thing in your own country where you guys have got all these bloody crocodiles, and snakes and spiders ... ?

"It'll be my first time in a doc hut - not sure if I'm excited or not. But it's all tainted anyway with my having to come to grips with losing my bloody GoPro ... Ah well, my reputation is intact: 'He who loses things'!

"Yet another mist-enshrouded morning on the tops of the forest surrounding the river, but a clear and green and rich vista down here on the river

"A couple of good rapids coming up today. One called the '50/50' because fifty percent of people go over ... tip over! He, he... let's see how that goes."

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details