tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81891195894253179182024-03-14T05:04:07.661+13:00Life is for LaughingAlex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-25347571604601736352014-06-07T09:40:00.001+12:002014-06-07T09:40:38.915+12:00The Rich, Sweet and Never Ending Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When people asked me why I was going travelling, I blindly
said “to see the world”. I didn’t really
know why I was going but I knew I needed to. There was a pull or a push, I’m
not quite sure which. My dad was convinced it was some failing on his part and
my mum was thrilled that I was going to her dream that never quite happened. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I wanted to see the world yes. But that definitely wasn’t my main
motivation. In fact, I don’t think I realised
why I went travelling until about a year after I got back. A friend who I met in New Zealand emailed me
and asked me why I decided to go overseas.
The truth is I needed to find out what I believed in. What I was passionate about. What I stood for. I needed to build my values
and my dreams so that I could go out there and live by those values and follow
those dreams. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I had spent most of my teenage years inside my own head,
worrying what people thought and just trying to fit in. The last thing I wanted to do was to stand
out. I was so constantly pained by what
others thought of me that I sometimes feel that I wasted chunks of my life. My mind was always busy talking at me with negative
crap and I had no self-esteem and no real respect for myself. I still struggle now! I recently got a really high grade for an assignment
and the first thing I thought was that it must be a typo. If I get congratulated or rewarded I always doubt
whether it is genuine. The truth is that in a desperate attempt to
not stand out, I followed other people.
I was a sheep! I shared other
people’s opinions and agreed with other people’s beliefs and It was time that I
developed my own. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I always admire people who can be in relationships from a
young age and still grow as a person, even though you are with somebody
else. I didn’t feel that I could grow as
a person while I was still living the same life. I needed to remove myself from the situation
and go off into the world to start my journey of self-discovery. Who was I when I wasn’t trying to be like
everybody else?<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I didn’t realise is that once you start the journey, it
doesn’t ever end. The journey of who you
are is a continuous and wonderful lesson.
A lesson that becomes full of such richness when you start to pay it
attention. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After returning home after four years of seeing and
experiencing some absolutely incredible things and meeting amazing people, my
heart was so open. I had spent the last
month in India in an ashram and I returned home feeling full of clarity, love
and surety. The ashram had provided me
with a lot of new information that was buzzing all around me. This information was like a truth I had
always known. It was like coming home. But the theoretical home coming was very
different to the physical home coming and the real lesson was only just
beginning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The new me arrived home to the old world. I had a lot of new information to process,
new values to put into practise and a new found knowing. But I didn’t know how to deal with all of
that in a whirlwind of being reunited with friends and family in a conditioned
culture. The only way I knew how to
socialise was to go out drinking and before long I was worrying about getting a
job and having enough money. I was doing my regular asana practise and
going to meditation sessions. I was
having early nights and discovered yoga in cooking and walking to work. But in between this I was slowly but surely
giving myself away. I was allowing my
Self, my light, to be clouded over again.
My job which provided me with financial security was so far removed from
my Dharma that my energy was gradually moving off balance. My boyfriend who I really loved was also
creating an imbalance as I felt pulled between the old and new world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The issue was that I could not work out how to get my Self
back. Before long my yoga practice had
been replaced with nights out in restaurants and all my time spent with my
boyfriend and friends and I was living and working in the city. I was enjoying
life and having some lovely experiences but I was also fading inside. A light that once shone so bright was not
visible anymore and I feared that it would go out for good if I didn’t
act. I found myself in tears on a
regular basis but I found it impossible to articulate what was wrong. Mostly, I think, because I hadn’t given
myself enough time to process the information I had received. I knew something was amiss but I could not
really piece it all together. I didn’t
give it time to resonate with me. This
incredible, life changing experience coincided with my grand return to an old
and strange world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The process of change was gradual inside but the actions
were sudden. After a contemplative
holiday to The Gambia where I was given space, love, inspiration and wise words
from friends I returned home and turned my life around. I started a MSc in a subject I am passionate
about, I quit my job and moved to the countryside and away from friends and
family and broke up with my boyfriend.
The rapid volume of change nearly broke me and the on-going hurt of
breaking up with somebody I loved because I simply knew it wasn’t right is
still there. But every now and then I get
glimpses of something special, something familiar. It happened this weekend when I was
surrounded by nature and conscious souls.
It happens when I step off the hamster wheel. It happens when I am away from technology and
back to basics. I know that I need to
keep following the signposts, staying conscious and keeping my heart open. The journey is hard when everybody around you
seems to be walking in the opposite direction but one of the main lessons I
have received from this journey is not to change direction if it is right for
me. Stay strong and true, even if it
means being different.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-33809099093909292942012-05-07T08:11:00.000+12:002012-05-08T10:00:17.695+12:00Holy Cow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I would often think about things so much that by the time they actually happened, I've played them over in my head so many times that I have no reaction to them. I would either replay past events or second guess future events that never turned out the way I had imagined. I would wind myself up and create unnecessary misery for myself by getting frustrated or upset about small and trivial things. I am sure whoever is reading this can relate to at least one of these poor relationships with our minds, the voices in our head or the running commentary that seems to be with us every day. It was in 2007 that I discovered yoga and a few years later that I realised it was yoga that would be the cure to this disease and the friend that would break up the negative relationship with the mind. <br />
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I spent my last few days in Hanmer Springs wondering what the future has in store. Would I ever come back to Hanmer? Would I carry on traveling and fall in love with more places. During my last couple of days I felt like my senses were hightened, like I had one more chance to absorb my surroundings before leaving those images of orange and red forest floors, snowy mountains and glorious blue sky. I had one last desperate walk through the forest just minutes before I set off to the airport, trying to absorb what I saw, trying to savor it. Take it with me somehow. It really felt sad to be saying goodbye to a truely beautiful part of the world. But there was a feeling deep inside me that was itching to leave. I was so ready to go home and see my amazing friends and family and it was only when I got on the plane and sighed a huge sigh of relief that I realised this to be true more than I ever realised. As much as Hanmer was a great location and my job and my bosses were 5*, I really needed something more. Something spiritual and deeper. But before I joined my spritual path, it was time for some good old fashioned belly laughs from Lee Hobson.<br />
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I landed in KL airport in the morning, an airport that I am all too familier with. I've spent the night sleeping on a pastic chair in this aiport. I've even spent hours doing laps of the carpark with my baggage trolley to pass time and distract me for many hours of waiting. And waiting. So rather than rush out of the airport and into the big city of KL, I did what any old friends would do. I sat and had a coffee. Me and my pal the airport. After jumping on the bus en route to KL Central my excited belly kicked in and the thought of seeing a familier face was feeling like a medicine. After a change of vehicle and a few more minutes, a quick Malay lesson from Mr Taxi Driver, I was pulling up outside The Hobson residence. I hadn't seen Lee for 3 and a half years, after meeting him in Thailand and then again in Borneo at the beginning of my trip. He is currently teaching in KL but luckily for me and not so luckily for him, he had been attacked and had his jaw broken, meaning time off work! Unluckly for me and luckily for him, he had just had the top and bottom jaws seperated after being wired togther for the best part of a month so he was learning how to talk somebodies ear off again (like riding a bike) and I was wondering if there was a mute button already just seconds after plonking my bum down at his kitchen table. It was so great to see him and our first night out watching the rugby and eating and drinking, laughing and having a tropical downpour was the perfect welcome back to Asia.<br />
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That night Lee's friend Matt also arrived, from Paris, and we soon set about organising a trip to Pulau Weh, a small island off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, where we would spend a week diving and generally relaxing before returning to KL and my onward flight to India.<br />
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After a flight, a ferry and a motorbike ride we arrived at Lumba Lumba dive school on Gapang Beach but soon decided that the unfriendly welcome and the flocks of tourists was really not the reason we had chosen such a tranquil island. The next day we hired some scooters from a place on the beach and set off in the sun to get a feel of the island. The roads were windy and hilly and the sun was beating down. Every corner we turned we had a view of the turquoise water and lush greenery. It was only when we came across Stefan Sea Sports that we knew we had found the place that we would call home for the next week. Stefan was the sort of guy that you immediately warm to. His friendly welcome, hilarious humor and clear passion for all things under the sea, we were sold. Unfortunately, Stefan was leaving the country for Malaysia the next day due to his visa running out and was leaving his dive school, on this picturesque beach in the safe hands of his employees. <br />
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The next day the lads picked us up in their boat from Gapang beach and took us to our new home. As we approached the shore we, for the first time, got a real view as to what was actually on the beach. It was a small beach, with a thin layer of small trees, perfect for tying up a few hammocks, there was a cafe next door owned by Lesley, a lovely English lady who had visited the island a few years back, fallen in love and married a local and had since built her own cafe and accommodation. She was just starting to establish the kitchen, where we spent most of our time between dives and exploring. Apart from that, there was pretty much nothing there and that was exactly what we were looking for!<br />
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It was my birthday that day and despite feeling extremely ropy, probably as a result of something I had eaten, a day on the hammock, with an amazing view, nowhere to be and good company (improved by the fact that Lee fetched things for me while I was feeling like crap) was the sort of birthday I could really become accustomed to. Unfortunately, I was feeling more than a little sick and my head and stomach both showed signs of eruption which over the course of the day, really started to knock me. I hadn't been sick for a long time so it was very out of character to be at a restricted horizontal angle and looking green. After a surprising amount of sympathy from the boys, it was decided that a dive would be the perfect remedy! My main fear being that I would need the sudden toilet in a wet suit but I was prepared to risk it so as not so waste any diving opportunities. The fact is that simply immersing my head and body in the fresh blue sea carried my headache away and the diving was amazing! The whole week was amazing even though my sickness didn't go. The laughs, the diving, the weather and the overwhelming concept that life could actually be that simple was instantly relaxing. We hired bikes again and drove down every tiny lane we could find, exploring every corner of the island, waving to the kids as we drove by and escaping the evil attacking monkeys on the main road. We rode to the very north peninsular of the island to watch the sun set and it was the perfect end to another day. One of those days that makes me question why I would ever give this life up! The week consisted of more diving and more hammock time and the second to last night I decided to take a stroll down the beach to reflect on just how lucky I was to experience places like Pulau Weh. As I walked down the beach, the sand was glowing a bright silver from the reflection of the moon, the air was warm but fresh and there were a few lads crabbing in the shadows. I just felt truly overwhelmed by how simply beautiful this lifestyle was. Not necessary us as tourists but the locals. Lesley, the lady from the cafe told us how her cook would be late for work if it rained because the Indonesians found it hard to get out of bed when it rained. Life was slow, nothing happened on time and nobody cared. I sat myself down on the sand the looked up at the incredible number of stars in the sky with a massive smile from ear to ear. It was then that I saw it. As shooting star. Just when I didn't think that this world could get any more beautiful!<br />
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Neither of us were ready to leave our private beach on Pulau Weh but it was time to return to KL where I spent the last week chilling with Lee before my flight to Delhi. We hung out with his friends and checked out a few sights in the city before I was flying high once again excited for the new adventure. Back to India. The place it all began.<br />
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My first impressions of being back in India was what a difference it makes to be picked up from the airport. In fact, the whole trip, having booked it through the Akhanda Yoga family, was fittingly effortless. I was driven by a smiley and lovely guy to a hotel just outside of Delhi, where each member of the October 2011 World Conscious Yoga Family would slowly trickle in from their various home countries all over the world. Having various degrees of jet lag we all scuttled off to our rooms to settle in and rest for the evening meal. Jackie and Steph were the first two I bumped into and we enjoyed a quick chat and a chai tea round the streets behind the hotel before meeting up with a few others for dinner that evening. <br />
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We really did have a diverse group of inspiring young women (and a few guys) who were all on this incredible journey for completely independent reasons and it was liberating to hear all their stories. Kat had quit her accounting job to her family's horror to work for Lululemon before deciding to leave Canada on her own for the first time and flying to INDIA of all places! Jackie who also quit her job to come to India to add Yoga Teacher to her wonderful array of spiritual practices and Aya, a Japanese student who was not only braving the culture but the language barrier too. It was that first dinner that I felt inspired, connected and at home instantly. <br />
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To describe my time in the ashram now, a wee while later would not do my experience justice. It gets harder and harder to articulate the emotions, the discoveries and the relationships but what I can say from the offset is that I recommend it to just about anybody.<br />
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Vishva Ji had a vision once. A vision that he wanted to build and ashram and help people around the world. And that is exactly what he does. The Akhanda Yoga ashram is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in Rishikesh, India. The ashram itself is a few stories high and, although the area around it is sadly expanding and developing, there is a remaining peacefulness that fills every room. The breeze from the Ganga river dances in and out of all the windows and is said to be medicinal having picked up not only the positive energy from the river, but also the healing qualities from the herbs and plants living in the mountains. The garden is a small but peaceful area where fire puja is held every morning. A simple explanation of fire puja is a worship or an offering to the universe to recognise the significance of fire over the years. Fire has provided food, heat, light and life over thousands of years and puja is an offering of thanks.<br />
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Fire puja was just one of the daily rituals we would perform while we were in the ashram and each manifested deeply inside me as I was taken back to a type of life where we slowed down and were aware enough to show gratitude for the things in life that really matter. We would wake at 5am for morning mediation which, with the energy of everybody in the room, as India woke up with the sun outside. was a beautiful time in itself. We would continue our journey up the stairs to the studio where Vishva Ji would guide us through a holistic yoga practice of pranayma, meditation, asana and laughter for an hour and a half when we would all blissfully and silently make our way down to breakfast. The ashram had a rule of silence between 9pm and 9am which meant the morning yoga session had time to manifest and breakfast was eaten in silence before class would start. <br />
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For meals we would all sit on the floor in the dining room with little low tables while the kitchen staff and a member of our group would serve us an Ayurvedic delight. Once all our dishes were full we would chant and it was time to eat. Fire puja was next on the schedule before our studying started. Through the middle of the day, either side of our lunch break we would either study Yoga Philosophy, Anatomy or Practical. We'd then have dinner before tea and either homework or kirtan and bed.<br />
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It was during the philosophy classes that I learnt so much about yoga as a tool for life. The daily stresses we all go through, the wanting more, the needing and attachment, the disappointment and many more daily feelings and emotions that we don't need to feel. Being conscious of my own actions and decisions. Not judging and opening my heart. It was like a light bulb going on in my life. It all felt so obvious but yet so profound. Every day I was absorbing this information and every night I would return to my room that I shared with Kat and Sayaka and we would talk and share. Kat and Sayaka were my roomies for the duration of the course and they were incredible. Both so strong and inspiring in similar ways and I immediately felt close to them. I loved sharing a space with them and Kat's passion for what we were learning was addictive.<br />
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One night at Kirtan, a call and response style of singing, accompanied by instruments, we were all sat in a circle, with candles lit and incense burning. The next song that was selected was Shiva Shambo, a beautiful but powerful melody that came to be our favourite. As the singing crescendoed so did the thunder storm outside and with a big crack of thunder, the lights went out, leaving only the candles lit and the strong words of Shiva Shambo continuing around the room. It was a real magical moment and the smiles on everybody's face was enough to know that we had all felt it. <br />
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Every morning we would have our yoga session and every afternoon Visva Ji would answer queries or concerns or simply spread his knowledge of postures around the room. Using volunteers from our group to demonstrate and speak of safety checkpoints and posture alternatives. Vishva Ji was always smiling. He would float into the room so calmly and his contentment was visible for us all to see. His yoga classes were not only challenging but fun and his endless knowledge was addictive. I still wish to this day that I could become his personal student for not only yoga but all the wonderful wisdom that he holds in his beard! He had all the time in the world for each and every one of us and his playfulness reminded me that we never need to grow up.<br />
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I wish I could write more about my experience on the course. The amazing teachers, Mira, Rashmi, Aruna whose stories and support and passion are worthy of a blog to themselves. The meditation experiences and the incredible, life changing philosophy. When I try to write about them I just can't find the words and to try wouldn't give you a fair and accurate account of my experience. I don't want to put an average label on something that was beyond my vocabulary. <br />
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And so the course continued. With hiking trips to waterfalls and to the Ganga for breakfast, festivals of light (and sweets) and games on the beach. Nights of music and visits from an 103 year old yogi who could still put his legs behind his head. We all built such wonderful relationships with each other and with ourselves and all learnt such a lot. I think every single person on that yoga teacher training course will tell you just how incredible the course was for them. It was more than any of us could have imagined and we all left Rishikesh feeling grateful, blessed and richer for the experience, as what we learnt will last a lifetime.<br />
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Hari Om<br />
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<br /></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-8577325502345122122011-08-14T14:37:00.000+12:002011-08-14T14:37:55.109+12:00BookmarkedOld chapters are coming to an end. Maybe a slightly premature end, maybe I won't know that until the next chapter begins. But the one thing I am certain of, is that time runs away with you, however much you try to slow it down. You can tie a ball and chain to the ankles of time and they still manage to sprint on, whisking you off your feet in the process.<br />
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Mission Live Life. Life style change is one thing I am determined to implement again and again. Years of conditioning may be deep - we have a need to do everything, want more, think money, work work work. Sometimes I feel like I have dug myself out of those groves over and over. Like a mountain bike track - you can see those tire marks from the many bikes that have ridden that path before you. You are following those tire marks, but every now and then you break free. Create your own tire marks and it feels good. It's fresh and free. But before you know it, you have slipped into auto pilot and you are back in those well warn tracks again.<br />
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When I first arrived in Hanmer Springs I was determined to stay off those old bike tracks. Money was needed, yes, but lifestyle was going to be priority. I got 2 jobs but made it clear to both employees what I wanted in way of hours. Full time at the housekeeping job at Settlers Motel (9.30 - 2.00 5/6 days a week) Perfect! And 3 nights waitressing @ Saints. at first, due to school holidays I was full time at Saints and less work at Settlers until Emmy Lou and Dave left. As Settlers became more full time, the holidays would be over and my few nights a week would come into place. I had it all worked out. I would do yoga and run in my spare time and all would be good. But it doesn't always work like that and without realising I was full time at both and very tired. Once the holidays were over things settled down and soon I was forming my own tire tracks again and things were perfect. I was literally doing yoga every morning, working until 2pm, running or walking in the afternoons or baking and cooking which was a new found hobby. This was life! Still saving, paying the only 2 bills I had (rent and mobile) and absorbing everything Hanmer Springs had to offer like the biggest sponge you've ever seen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUdYvBO4V3pNJYFFmGz4JpM4pSechHea1BvjIpL_Tmnf9KMNAUrzOd91TduBk4rfXON5L0jPuGHYZROmLfmrnxl34dS8w-FcvWGdQG5P6ZgJVT4WYzmzDlvPGjFyeVLn2XQyIRnACvba4/s1600/IMG_1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUdYvBO4V3pNJYFFmGz4JpM4pSechHea1BvjIpL_Tmnf9KMNAUrzOd91TduBk4rfXON5L0jPuGHYZROmLfmrnxl34dS8w-FcvWGdQG5P6ZgJVT4WYzmzDlvPGjFyeVLn2XQyIRnACvba4/s200/IMG_1576.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The street where I live</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yboRVbiEAM7B4anmqkBNnuAcMw1_AGAI61ubNLTn94BB36kFo4yLG9PXBmPpvb2x6nTMnrkqmXLC5WaG3k7xCc7z_RPiDnoNxmT_VIgCu89McENaFdJq4InJUif4fTI5D_fZtEXC5b9y/s1600/IMG_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yboRVbiEAM7B4anmqkBNnuAcMw1_AGAI61ubNLTn94BB36kFo4yLG9PXBmPpvb2x6nTMnrkqmXLC5WaG3k7xCc7z_RPiDnoNxmT_VIgCu89McENaFdJq4InJUif4fTI5D_fZtEXC5b9y/s200/IMG_1628.JPG" width="150" /></a> Autumn had, without a doubt , arrived and the trees and mountains were incredible shades of red and orange. Hanmer Forest was so colourful that I felt like I inhaled it's happiness as I walked to and from work every day. I spent my half an hour walk each way looking all around me, eyes wide like a learning baby, face aching with a big fat grin. The sun still shone and soon a few mountains had sparkling white peaks. I was happy. Really happy. And for the right reasons. I wasn't getting cheap highs as a result of a binging social life, male attention massaging my ego or traveling from place to place feeding my adventurer habit. I was loving the life I had created.<br />
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Unfortunately, the boat was soon rocked, a few extra shits here and there, disrupting my routine (Having a routine seems to be the only way I muster up the motivation to keep exercising). I then lost my job at Saints and things were good again. Spin class once a week, mountain biking with my boss from settlers, a sport i thought I was too wimpy for, but is my new drug. Top bike, top biking buddy and adrenaline/endorphin heaven!!! (or dolphin heaven as a friend used to say)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECdWHFIlVxGHcAO_I4a6z5Mallq2SRYV3mJH6HeblQhTbAVLqhuPD9Hq9RoWoxVFdSDfVq39A7GtRXqGYDjfkjYjCC-n7t0axC76bjLvcO5puQ7V7u_pTMvj4ZOO0Yis_ROvYBWj89LJh/s1600/IMG_1592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECdWHFIlVxGHcAO_I4a6z5Mallq2SRYV3mJH6HeblQhTbAVLqhuPD9Hq9RoWoxVFdSDfVq39A7GtRXqGYDjfkjYjCC-n7t0axC76bjLvcO5puQ7V7u_pTMvj4ZOO0Yis_ROvYBWj89LJh/s400/IMG_1592.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View From Conical Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Life was amazing. Afternoons walking up conical hill with views of the whole town and mountains in all directions. I had freedom. In the evenings, without the hectic, understaffed, under paid restaurant job, I would watch TV, do more yoga, cook or read books. I was like a pig in shit. A couple of times I did have a slight pang of loneliness. I didn't want to go out and spend money or party but having another presence in the room while I silently read or watched a movie would have been nice. Occasionally my house mate Siobhan would have a night off from her pub job and we'd cook together or go for a meal which was lovely. An excuse to get dressed up sometimes. I went out a couple of times with a guy I met after work one night but soon realised that I valued my own time more than that shared with him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h_Pqdf65cyIKymjwRd9UnE0Jiz-FVJYWjZfWvZ9G7Nd8QOrzMSMwf5t6H_B8dWy05hgI7KGXCcd-tht6hMXki5NaF8BYHmonNYXR6vRC584lQ-BnAnzZQ7lY5CLcQahfy7QG4Vv5MbNx/s1600/IMG_1684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h_Pqdf65cyIKymjwRd9UnE0Jiz-FVJYWjZfWvZ9G7Nd8QOrzMSMwf5t6H_B8dWy05hgI7KGXCcd-tht6hMXki5NaF8BYHmonNYXR6vRC584lQ-BnAnzZQ7lY5CLcQahfy7QG4Vv5MbNx/s200/IMG_1684.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kieran came to visit us on his surf trip</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Hanmer continued to be amazing and beautiful even after the cheerful colours of autumn had blown away. We had visitors which included trips to the hot pools, road trips to the sea and discovering more of Hanmer with the use of an automobile. <br />
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Things then changed again. I wouldn't say that I began to bike in the old warn grooves of the bike tracks, more that I took a new route. A loop track that I knew would return me to the track that I wanted to be on eventually.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Biggles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sally, my boss at Settlers had to go away for a while as her brother became very sick. They were told there was nothing that could be done for him so Sally would be at his bedside until the very sad day that she wold have to say goodbye. Alan, her husband was to and from for support and while they were both away, I would mind the motel for them. I had said from the start that I would do anything I possibly could to help them and I meant it. Seeing Sally so upset was heart breaking and being in a situation where I had no other commitments was perfect. I had a crash course on managing the 5* motel and soon moved in upstairs. I wold stat work at 7am and finally locked the last door (the laundry room) at 9pm. The phone would still ring up to about 10pm sometimes and as part of my role I was looking after the house too which included the 3 burman cats. It was full on but I loved it. A different kind of buzz and adrenaline, although a little stressful with the responsibility. And I had my fair share of dramas - no hot water, power cuts, broken heat pumps (which turned out to be user error but the customer is always right of course).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I would manage the place for a week and then get my life back when Alan returned, but sleeping patterns now disrupted, getting up for yoga was over, afternoon runs were on hold and things were slowly slipping through my fingers. Of course I also got my own bad news from home and spent a week with a head like jelly and the weight of the world on my shoulders. My present and future was uncertain and the right answer was camouflaged like Where's Wally. Thank you to Siobhan during that time for her patience and my Kinder Surprise. After days of waking up and only being able to think about what a mess my head felt, after asking advice, pros and cons, lists and angel cards I woke, BANG! 3am, bolt upright in bed. The answer was as clear as the Settlers Motel glass windows (top cleaners). And life, once again was semi-normal, although still minding Settlers now and then. Ian, Sally's brother sadly passed away and she was back with us being strong Aunt Sally again. She was missed and while dealing with Ian's illness, her frail parents moved out of their home following another big earthquake, they had no water or electricity in the house that Ian was living in. They then cleaned and packed and rented out her parents house, house hunted, bought and moved in her parents into a new one whilst dealing with every one's emotions and being a rock for them all. She was incredible and things are finally feeling normal again. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBD9JCKnMkgk1B2MR_3ZuPny5-t5R69ScRj6Rnpri-vndXT3WVJJCFYmyiQIFjHYob7AHwqvWSlkAa_N96jkhyMr0AffAlIdqOaRxUDQRoDmw_vdZDmQDCJq08AX609WdH17n8gSFuaox/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBD9JCKnMkgk1B2MR_3ZuPny5-t5R69ScRj6Rnpri-vndXT3WVJJCFYmyiQIFjHYob7AHwqvWSlkAa_N96jkhyMr0AffAlIdqOaRxUDQRoDmw_vdZDmQDCJq08AX609WdH17n8gSFuaox/s200/IMG_1864.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simone Heading down the slopes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTF-72J1BCMzj0ub3yOWUYokqyGRXjnkW4gHGJ0MKl6ygQSc4sY34_LT2Sdz-kWM6hKMNhXduc2owWl155pRx654p2ooFFEKMZgQhOzyy3DWrjCyY_ZvbIUjFxxnw5qj8R3HBHlh39n1A/s1600/IMG_1890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTF-72J1BCMzj0ub3yOWUYokqyGRXjnkW4gHGJ0MKl6ygQSc4sY34_LT2Sdz-kWM6hKMNhXduc2owWl155pRx654p2ooFFEKMZgQhOzyy3DWrjCyY_ZvbIUjFxxnw5qj8R3HBHlh39n1A/s200/IMG_1890.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon fishing in Golden Bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My free time is back and last week I skied and rock climbed on my day off, back to spin class and doing yoga again. I have just had an amazing week off work too and hitched up to the Nelson region to explore golden bay. I hired a bike and biked for miles to the sea, went for coffee with friends, went fishing and ate fresh Salmon every day. I stayed with some amazing people and we ate together and sat around the log fire in the evenings. It was like therapy and with the sun shining down hard I feel fully rested and content. I am heading back to Hanmer Springs tomorrow and snow is on the way again. Questions still unanswered about this chapter closing permanently or simply being bookmarked, the next chapter will begin for me soon and it is time on e again to sit back on the rollercoaster of fate, buckle up and enjoy the ride.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9m-qGXAjF8Q1dRUJbMkYscoXUkPIB4yrB13xIjHZXaNzyltt3th9kc_jXlJGMA3CWqFryt7fV5eXrL6hlYxC6J78URrDHuDUn8qqzfq9OC89S_TEw832s5qmrilG7-mPKBvAi5K3-art/s1600/IMG_1928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9m-qGXAjF8Q1dRUJbMkYscoXUkPIB4yrB13xIjHZXaNzyltt3th9kc_jXlJGMA3CWqFryt7fV5eXrL6hlYxC6J78URrDHuDUn8qqzfq9OC89S_TEw832s5qmrilG7-mPKBvAi5K3-art/s320/IMG_1928.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
What an amazing place Hamner Springs and an inspiring country New Zealand. Does out relationship end here?<br />
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My next adventure will be incredible with 2 1/2 weeks in Malaysia visiting Lee and a month in an Indian Ashram before returning home for my first family Christmas and first UK Christmas in 5 years. I better buckle up good for this ride!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-80803252194788007392011-04-23T12:09:00.000+12:002011-04-23T12:09:18.835+12:00The Countdown to the Signposts of JoyAfter 17 days off for both the injury and our volunteering in Christchurch, getting started again was always going to be an interesting experience as we were a little out of shape from no exercise and all the free pies and cakes we’d indulged in both at Neptune backpackers where we'd been working in Greymouth and the piles and piles of backing sent from all around the country to the student army in Christchurch. Shalane and I decided that all the Kiwi Grannies must have had a bake-off. Reading my blog entry for that first day back amused me. I have always found it interesting that the human mind always remembers how lovely experiences are but manages to gradually fade out the hardships. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just outside Arthurs Pass enjoying some wild apples for Brekkie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Arthurs Pass is surrounded by tall mountains, as far as the eye can see and as a result is pretty chilly for most of the day. We had been staying in our tent at the DOC campsite and as we set off with all our layers on and spare socks on our hands to stop our fingers from freezing off, it did feel really good to be back. I’d missed walking and was eager to get back to the stress free bush lifestyle. After the chaos that surrounded Christchurch, the bush was even more of an appealing place to be. However, it wasn’t long before I was welcomed back with sore knees, a painful foot and knotty shoulders from my heavy bag and was reminded quite quickly that it wasn’t a gentle stroll. After some rather relaxed road walking we were soon climbing, enphasising once more our loss of fitness. That evening we lit a fire in the hut and laid out all our maps and notes and devised ourselves a “get to bluff” plan (which was obviously always the plan but we had to get to the fine details).<br />
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So off we set, with some long hard days ahead, goals set and a Bluff to get to. The daylight had changed substantially in those 17 days and we were now leaving at 7am, if we were lucky, which meant a later finish and less relaxing time. The days were colder and there had even been a dunp of show no the mountains so we were happy to walk until later in the day but it took a lot to shift my body clock, as it still felt done at 3pm. We knocked out a 38km day that next day, despite me carrying enough food for a small army and we reached Lake Coleridge in 3 instead of the 5 days we had predicted. We had a food drop here but instead of stopping for our usual rest day at the food drop location we decided to push on another few days, as part of our grand plan and partly because our next hurdle was to get around the Rakaia River. The River is huge and with no foot bridge, the only way to cross safely was by car and Te Araroa advised any trampers to hitch around this section of the trail. We were on the side of the dry, dusty road, tumbleweed rolling by with 1 vehicle every half hour when a nice guy, who had driven past us and thought to himself “they’ll be there all night”. He turned around and came back for us, despite having only one seat in his car. So, both Shalane and I, tucked up in the front seat were driven to safety on the other side of the Rakaia River but in the process were even further out of our way. After another attempt to hitch on a dead end road with no traffic, the school bus arranged to pick us up in the morning before the kids jumped aboard.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the valley we had just walked from Turtons Saddle</td></tr>
</tbody></table> That night I realized how much I really was going to miss this lifestyle. The trek so far has been the most challenging, mentally and physically testing but most fantastic thing I have ever done and waking up in the countryside every day, getting the blood pumping and the muscles working before most of you are even eating your toast in the morning is an incredible feeling. I decided then that I was going to have to savor every second of these last few weeks because although I might not love it every day, I was going be sad to see it come to an end. The next day only confirmed those feelings and as we climbed, the very long climb up Turtons Saddle on stunning farmland, I looked back into the valley that we had just come from, sweat pouring off my forehead, heart pumping fast and felt amazing. It’s always a great feeling to see where we’ve just come from, especially when you are now standing on top of the world with not an inch of civilization in sight. <br />
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One thing I have decided is that I’d prefer a short, steep climb to a long but gradual one any day! After walking up the Clent Hills Saddle the next day, which can I tell you, felt like it went on forever, I was more than ready for some flat ground. It wasn’t just the incline either, we were now officially in Tussock country so after following a winding river, crossing it so many times I lost count which resulted in very wet feel all day (although on the positive note, the water was so cold it numbed my fractured foot and reduced the pain) we had tussock, hidden streams and rabbit holes to contend with and by the time we got to the top, we couldn’t wait for some down hill. We were both surprised to find a gigantic wall of scree waiting for us on the other side (see video) with nothing but steep scree up and down. I knew it couldn’t be as bad as it looked because it looked like a wall of death and luckily it wasn’t too bad. With a path cut into the scree, we followed the orange markers up and over ridge after ridge until finally reaching Manuka Hut. We were tired an achy as the footing on tussock land was extremely draining and the strength of our knees and ankles were put to the test with every step. The rain had kindly just held off enough until we reached the hut and we lit a fire, tucked in to some food and laid back and relaxed, ready for our rest day the next day where I planned on doing absolutely nothing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the 'not so scary' Rangitata</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Our next major challenge was another river crossing and we had been advised by Te Araroa that this was also a safety zone and that we should find alternative transport around. However, having met a lovely couple in the hut the previous night, who explained they had walked across the river with no dramas, we decided to give it a go. The Rangitata River is a braided river and we counted 42 braids, non of which were more than waist height, so we certainly weren’t in any danger, however it was a long and tedious crossing as it was roughly 3 kms of rocks and gravel and we were so happy to reach the other side and walk no some flat ground. Well, for 5 minutes when we put up our tent for the night. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of our trail from the top of Stag Saddles, the hightest <br />
point on Te Araroa</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 hours of more rocks and gravel really tested my patience. My foot was not enjoying it and neither was the rest of me. It was very draining as you have to watch every single step and I longed for some normal ground. After a steep climb to Crooked Spur hut we were up and away from all things river and all things rock and we stopped off for some lunch in the baking sunshine. The next couple of days to Tekapo were tough but great at the same time. Stag Saddle was the highest point in Te Araroa and after a breathtaking climb to 1925m Shalane recorded a quick birthday message for her Gran. After hours of tussock terrain with bogs, prickly bush and streams, with twisted ankles and strained knees we scrambled like mountain goats up a steep trail with no path, just sporadic orange markers if we were lucky and we were ready for some road walking. When we eventually reached Lake Tekapo and Sue Speedy from Lake Tekapo Holiday Park was like an angel sent from heaven. We turned up to pick up our food parcel, which she had very kindly stored away for us and from the second we arrived I felt like I’d been picked up and wrapped in a big warm fluffy hug. She instantly asked her husband to drive us to our own cabin, with money for the showers in hand and our bags taken off our back before we could say thank you please. We were soon warm, dry, clean and fed and with a cup of tea in hand and Shalane and I both agreed that we didn’t realize we needed that as much as we did. We felt like every tense, bag carrying muscle, every alert, marker spotting eye, route planning section of our brain and tendon in our over worked ankle just relaxed, past out and slept and it felt wonderful. The holiday park and location was beautiful with amazing views of the lake and surrounding mountains it is definitely somewhere I would love to go back and visit when I finish Te Araroa. I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the very kind donation they both gave to Indigo Foundation. Their effortless kindness that day was just amazing.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tJdU8R6O0Bq_eP5XXeiMGH60wZhhyphenhyphen_ZY4f_bzRQhUU2hVBJYaJshY-09RSM0bc5q-4YkoguemH-R2iWWp37AGuKD-hJCxte5ekmZ7fcIKPHY6Iw15Ub6IAYd1C_AWpiQZ8CO0fOy-_Ql/s1600/IMG_1446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tJdU8R6O0Bq_eP5XXeiMGH60wZhhyphenhyphen_ZY4f_bzRQhUU2hVBJYaJshY-09RSM0bc5q-4YkoguemH-R2iWWp37AGuKD-hJCxte5ekmZ7fcIKPHY6Iw15Ub6IAYd1C_AWpiQZ8CO0fOy-_Ql/s320/IMG_1446.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over Ruateniwha, Twizel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Shalane and I hadn’t seen too many mountain lakes on our journey so far and this section of the journey certainly made up for it. With Lake Tekapo, Lake Ohau and a few smaller ones in between, and not forgetting Lake Hawea. We’d woken in the morning near Lake Ruateniwha, a small lake just south of Twizel and the sunrise over the lake was stunning. It was one of those mornings that made you feel lucky to be on this planet. Our next big challenge awaited us from Lake Ohau, which is another area I would love to return, with some peaceful camp spots by the lake with million dollar views that you could imagine staying at for days. The challenge was in the form of an unmarked, unsigned, uncut route that we were unlucky enough to get to in low cloud and rain. After climbing through an incredibly lush forest, which was damp with moss and rain from the night we headed up towards what we thought was our trail. After a while we noticed that we were following markers, which not only were a different colour to our usual bright orange, they were in fact leading us in the wrong direction. We had spotted a couple, camping by the saddle in an odd spot and after speaking to them, discovered they didn’t have a map and were a little lost themselves. After speaking to one of them, we had a rough idea where we were but were relieved to spot a tour guide taking his group up to the saddle. He pointed us off into the white out, confirming yet again that the direction we were going in was not marked or a trail in any way. By this time we were freezing cold and the clouds were so low and thick that we had to come up with a fool proof plan that meant we didn’t get lost and we didn’t get stuck as there were a few landmarks to avoid, such as bogs and cliffs. For the next few hours, Shalane and I navigated our way down to the valley with our map and compass, waiting for the clouds to blow every now and then to reveal another clue that might just confirm that we were on the right track. We stopped regularly to ensure we were definitely where we wanted to be but with the cloud cover constantly changing what was in view, we could only move so fast. We climbed over huge boulders and clung onto clumps of tussock to hold us upright on steep mountain edges. We stayed high enough to avoid the bogs that we could see below us and when we were sure we’d past the cliffs, the only way was down. The clouds were still thick but clearing and we’d seen enough in the gaps of clouds to know we were at least heading in the right direction. After more tussock and falling down more holes, we made it down to the valley and the feeling of relief to be on the home straight felt pretty damn good. We even saw one, lonely orange pole in the distant, to confirm once again that everything was going to be ok!</div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view down to Ohau before the clouds set in</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We walked for 10 hours that day with hardly any breaks. The low visibility in the morning had meant the day was now a long and tiring one and by the time we’d reached the Ahiriri river, we were ready to drop! We decided to cross the river so that the next day was made easier and we had our eye on a bright green , flat, riverside camp spot on the opposite side. It looked like it was made especially for us as all the surrounding land was brown and uninviting. We crossed a few braids of the river, each getting a little higher as we became closer to the main braid. There had obviously been a little rain upstream as the river was flowing fast and we held onto each other for a couple of the crossings. My blood was pumping by this stage as I was so exhausted from a long few days and mentally exhausted from the challenging morning that all my remaining energy was going into crossing the river safely. Every step was vital, as the undercurrent swept my feet as I tried to put them down and the water up to my thigh was strong and fast. On the last crossing, just a few small meters from that bright green patch of grass with our name on it, we couldn’t go any further. We hadn’t even reached the half way point when the current became dangerously strong. Our feet were getting swept away so much that we couldn’t put our feel down securely and the water was nearly at our wastes. It was Shalane who made the final and very sensible decision to turn around and get out of the water. We got to dry land and my legs were shaking from adrenaline. It was far too dangerous but the alternative was not fun. We had to retrace our footsteps all the way back, through the other strong braids (which now seemed like small puddles after attempting the last one) and back onto the dry bank, where we decided to set up camp and evaluate our choices the next day. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFHIzcJxVh6Pt5zGJGJgnvh8BbHn4rfRwCMoADgp4Bh6hB0Na0AT6FhFk5QTpCaNDYQaDmtPCWTvR9bs4VunKS5LAYaYazXxd370JFxgcej-YG57g3ayT0aQrsLzF7za0NaXfsGzVdaoB/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFHIzcJxVh6Pt5zGJGJgnvh8BbHn4rfRwCMoADgp4Bh6hB0Na0AT6FhFk5QTpCaNDYQaDmtPCWTvR9bs4VunKS5LAYaYazXxd370JFxgcej-YG57g3ayT0aQrsLzF7za0NaXfsGzVdaoB/s320/IMG_0983.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Hawea</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The decision was made to detour 6kms to a bridge and back up to our trail head. I think we were freaked our enough by the strength of that current to not want to attempt it again and on looking at the river that next day, there was nowhere that seemed crossable. The next section of the trail was through some really stunning farmland with rolling green hills and a very user friendly path (at first at least) which generally followed 4WD track through some really beautiful land where we were lucky enough to see about 8 stags. It was roaring season so they weren’t hard to miss and it was amazing seeing so many big beasts in one group up in the hills. By the time we reached Lake Hawea, we were more than ready for a rest day and not only did we get a rest day but we got top treatment in a really amazing location. Lake Hawea is absolutely stunning. The water is bright turquoise and the lake appears to go for ever. Lake Hawea Holiday Park is situated on the lake front and is designed in such a way that you feel like you are still camping in the bush. The park is filled with trees and bushes so still feels really natural. We were greeted by Sarah, the owner and Mike the Manager who were really excited about what we were doing and soon had us feeling relaxed. The holiday park is somewhere I would love to go and spend a few weeks. The views of the lake make you take a deep breath and just relax instantly and with amazingly hot showers, laundry and a BBQ, kindly provided by Sarah and her husband Richard, we soon felt like different people. The size of the holiday park was incredible too and with cabin, tent or caravan options, you can feel like the only ones there if you go at the right time of year. With views of the mountains too it would be somewhere I’d love to go all year round to just stop and look and enjoy. There was also a house that they rent out, just up a slight hill which meant amazing views. It would have made a brilliant place for the family to come and visit (hint hint mum). On our rest day we had a quick interview with the local newspaper, kindly organized by Mike and Sarah and Shalane and I picked some blackberries and that night Mike made us an apple and blackberry pie and we all had another BBQ with Mike, his wife Lorraine and Helen and her husband, a couple who also worked onsite. It was a lovely end to a lovely rest day.</div><br />
From this moment on we felt like it was a countdown. We had been so well looked after in Lake Hawea but we knew that from that moment on, it was just days with Wanaka and Queenstown coming up soon, two places we had heard so much about for so many months, we honestly felt like we could see the end. Every day from now on was a day closer to Bluff and although I was going to miss this lifestyle, there was a lot about it that I was ready to leave behind. I was sick of smelling so bad that people even commented, I was sick of wearing trekking clothes and I was sick of people seeing me as just a trekker. I noticed over the 5 months of trekking that when I am wearing my backpack, trekking clothes, with my hair looking dry and sun damaged people do treat me differently. I become a backpacker or a tramper and they speak to me like I’m just a tramper. Although I am perfectly aware that image and materialistic things are not important, I also realized that, in the eyes of other people, those things define my personality. I was basically craving some normality. I wanted to meet some people my age and have a talk and some banter that wasn’t trek related and I wanted to become a non-tramper again.<br />
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The walk along the river to Wanaka was beautiful and when we arrived in the town, we decided to go to the information centre and try to arrange our rest day in Queenstown. We called a few places to get some tent spot prices and I spoke to somebody on the phone who really reminded me of Kieran - a guy I know from Byron Bay in Australia. It wasn’t him but his identical voice twin! A few minutes later, we had somewhere booked and we were on our way again. We walked around the corner and right there, in front of me, was Kieran. It was honestly one of the strangest coincidences that has ever happened to me! I hadn’t been in touch with Kieran since I left Byron Bay so had no idea he was here and to think he was on the phone just a few minutes before actually seeing him was spooky. We had a quick catch up chat and number exchange, with a promise that we’d visit him when we finished walking and we were soon on our way again!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Shania</td></tr>
</tbody></table> We walked all the way to Glendhu Bay that day. From there the trail was fantastic. It was well cut, well marked and there were huts along the way. Which was good as it was looking like rain. The track was the Mototapu track and the land is owned by Shania Twain and I have to say Shania – nice work! The trail was climb after climb after climb. We sweat and our leg muscles pumped and the views were worth every drop of sweat our bodies gave. It was a brilliant track. On our last night in Rose’s Hut we met Kim. Kim was from Belgium and I have to say, is my favourite hut sharer so far. Not only did he not snore or move around lots in the middle of the night but he was also a long distance tramper so he understood our need to get up early and go to bed early and we could talk to him about the trek and he really knew what we were talking about. He was spending the whole year living in his tent or in huts and tramping around the whole of NZ. Kind of what we were doing but he had the freedom to hitch and go wherever he wanted and it sounded brilliant. Not only that, but Kim was hilarious! He had me clutching my stomach with laughter and to top it all off, he was kind enough to share his chocolate and cheese with us! What more could you want in a hut buddy!<br />
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From Rose’s hut to Arrow town involved soggy feet as we walked the river bed but we were soon up high on a 4WD track with great views of the river below and the trees were looking incredible in all their autumn colours. We really have seen the change in seasons in NZ which has been beautiful, but winter was one season I was not ready to see while living in a tent. We Just before we reached Arrow town the clouds came in and the heavens opened. Actually, it wasn’t the heavens because the rain was coming in from the side with a wind that felt like it was direct from the Antarctic. By the time we arrived in Arrow town we were soaked and freezing and we darted straight for the hand dryers in the public toilet. All tried off and more layers on we stopped in for a cup of tea in one last attempt to warm up. Arrow Town was really quaint and had a real sense of history. A little Chinese settlement that felt more like a scene from a western but well worth a visit. Not long now and we’d be in Queenstown. Queenstown marked a real goal for us as it was the places that we’d decided to spend our celebratory rest days when we finished the trek for good and we’d promised ourselves we’d book some accommodation and massages for something to look forward to when we return at the end.<br />
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Our rest day in Queenstown wasn’t really a rest as we ran around booking everything and found ourselves a wonderful en suite room in Reavers Lodge which would come to be the best motivation for finishing the trek that I’d had so far. We bought ourselves treats like real shower gel and hair conditioner and stored them at the lodge for when we returned. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqTWrfERZz77KKSODA4yWAU8M7jrQx-Njcr_mhaAHZ_nMw4iXrOy0RMjkiUglKo3uW7l61lXwqy6S-yU4Pbo7qGVadeyw3T0qE4wHa6QSbxZBxeotEPeWQfHG3T1yLRAl0X4ZpkTP2jXp/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqTWrfERZz77KKSODA4yWAU8M7jrQx-Njcr_mhaAHZ_nMw4iXrOy0RMjkiUglKo3uW7l61lXwqy6S-yU4Pbo7qGVadeyw3T0qE4wHa6QSbxZBxeotEPeWQfHG3T1yLRAl0X4ZpkTP2jXp/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical day on Te Araroa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We road walked our way to the next trail which was the Greenstone track which then lead to Mavora lakes. The first section to Greenstone hut was very touristy with a wide, flat path that was almost too easy after the last few trails. We put in some long days and I was really feeling it, having still not adapted to the change in daylight. The trek to Careys Hut seemed long as the scenery was more tussock and more bogs and we were disappointed to find the hut full of hunters. Careys hut is accessible by 4WD so there were 4 hunters, 2 cars and a boat, with a quad bike, fishing rods and rifles! Hardly the back country experience! So we put up our tent and got an early night, ready for the 40 kms we were due to walk, and did walk the next day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Last Beach Walk</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We’d started noting every time it was the last time we would be doing something as we counted down the days like a tally in a prison. I was more and more excited about all the things I wanted to do at the end, about working and seeing money actually go into my bank. Now that the end was so accessible I really started realizing how ready I was to finish Te Araroa and not because I hadn’t had the time of my life but because it had taken longer than we wanted, my injuries and Christchurch had pushed that end date further and further and the seasons were changing. We were ready. We had the last stay in a hut, the last river crossing and as we walked further and further south as the mountains became hills and then became flat, we had the last time we’d climb a mountain. The coast was soon in sight and as we walked along Colac Bay to Riverton we could see Bluff, well, the hill near Bluff but it was enough to become incredibly excited. We stopped off in Riverton Information Centre to find out about tides for our very last river crossing on the beach and met a lady whose husband and friend had walked Te Araroa. We were soon all there, husbands and all with a cup of tea, talking about the trek. Dean and Lloyd had walked the entire North Island, with Lloyds wife acting as support vehicle, meeting them at the end of each day and taking them to their camp spot. They had done it incredibly quickly, each day a day hike with not pack and therefore had the opportunity to fly through. Their stories were brilliant and I really enjoyed speaking with them. We turned down their kind offer of a bed for the night as we wanted to make a bit of distance along the beach, ready for the next few days. We wanted to stop off in Invercargill for a bit of shopping and get to Bluff nice and early. That night we camped up in the sand dunes and as I brushed sand off my sleeping mat, drank sandy tea and ate sandy food, I reminded myself, last beach, just 2 more sleeps. We woke to an absolutely stunning sun rise and as we walked along the clean, deserted beach, packs feeling light, with grins on our face so permanent that my cheeks started to ache, we could see Invercargill and Bluff getting bigger and bigger and Riverton getting smaller and smaller. We reached Invercargill and set about buying a few warm jumpers as we had nothing but the smelly clothes on our backs and knew we’d need something to change into when we reached Queenstown. We went wild at the opshop and had a whole new wardrobe by the end of our shopping spree for just a few dollara. We walked along the estuary as the sun was setting on our last night, we put our tent up for the last time, unpacked our bags and blew up our sleeping mats for the last time. We ate our last back country cuisine, I brushed the remaining sand off my belongings again and in the middle of the night, my sleeping mat went down again for the last time. We woke up in the dark and walked along the highway towards Bluff. We could see the township for the majority of the day, teasing us, not getting closer until we turned that last corner. We were nearly there. The excitement was immense, we’d done it, there was no failing now. We found the poor excuse for a walking track that took us off the highway and around the Bluff to the infamous sign posts where we would be jumping up and down in just a couple of hours. We followed the orange markers and they lead us to a 10 foot high, locked metal fence! We could see the markers and the trail on the other side but we couldn’t get through. We walked around through mud and bogs and holes and streams, past a stinky water treatment, sewerage smelling thing and we were cursing all along the way reminding ourselves, last time last time. The trail soon joined the easy walking track that was perfectly maintained and lead us along the ocean edge. The forecast for the day was rain and we had been lucky enough to avoid it so far. We didn’t want our last day to be wet and miserable. On this last section our legs couldn’t move quick enough. I think we were even running at one point! We came around the last corner and there it was, the sign post, the end, the finish line to Te Araroa, 5 months of tramping over with, the adventure of a lifetime coming to an end. I thought there would be tears and dancing and screaming and joy but there wasn’t. I just had a very achy face from smiling so hard for the last 3 hours. As I write this now though I think it has finally hit me. The tears are coming and the realization that I just experienced the most amazing, life changing, bloody hard but so very worth it, 5 months of my life. </div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhR6soBTEMVUJH5SXOd1fPHBFOqGE-ZVgXM48-5RTF-XqbtIuHEE0iAesN_-8Iuc0ZK3IjfHJJAIC5QNbhNSZEtP5BzIQmiO0XUYoXbPkOmxUls4COq0WSYdR0qNBxGRrkDTrwQ8BrRUS/s1600/IMG_3599%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhR6soBTEMVUJH5SXOd1fPHBFOqGE-ZVgXM48-5RTF-XqbtIuHEE0iAesN_-8Iuc0ZK3IjfHJJAIC5QNbhNSZEtP5BzIQmiO0XUYoXbPkOmxUls4COq0WSYdR0qNBxGRrkDTrwQ8BrRUS/s320/IMG_3599%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Te Araroa isn’t complete yet so we were faced with additional challenges along our journey. We cursed at unmaintained sections, we vowed to complain at every badly marked or signed sections, we didn’t necessarily love Gorse and Prickly Bush, Bush Lawyer or Spear Grass and I didn’t enjoy days of walking on tarmac or tussock but Te Araroa is a great trail. My advice for anybody who wants to do it would be to not feel like you have to stick to the trail. In the north island particularly there are alternatives and a great example of that would be Cookie and Nicky, an English couple who chose to go through The Coromandel instead of Auckland. However, Te Araroa can guarantee you variety and certainly a challenge to even the most experienced trampers.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And my experience wasn’t all about the trail. We met some amazing people along the way who we will be eternally grateful to. Some who know who they are and some who never will, like Wendy from Ngunguru who let us stay in her back garden when we found out all the camp sites had closed down, and the fisherman who gave us a lift to Marsden Point in their boat and who through in a crayfish for our dinner. We’ve seen parts of New Zealand that many people, even New Zealanders will never see and we’ve experienced a lifestyle that will stay with me forever. Not only did I have a fantastic time but thanks to all of you, we have managed to raise AUD $2875.00 to this day for Indigo Foundation which will help run the entire Soloman Islands project for over 6 months.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-46684216305998492362011-03-06T16:16:00.000+13:002011-03-06T16:16:02.228+13:00Detour to a Disaster ZoneJust a quick note to let you know Shalane and I have recently detoured to Christchurch following the devastating news of the earthquake. We hitched over from Greymouth having spent a week there with a fractured foot and volunteered for just over a week with the UC Student Volunteer Army. I can't begin to tell you how heartbreaking it is seeing so many homes lost and the pure carnage the quake has caused, not to mention the loss of loved ones and the long term stress and sleepless nights the people of Christchurch have had to endure. However, the attitude and strength, the kindness and generosity shown from all Cantabrions would make me feel very proud if I was a Kiwi and I can only wish every body the luck and strength to carry on rebuilding what was, and always will be a beautiful city. <br />
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Shalane and I will continue Te Araroa as of tomorrow and are looking forward to the remainder of the adventure. I promise I will try and keep my blog more up to date than I have recently :-)Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-65168099385367018162011-03-02T19:38:00.113+13:002011-07-10T21:41:06.334+12:00Sticks and Stones might break my bones and so will Te AraroaTe Araroa!!!! No doubt in our minds that the first track from Boyle village to Hope Kiwi lodge was purely a Te Araroa trail. We've become quite accustomed to the Department of conservation trails with their clear signs and markings, taking us on the most suitable path possible, but when we followed this water logged, muddy trail with badly placed markers and incorrect timings we knew it had to be our trail.<br />
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Luckily we were soon back on a DOC trail and the beautiful meandering forest track lead us in the glorious sunshine to a very impressive hut. Hope Kiwi lodge had 3 separate bedrooms and was HUGE, so it didn't matter at all that we were joined that night by a couple of hunters.<br />
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This whole next section was a complete disaster for me! A few hours into the next day and my foot started hurting so badly that I actually felt sick from the pain. I was taking ibuprofen and trying to ignore it but this was no minor injury. I wasn't sure how I did it exactly but knew it had started feeling a little sore the previous day. It was David's birthday and I was feeling a wee bit guilty that he spent it on his own, flying ahead while I hobbled a good half an hour or more behind him. Come lunch time, I had to have a serious assessment as to whether I could carry on walking, as the next hut was still a few hours away. The issue I faced was that it was a few days walk to get out, whichever direction I walked in and I didn't want to delay things any further so I decided to harden the hell up and limp on. We reached number 3 hut just before the heavens opened and all three of us huddled around the fire with a couple of BCC deserts we had saved for David's birthday.<br />
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I rested my food, convinced that a night of rest and a bit of tiger balm would sort out the problem. I woke up (as normal) in the night for a pee and, forgetting I had a painful foot, got up to walk outside. The shock and pain was unbelievable, I couldn't believe how much it still hurt and went back to bed a little worried for what the morning had in store.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harper Pass</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We all woke in the morning to the rain still pounding down outside and my foot felt even worse. I began to get packed and ready slowly but was dreading the day ahead. David had gone outside and I mentioned to Shalane that I wasn't really excited about a day of rain and pain. That was all she needed to hear! She wasn't really up for walking in the rain and an excuse to cut ties with David, who had been slowly talking us to death was just what we needed. He took some persuading but after Shalane completed his crossword while he was asleep, he finally realised there was nothing to stay for anymore. he walked on ahead and we kicked back, relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief at our new found freedom.<br />
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The next few days were probably the hardest I had to face in the entire trip. The trail, scenery and weather was fantastic and despite the painfully slow pace I was setting and the constant agony I was in, I still managed to really enjoy it and Harper Pass was probably one of the highlights of the trek for it's lushness and pure beauty. However, unless it was morphine, I wasn't interested! Every time I put my bad foot down and experienced pain, I would try to step back on my good foot quicker. The result was, that I would not lift my good foot up enough and tripped over any rock, twig or weed that I could possibly find. Thus, sending me flying and stumbling harder on my bad foot as I tumbled down steep hills and mountains. When we reached a hut, just one day from Arthurs Pass and found a radio, with a direct line to the Arthur's Pass information centre. I have to say, I was tempted. The main problem I was facing from day to day was that my energy was being sucked out of me, like some kind of torture method. I felt like I was going fast and was putting all my energy into each day but the distance we were covering was a joke and the constant pain, the disappointment each morning that there was no improvement and the knowledge each day that the only way out was on foot was soul destroying. <br />
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The last couple of days really were an adventure. We followed the Waimakariri River through the valley and the sun was beating down. We stopped for a break on one of the days, and perched ourselves down on the remains of a tree. As I looked around I couldn't believe how vast this country is. We were days from anyway, no roads nearby, mountains for miles and it just felt incredible. There is nowhere in the UK as isolated and despite wanting to be in civilisation at that moment in time, there was no hiding the pure beauty of a land not ruined by mankind. We followed a path until the path we were on was no more. An earlier flood had washed the path away and the next half of the day was spent bush bashing, getting cut and scratched, climbing over fallen trees and under broken branches. But we didn't mind. Maybe it was because we were already going slowly or maybe we were still high from our freedom from David. Either way, we were quite content and knowing that we were near was good enough motivation to keep going. <br />
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We ended our last day crossing the Bealey river which was still slightly flooded and bloody scary. It was flowing fast, we were tired and the only thing going for me was that the ice cold temperature of the water made my foot go numb. We made it to the other side, set up camp and yet again, breathed a sigh of relief. This time, it was because I could see the road. I knew civilisation was close and everything was going to be ok.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hitching to Greymouth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we get away with it? Would they know??</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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We reached Arthurs Pass the next day, collected our food drop and decided to hitch to Greymouth for food shopping and foot resting. After a few days of trying to reduce the balloon that was now my foot, the pain still hadn't subsided and I decided that a trip to the doctor was overdue. I wasn't sure what he was going to say but all I could feel at this point was guilt. Guilt for poor Shalane having to wait more days for my injuries. There she was fighting fit and ready to keep trekking, to get to Bluff and to finish this long loooooong trek, but she was stuck in GREYmouth waiting for me. Again! When the doctor poked around he revealed that the injury was definitely bone. A fracture or a stress fracture (later confirmed as a fracture after an xray) and to heal, I would need to do nothing for 6 weeks. However, the only words that I really heard him say was that I could still trek, it just wouldn't get better. Hearing those words were all I needed. He gave me pain killers and what felt like his approval, his permission to carry on. Shalane wasn't quite as enthusiastic which I guess I could understand. More slow, painful days, more isolation with an unpredictable injury. It wasn't necessarily a wise choice but I had to try. There was no way I was ending this adventure in Greymouth!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-45042154978081507372011-02-25T20:07:00.001+13:002011-07-10T21:52:07.050+12:00What Goes Up, Must Come Down!It rained heavily all night and with rain at high altitude, it means slippery terrain, bad visibility, heavy winds and of course wet us. Luckily, we set off to mainly dampness and low clouds as the heavy rain had all come at night. I wasn't feeling as achy and sore as I thought I would after our challenge the day before so the day ahead was feeling manageable and exciting.<br />
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We began by following ridge line before ascending to Purple Top Mountain at 1532m. However, as we climbed higher and higher we realised the wind was very strong. The terrain was rocky and scree and although a bit wet, luckily wasn't too slippery although definitely not secure. All our concentration was used on staying upright as at times I thought I'd be blown away. There was one hell of an icy bite to the wind and our legs were a nice shade of pink. We were all on a mission to get out of the wind and rain as quickly as possible and the adrenaline meant I didn't really think about how dangerous the track actually was. The wind blew and I stumbled over and heard David shout "we'll have to feed you up with pies" as I regained my balance and kept scrambling. And we kept scrambling until we were up and over the top and started our descent down to the tree line for a bit of shelter where I took a deep breath and tried to process the last hour.<br />
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The rest of the day wasn't nearly as demanding but a steep descent down to Mid Wairoa hut meant we were all glad to rest our knees and enjoy an afternoon to recover. Due to this section being so long between food resupplying, we can't afford to stop and rest so every afternoon had me trying to rest and look after my muscles and knees as much as possible for fear of pushing myself too far. The sun helped and as I laid and soaked up the hot rays for an hour I felt ready for a good sleep.<br />
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Unfortunately, I didn't get one and I woke up feeling a bit negative. There is something really tough about being so many days from civilisation when food supplies are limited and when the shorter exit route is about as inviting as going over Mount Rintoull backwards. I was feeling a little bit trapped. Wanting to just pig out on food but having to hold back, wanting to know that if anything happened we could just walk out in a few hours and a little bit fed up. Because when that adreneline wears off at the end of a tough day, the stress and and reality of what you have just done is exhausting. However, I knew that if I continued with this attitude, it would only keep bringing me down because the factors I mentioned weren't going to change and in fact, the only way I would change anything is by sucking it up and keep walking, that's exactly what I did. I spent the day a little bit quiet and trying to give myself a bit of a pep talk. The day consisted of some rather annoying river crossings. We must have crossed the same river 10 times in a short distance and with a very steep and exhausting scramble up to Top Wairoa Hut for a break we were all feeling tired. The wind had picked up and it began to rain, and with a steep and demanding route ahead of us, we made the decision to wait out the weather until the next day. The rain wasn't too bad but the wind would have made the trail too dangerous. The next section is what DOC describe as a Route instead of a Tramping Trail, which is defined as often badly marked, no clear trail and for only experienced and very fit trekkers. Hence the decision to stay put until the weather improved. The hut wasn't the best to be stuck in! Up high on a hill with steep scree either side, wind blowing the hut so hard that it wobbled and a scramble for our lives if we wanted water. The weather didn't die down all day and actually, I laid awake all night listening to the howling winds crashing against the flimsy shelter and the rain crashing on the corrugated iron roof and sides.<br />
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We set off at around lunchtime the next day after the wind had settled considerably and as we began the climb in the misty rain I realised that the description of a "route" was pretty accurate. The wind was still pretty strong and as we climbed up over rocks and boulders I was being blown around. I lent into the wind but then it would suddenly stop and I'd over compensate and go flying. It was pretty comical but also scary as we climbed higher and higher and became more exposed. When we finally reached the saddle, the clouds had become very low and the few markers that there were became impossible to see. We decided that one of us would have to stand at the last seen marker, while the other walked off into the thick fog until they could see the next orange pole and lead the threesome onwards, to avoid us loosing sight of both directions. Sometimes the wind would blow a gap in the clouds for just long enough, and we'd see a glimpse of orange in the distance. The wind increased and strong gusts literally blew me over to the floor and the hail on my face was heavy and painful. My skin was numb with cold and the news headlines flashed through my mind "3 trampers blown off the side of the mountain!" The clouds thinned after nearly 3 hours of walking on scree, slippery grass and boulders, in wind, hail and rain and to my relief I saw a row of orange poles leading down to the tree line. We dropped down into the shelter of the trees and the relief of the intensely strong wind was amazing. We dropped down into the valley over the next 2 hours and the weather improved all the way to the lovely Hunters Hut.<br />
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The next day was a long one but arriving in St Arnaud, although not quite civilisation as we all know it, it felt good. Everything ached beyond belief but knowing we all had a rest day was an unbeatable feeling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nelson Lakes, St Arnaud</td></tr>
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After a late start due to me waking up in the night feeling sick as a dog, we plodded on to the swingbridge (not quite as far as David's "schedule" intended). I think my stomach had a slight shock going from muesli bars every day to the rich foods of the normal world and it took me the whole day to feel right again. Over the next few days, the biggest challenge was the muggy weather. It was humid as hell and we were all feeling it by the end of each day so ensured we re hydrated and rested in the evenings. We met a few more trampers on this section in Upper Traverse (and some noisy inconsiderate ones) and it was nice to chat and appreciate hut life in a different way. Each hut we arrived at had it's own little quirk. Whether it be an amazing view or heaps of character.<br />
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When we reached Blue Lake Hut we all dumped our bags and ran to the lake, whose name is an understatement! The lake was electric. It was an incredible colour and we couldn't resist going for a dip. Ok, well, we dipped up to our knees, when we discovered how bloody Baltic it was and then sat on a rock and had a good ol' key area wash! But still, we tried. I knew the next day was going to be hard and I spent the night mentally preparing for it. We had a huge pass to climb and it was only advisable in good weather, to experienced trampers and they don't give that advice lightly. By the next morning, I was up, ready and psyched up. But the Waiau pass wasn't ready for us! We stood at the doorway, in the dark, waterproofs on looking out to low clouds, heavy rain and winds. It wasn't going to happen.We were soon unpacked, fire lit, with cups of tea in hand having agreed to wait out the crappy weather. We all hoped with all fingers and toes crossed that we would be good to go the next day as neither of us had too many days of spare food and we still didn't know what type of terrain we had ahead of us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Lake</td></tr>
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We woke up the next morning with the same ritual: Up, fed, packed and dressed, standing in the doorway assessing the day ahead. We looked like 3 little children waiting for Santa. But maybe a slight scary Santa as there was anxiety mixed with our excitement. The clouds were low but not as thick. It was raining, but not as hard. So we decided to go, do it, make the move. The pass was so steep and long that we could only go so fast and every time I put a foot forward it would slip half way down again on the dreaded scree. I was grabbing at random tufts of grass or loose rocks just to try and stay upright as the wind was so fierce. I was literally scrambling on my hands and feet. The rain and wind were increasing and I was constantly getting blown off balance and all I could do is keep climbing. The muscles in my legs were tight and sore and the climb felt like it went on forever. We eventually reached the top, but our excitement and joy was short lived, as we were faced with a vertical rock face. By this time the rain was really hard and streams and rivers were forming on the mountains and rocks all around us. We were in trouble! Underfoot was slippery, there was water everywhere and we were drenched. As I lowered myself down, I honestly felt like I should be attached to a harness and all my concentration went into every movement. Since this day, Shalane and I have spoken about this particular moment, and we will always say that it was one of the best days of the trip. As scarey as it was, as wet and cold as we were and as out of my depth as I felt, there is something to be said about moments like this one. Every sense in our body is very much alive and in that moment. We are 100% in the "now", our mind and body HAVE to be fully connected to ensure every decision and movement is the right one. And, as a result, you feel the cold, sharp rock as you cling to it with your hand and every ice cold rain drop as you get increasingly soggier. You can here your breath as you take one foot off and place it strategically on the small ledge below. People meditate and search for years for moments like this one and I can honestly tell you I can see why. It was incredible. The next few hours we squelched through the mud and crossed the rising, fast flowing river time and time again. The track had been newly cut so it could have been worse but in places the river had been washed away and we had to literally walk in the river, following it down to our destination. But where was our destination? We were drenched to the bone and I was starting to get too cold. I knew that if we didn't get to Caroling Bivvy soon,w e were going to have to stop and put on some dry clothes, and put up the tent or I would never get warm again. My heart was pounding and we hadn't stopped for food all day so I was purely going on adrenaline. We finally reached the bivvy, not a moment to soon but to our horror, the tiny, 2 bunk shed had no vacancies. We stood at the door, shivering, soaking, miserable and tired and started distraught at the 2 DOC workers looking warm and dry inside, sipping warm tea. And all they could say to us as they stared back, god knows what we must have looked like but all they said was "hope ya got ya tent". They never did find their strangled bodies!!! Joking of course!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Descent</td></tr>
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We set up our tents in the rain, tore of our dripping wet clothes and got into our warms dry sleeping bags. Drank tea after tea after tea until I eventually warmed up 3 hours later. All I can say is what a day. What an incredible, life changing memorable day.<br />
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Nothing like the feeling of putting on soaking wet clothes in the dark in a tent to say GOOD MORNING. Horrible, cold, wet and horrible. We stopped for tea on the side of the river when the sun eventually came up but the sand flies were unbelievably bad so we kept on stepping. I'm sure when I looked at Shalane I couldn't see her skin for black flies. Yuck!<br />
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It was an easy day, just 29kms of long flat valley. The sun was now shining, the terrain was stress free and the vast mountains stretching as far as the eye can see were stunning. It felt like a relaxing stroll and just what we all needed to process the crazy events of the previous day. The next day was the last in this challenging section and as we all hobbled out with painful knees, achy feet and knotty shoulders, all the way to Boyle village, it felt like the events of Waiau pass were on a whole different trip.Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-78746517020032561762011-02-18T08:41:00.001+13:002011-02-21T08:32:35.005+13:00Is This Alpine Enough for You?Excited was an understatement! A few days in Wellington to get organised and prepared and we soon found ourselves at the Interislander ferry port with a whole new adventure waiting fro us. Simon, a friend of David's, (the Kiwi trekker who will be joining us for a while) had very kindly agreed to drop the three of us off and it was really nice to be waved off on what felt like a whole different trip.<br />
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The ferry was a lot larger and more glamorous than I thought it would be for a mere 3 hour journey and it reminded me very much of the Dover to Calais ferry back at home. I was later told that the ship originally came from Europe so who knows, I maybe I had stepped aboard before.<br />
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We opted for the reclining lounge and settled in comfortably, and when the announcement came that there were freshly baked scones in the restaurant, I thought it couldn't possibly get any better. We had been told to inform a certain member of staff that we were on the ferry so we did as we were instructed and later in the journey our names were announced, which was equally as exciting as the scones. We were greeted with a surprise trip to the bridge to meet the captain while the ship negotiated it's way through the beautiful Sounds. We were asked about our walk and in return told a little about the workings of the bessel. We had an amazing view and it was a real eye opener seeing some of the fantastic properties that lined the sounds and were accessible only by boat. We were also followed by a school of dolphins which made the trip extra special for me. I'll never become bored of seeing dolphins. It was a really lovely ferry ride and we topped it off with some live music in the bar.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rW_sWeeJ4FQ5Wh48HO9BgM7ye1SDfdlT_so-Wuiom9K0mK_5Xs9osp810ZFS6DId7_CwI8Dc62qZ-ScJ8PD5VN7Ywuh5mlV04VJfukt2UtpoSv7Od0gUwTgzakJCHWTR_hi2VYLreGNz/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rW_sWeeJ4FQ5Wh48HO9BgM7ye1SDfdlT_so-Wuiom9K0mK_5Xs9osp810ZFS6DId7_CwI8Dc62qZ-ScJ8PD5VN7Ywuh5mlV04VJfukt2UtpoSv7Od0gUwTgzakJCHWTR_hi2VYLreGNz/s400/IMG_1183.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The introduction to the south island was dramatic and challenging from day <span id="goog_599724835"></span><span id="goog_599724836"></span>one. We camped by the beach and after snacking on some fresh mussels David found for our dinner, we all settled down for our first night on the mainland. In the early hours of the morning we were woken by the earth trembling below us and it felt like somebody shook me awake but when I opened my eyes I was still laying next to a still and sleepy Shalane and there was nobody else around. An earthquake! Nothing serious of course but I certainly felt like it was the south islands way of saying - Welcome!<br />
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The Richmond ranges were what we've all been waiting for. Known as one of New Zealands best kept secrets (from themselves as well as tourists) the vast alpine ranges are an extremely challenging 7-8 day alpine crossing and not for the faint hearted. We set off into the mountains and I was very excited to be so remote. I was looking forward to the huts we would be staying in too as we didn't see many in the north. The trails began with a few ascents which was a nice warm up for things to come and I realised that what I was dreading the most was that feeling of pure exhaustion that I've felt in the pas when climbing which I've decided is mostly due to dehydration so I made it my mission to drink and eat plenty and rest to the max in the afternoons.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkY_eIxuxhxSIZqL2IGMakIzkH1gw4GhkSPNy51MjHqD18Lly_hg2yQrUQtTRn0cP3zZ1VvjSSBdVAqKi6bUiLC1hKha50GxVStOn33Iihy2pcOgXa2OtL8rpkwpoCv65zDBztgRnnQRDM/s1600/IMG_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkY_eIxuxhxSIZqL2IGMakIzkH1gw4GhkSPNy51MjHqD18Lly_hg2yQrUQtTRn0cP3zZ1VvjSSBdVAqKi6bUiLC1hKha50GxVStOn33Iihy2pcOgXa2OtL8rpkwpoCv65zDBztgRnnQRDM/s400/IMG_1194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The first day out of Pelorus Bridge saw us following a stunning bright green river fro most of the day. It was one of the most beautiful rivers I've ever seen and I couldn't keep my eyes off it. It was fresh and clear and the colour really was mesmerising. It was a pretty hot day and on one of our breaks at Captain Creek hut we all dived in to the water that had been calling my name all day. Bloody hell it was cold - but totally amazing. The trip had only just begun and it was already feeling like a while separate adventure to our northern expedition. <br />
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After spending the night at Middy Hut we set off for one hell of a day. We ascended, descended and walked on some very tricky paths. They were thin and high with rock or slate under foot and by the end of the day I was overheated and exhausted. It is amazing how drained you feel when you are concentrating so much on footing. When we reached our hut I dipped my overworked feet in the refreshing turquoise water and wondered to myself hos the hell we were going to do 10 days straight!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IO0zijcWphgH1GqjXz_foaJF2F4mDI4EfLqvfGqW4RLEepP6VZbelWFFKypvhwXQ1nGXc4KKj5NKxYhP06dLHzf3FhODQ4sIYntYcXC7-9Z3P7w1zluMZkhLEdCfgux1BBhSij1HMaW6/s1600/IMG_1201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IO0zijcWphgH1GqjXz_foaJF2F4mDI4EfLqvfGqW4RLEepP6VZbelWFFKypvhwXQ1nGXc4KKj5NKxYhP06dLHzf3FhODQ4sIYntYcXC7-9Z3P7w1zluMZkhLEdCfgux1BBhSij1HMaW6/s400/IMG_1201.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The next day we headed to the gorgeous starveall hut, so that we were in a position to make a HUGE climb first thing the next morning. Neither Shalane or I slept well so the day felt tough although short and when we climbed up to see the extremely cute hut sitting on the hill, surrounded by mountains and wildflower with the sun beating down, it was well worth the effort. It was picture perfect an the 3 of us spent the afternoon sun bathing! Everything in moderation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9EYOoCZoZuAfi87t-hJIc_KjOyQJeTubriYNvrAHcOJ5Y2OHVwSkibjnjacbGtO0Y7QoB8IVgFb5p6DBedifygD0twDCB_-mMBQBI2H530nFOjTpGCr6B-B-Ow4SJhxeuLcyF7tOy8F/s1600/IMG_1208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9EYOoCZoZuAfi87t-hJIc_KjOyQJeTubriYNvrAHcOJ5Y2OHVwSkibjnjacbGtO0Y7QoB8IVgFb5p6DBedifygD0twDCB_-mMBQBI2H530nFOjTpGCr6B-B-Ow4SJhxeuLcyF7tOy8F/s400/IMG_1208.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The next day was epic!!!! We began our climb up Mount Starveall straight away as the sun was rising and the clouds were still low and it felt brilliant. The freshness of the air and getting the blood pumping, not to mention the fantastic views as we reached the top was a real buzz. As we climbed and scrambled up the rocks above the tree line, David shouted "Is this alpine enough for you?" And it was. It was so different to anything we'd done so far. Once we climbed we stayed high on the ridge line all day. The views wee out of this world. Mountains and mountains as far as the eye could see in every direction. We could see where we'd walked and where we were heading and I can't begin to tell you how absolutely amazing that feeling was. As we all stopped and took in the views David shouted "is this alpine enough for you?" It felt like we were part of an exclusive world up there, like we couldn't get any higher. We decided to keep trekking that day, instead of stopping at Old Man Hut, which meant a very challenging climb up both Little Mount Rintoull and Mount Rintoull. We scrambled up to 1640m on little Mount Rintoull on rocks and scree which definitely gets the heart pumping, with the pack on our back and loose terrain under foot on a steep and high mountain, it felt scary and demanding, but it was what came next that was to be the real challenge. We reached the top where we had the view of Mount Rintoull ahead of us and although it was only 1730m, we had to descend 250m first down a practically vertical mountain side. If there was snow and I had a sledge, I wouldn't have hesitated but instead of snow, we had sharp, painful slate to land on.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CrxcdfMGaYgZ2u3mlKDeuV_cfd_FEI_BAOKzZGGPmt-3C0uZpzn0cbSXeMi0wx7lJbDPP4-Y8EG-4Rd8C3sXKzSp9QBmG8M9_zyykOQHpk4dzgpL0GQYNQEgZM7t8YxjLhXA1VKhbVGD/s1600/IMG_1222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CrxcdfMGaYgZ2u3mlKDeuV_cfd_FEI_BAOKzZGGPmt-3C0uZpzn0cbSXeMi0wx7lJbDPP4-Y8EG-4Rd8C3sXKzSp9QBmG8M9_zyykOQHpk4dzgpL0GQYNQEgZM7t8YxjLhXA1VKhbVGD/s400/IMG_1222.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The wind was picking up and the descent was extremely steep. The terrain was more loose slate so with every foot we put down we were sliding with nothing to grab onto to stop us and when we did grab onto what looked like a secure big rock, the whole thing would snap off and go tumbling down the mountain and all I could think was that if I fell, I'd bounce down in the same way. If I was to lean forward too much and start picking up momentum I'd not be able to stop until I was a broken heap on the bottom. It was tough on the knees and tough on the heart and I honestly don't think I breathed for half an hour! One thing is for sure, when we reached the bottom, the climb back up to Mount Rintoull looked like fun. For this bit we needed momentum! With every step the scree and rocks disappeared from under our feet and we were getting nowhere first. We put all our energy into it and just kept stepping but the mountain was relentless and the top didn't feel like it was getting any closer. The rocks that I thought were secure tumbled down for hundreds of metres I just kept stepping, the rocks I grabbed onto for support just broke off so I just kept stepping. My adrenaline was wearing off and my determination became intermittent. When we reached the top, the views and the feeling were completely, absolutely, 100% unbeatable. It was alpine enough for me! We reached the hut after a 10 hour day, did our laundry (as you do up the top of a really high mountain in a wooden hut) and ate an incredible amount of well deserved food before collapsing into bed. It was extreme but what an accomplishment and what a day!<br />
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I am sorry to say that I am having far too much of an adventurous time to write any more, although there has been plenty more days equally as amazing. If you want to check out Shalane's blog, she has written a little more than me about our epic adventure so far so check it out www.onelifeadventures.comAlex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-54995379772933372732011-01-20T18:27:00.001+13:002011-01-20T18:37:48.687+13:00Wellington Boots!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I think we have been traumatised by the rain. We woke up one morning on Tarakino Beach Road to the sound of the rain on the tent and we both got ready in silence, with the look of dread on our faces. All I could think was "how long will it last?" I don't mind a day or 2 but in my head I needed to mentally prepare for what we were facing. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM5ImMENrbODECk2x5Ivl_uFfH56455c_1_Z0GUdVUy0LVqSbAS-WelC1upGVgKhGtq5MGG1L2pwcEbl_kSbMs07NaPZKSODwRhyQiPVGPNLkxv-v71Cc4Ott9A9Ci6xKZmT61dnlbwwE/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM5ImMENrbODECk2x5Ivl_uFfH56455c_1_Z0GUdVUy0LVqSbAS-WelC1upGVgKhGtq5MGG1L2pwcEbl_kSbMs07NaPZKSODwRhyQiPVGPNLkxv-v71Cc4Ott9A9Ci6xKZmT61dnlbwwE/s400/IMG_0580.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarakino Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Luckily, after half an hour of hiding, wet and shivering in the camp toilets an hour into our morning we didn't see any more rain that day. In fact, with the wind behind us and the sand on the beach easy to walk on, I couldn't help but feel the day was turning out ok.</div><br />
The beach was gorgeous, with black/brown sand and a contrasting glow of peppermint green coloured vegetation, it was different to anything I'd seen.<br />
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We stayed that night in a lovely pine forest and after borrowing some water from a kind lady with too many incredibly smelly dogs, we settled down for the night in preparation for a few days of road walking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3dPDB70P_2D_MdRDqN9ranqcLtjJc1J3Iyp_p8I3snOji4XIbTqPUwb_Th3cVYIKsiiT2N5RGV-lIw2CbAz2hgdM9on6-ud6aABTFLnRRMv7uGxyLCRnduMGg67thiiu5IBaBSUV7Yx_/s1600/IMG_1115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3dPDB70P_2D_MdRDqN9ranqcLtjJc1J3Iyp_p8I3snOji4XIbTqPUwb_Th3cVYIKsiiT2N5RGV-lIw2CbAz2hgdM9on6-ud6aABTFLnRRMv7uGxyLCRnduMGg67thiiu5IBaBSUV7Yx_/s320/IMG_1115.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few interesting mail boxes on the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next day was the official day that we decided not to follow Te Araroa as religiously as we have been and maybe even look ahead to amend the route to suit us. We hadn't seen many Te Araroa signs lately but just outside of Bulls (a really lovely town which is apparently so proud of their name that even the police station displayed pictures with bulls in uniform???) we got onto a track and off the road and began to follow the Te Araroa signs. As a result we were faced with a landslide and a 30 metre drop and our only choice was to climb over a barbed wire fence, under an electric fence, into a field of Bulls before walking out onto a road which smelt of dead animal (clearly not the responsibility of Te Araroa) and onto the road we had left over an hour before, to find ourselves about 2 kms further down it - sometimes, it's just not worth the detour!</div><br />
We basically picked blackberries all the way to Palmerston North where we had decided to spend a rest day as we had a few things on our "To Do" lists.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One thing on my list was to take my holy boots into the Hunting and Fishing store to see if they could exchange them, as a 2.5 months life span just wasn't much good to me. It was a very surreal experience in the end as we happened to actually pass the shop on the way into town, still laden with packs. I walked up to the counter, bent down and untied my shoe laces, put my still warm and sweaty, stinky boots on the counter and with a bit of a discussion from a couple of staff members I was soon tying up a new pair of clean, perfect, untouched boots and walking out of the store without so much of a transaction or a display of a receipt. I wish you could do that with everything that wears out or breaks. Yey for Hunting and Fishing!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4uI8Mfcvn-9CiYfy9AUuPHqpR6ojmTLG-wEwfxirDjcSiyBN1mog5X_cn5pEc4lDdI1mEH1OmCyb7sT63wSOEHhLro8kqW-kHiJHxKTj2LZugb6Ao2011XcfqBPQG-P3cI3Vh2A7fkKw/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4uI8Mfcvn-9CiYfy9AUuPHqpR6ojmTLG-wEwfxirDjcSiyBN1mog5X_cn5pEc4lDdI1mEH1OmCyb7sT63wSOEHhLro8kqW-kHiJHxKTj2LZugb6Ao2011XcfqBPQG-P3cI3Vh2A7fkKw/s400/IMG_1120.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And as it happens, you can do that with everything that wears out or breaks because later, we walked into Macpac, one of our sponsors whose customer service has always been brilliant and on this day went off the scale. Our sleeping mats were deflating every night and despite searching for the source about 10 times with no luck, we took them back to the store to see if they could do anything, along with some merino leggings of Shalane's. Well, by the time we left Jody and Paul at the Palmerston North branch, they had gone over and above their call of duty and then pretty much climbed a mountain for us. Jody, after hearing about what we were doing (as we had to explain why they were sponsoring us) called the local newspaper and arranged for an interview with the journalist to try and promote our trek and raise awareness for Soloman Islands, she had given us a handful of expensive lunch bars (yummy Em's power bars that are gorgeous but out of our budget), offered to help us with absolutely anything else we waned and invited us around for dinner. They both offered us somewhere to stay although we'd already checked into the local campsite. They really were fantastic. After Shalane having not so much luck in Bivouac with HER holy boots (although now completely sorted and a very pleasing result) we finished our shopping for the day before enjoying a lovely meal and evening with Jody and her husband John. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Newspaper article</td></tr>
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I could have easily rolled over and gone back to bed the next day and it reminded me of how I felt every single day back at home. We called into the university campus to get me some cash out of the ATM and it sent my mind thinking about what I want to do when I get home. My head was already exploding from the events of the previous day, what with newspaper interviews and overwhelming kindness of Jody and Paul. Now I walked along wondering if I'm still employable after so many years on the run from society or whether I should go to Uni and make my future happen rather than drift along on the clouds of fate and luck like I've been lucky enough to do so far in life. And so, needless to say, I had a very thoughtful day and if anybody would like to employ me so that I can carry on drifting then that would be lovely.<br />
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We had a plan and it failed! However, with a bit of Kiwi magic and a big butch logging worker with the understanding of the fairy godmother "she'll be 'right"! We packed up early in the morning and headed to Stuart Road which was essentially an access road to the Burtton track - our next trail. There had been a note on the Te Araroa website and signs further back to say that the road was closed Monday to Friday but we figured we'd arrive before they all started work and sneak on past. What we didn't realise was that 7.50am was just not going to cut the mustard and these keen logging workers were there and chopping at 7am. We plonked ourselves on the side of the cold and wet logging road, next to the high vis signs and tape saying "DANGER" and " DO NOT ENTER" and "ROAD CLOSED" - ok ok we get the point! We looked in the distance at the HUGE diggers and machines and the big sliding logs and crazy wire constructions. A guy drove up on a big logging truck and did not look like he should be messed with. He sped up to the "DANGER" tape, jumped out, untied it, jumped in, drove forward, jumped out, put the tape back and sped off! If he'd at least said hello I would have ran over to him and taken the opportunity to ask if we can come through but he was Mr Unapproachable! Shalane and I decided to wait it out. We weren't really sure what we were waiting for but the alternative was a back track followed by a massive road walk that didn't even take us to where we really needed to go, so sitting in the ditch and waiting for something seemed like a good plan at the time. <br />
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So we waited.....<br />
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Within half an hour Mr Unapproachable sped back up to us with his laden lorry and jumped out to untie the danger tape. I wasn't letting him get away this time! I ran over to him and asked if there was any chance of us walking through the destruction mayhem on their lunch break. Well, Mr Unapproachable actually turned out to be Mr I won't hesitate to help you girls and he got onto the radio straight away before striking a deal with me that we can walk through if I re-tie the tape up when he drives past. It sure was a good deal on our part. So off we tottered up to the big scary digger where the gentle giant of a logging working stopped the whole scene so that we could pass by and he even gave us a running commentary on what they were doing and how on the way. Result!<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Burtton track was awesome, despite it feeling a little bit eerie. The track was named after Jim Burtton who lived and farmed out in the bush. In 1941 he fell 8 metres onto some rocks in the river when a suspension bridge he had built collapsed. He managed to take himself to his neighbours along this route with a broken leg and other injuries and it took him 12 hours. Unfortunately, Jim later died in hospital of his injuries. Luckily, it only took us 5 hours to walk it and no broken bones to report. We camped that night at Tokomari Dam. We set up tent on one of our most random camp spots, on the only patch of grass in the area., surrounded by baron logging roads. Shalane had promised to call Sally that evening, who had insisted we'd have mobile reception from the Dam. Sally was the owner of the Mahakika Outdoor Pursuits Centre and had acted as a food drop location for us. When we contacted her she was extremely enthusiastic about some members of the community, including 2 guys who had built the track, coming to meet us and trek with us. On arrival to the dam we realised we didn't have signal, but when one of the logging workers stopped for a chat on his way home from work he informed us that if we walked up the incredibly steep hill behind us in the rain, after our 8 hours of walking that day, we'd get signal. We couldn't wait! He zoomed off and we began to prepare ourselves for the climb. Luckily, the nice man had realised the error of his ways (tee hee) and turned around to give one of us a ride to the top. Shalane jumped at the chance (she really didn't have much choice).</div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russel and Arlan</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Everything got sorted, but as we had a 6am start time due to more logging work, we only had 2 guest trekkers arrive the next morning. However, it turned out perfectly. Sally kindly took some of our gear so Shalane and I trekked with day packs and Russel and Arlan were more than happy to trek at a fast pace. Russel confessed to usually running the trail so as we flew along almost at a jog everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even his son seemed to come round to the idea although he was actually there to pay off a debt of a recently purchased mobile phone (I presume it was obtained via the bank of mum and dad). It was brilliant having 2 locals with us who knew the area and with Russel being an <span style="background-color: yellow;">Orienteer</span>, we were in safe hands. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After the trail we headed back to the Outdoor Centre to be greeted with everything we could have wanted and more. Before Shalane and I hit a town or a rest day we often dream of a flushing toilet or a sink to hand wash our stinking docks in. Never did we imagine what was to follow....</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisedw9MEoV0mL_nsOAKvrNg6jNpHYJp8FLEMNrTUF03iyMnKtJfoDihh91s6zer8n-F2h5HUIerAExONqRbd5A7X1rNNRxVtmbK_2qA2fhW18FJwOxrthWLWfDHrcl4AQW0ToXeusQqJBh/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisedw9MEoV0mL_nsOAKvrNg6jNpHYJp8FLEMNrTUF03iyMnKtJfoDihh91s6zer8n-F2h5HUIerAExONqRbd5A7X1rNNRxVtmbK_2qA2fhW18FJwOxrthWLWfDHrcl4AQW0ToXeusQqJBh/s400/IMG_1147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally cooking up a storm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sally had arranged for us to stay in the "top house" which basically meant we had our own 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house to ourselves. We didn't just get a flushing toilet, we got 1 each! We had use of washing machine and a choice of books that would turn anybody into a book worm. After the guided tour we were told to wonder down to the main house for lunch. Sally cooked us a beautiful lunch, gave us a bag of snacks and fruit, later cooked us a BBQ along with wine, we had use of a hot tub, swimming hole, a car, more food, lunch, steak for dinner followed by another BBQ and more wine. As you can imagine, we didn't want to leave! The best gift of all is that they even went trekking for us. Ok this bit is a joke. However, Sally, her husband John and daughter Emma Kate had planned on a couple of days tramping with some friends and the section they had chosen was part of the Te Araroa trail. Shalane and I had opted for an alternative coastal route as we wanted to ensure we made the ferry in time. There was also bad weather on it's way which would have meant the mountain option becoming un-walkable. So, off Sally and her family went up the mountains where they met Cookie and Nicky, a British couple who are also trekking Te Araroa (<a href="http://www.nickyandcookie.com/">http://www.nickyandcookie.com/</a>) who had decided to brave the mountain range, while we relaxed in the hot tub with wine and good food. It was tough, really tough, but somebody had to do it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH47vuNQGw8ySZr9QGW8wZuNrNNy850EhwAtXkqRV2XYKaHNyTca2kcOpfqCXkwWL6lIG2lbRR0ihlmGH3pLFCBRb5v73W_NP8_Ao-dTbvoOjDuxOpwMQZH6WBIlOuMxTgCnzvEoPGTER/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH47vuNQGw8ySZr9QGW8wZuNrNNy850EhwAtXkqRV2XYKaHNyTca2kcOpfqCXkwWL6lIG2lbRR0ihlmGH3pLFCBRb5v73W_NP8_Ao-dTbvoOjDuxOpwMQZH6WBIlOuMxTgCnzvEoPGTER/s400/IMG_1167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The next few days were great, mainly because we were getting closer and closer to Wellington. We skirted between beach and road and beach and road. The sun was shining and we stopped one evening and enjoyed a kite surfing competition on the beach. As we approached the city on our last day. The clouds were low and our bags had suddenly become really heavy - Our bodies knew we were there. We arrived at lunchtime, darted to the public toilet to try and make ourselves smell less and look human, before treating ourselves to lunch in the nearest cafe/bar. We had made it! North Island.....tick!<br />
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David Oliver, a Kiwi who we had been chasing down the entire north island from day 1 kindly offered us a place to stay in Wellington. He came to meet us and took us back to his house for showers and a feed and has been playing host and tour guide during our days in Wellington. The three of us plan to ferry over to the South Island on 22 January for The Adventure of a Lifetime: Part 2.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO2VJuhxKvNwlqXc4tz-HjKfrmxkPqdWAnGs_f6gImZJwVdjQOV8Hs_W0RBMVjM_Yqo26bU1a7jw9dUl_jGFsxUckLEPa-vdzsZeyc1gXZAegA7N3JeMC4lqZxQzvJx_3QR6FG98fg3Ry/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO2VJuhxKvNwlqXc4tz-HjKfrmxkPqdWAnGs_f6gImZJwVdjQOV8Hs_W0RBMVjM_Yqo26bU1a7jw9dUl_jGFsxUckLEPa-vdzsZeyc1gXZAegA7N3JeMC4lqZxQzvJx_3QR6FG98fg3Ry/s400/IMG_0594.JPG" width="400" /></a>The north island has been so incredible! Day 1 seems so fresh in my head and I remember my sudden realisation at the end of that day that the trek was 5 whole months long. When locals have asked us what we've loved about the trek, the answer has to be the people. We're living an amazing life, the simple life, out of a tent, surrounded by nature, million dollar views and so many experiences that I have lost count but the people have made this trip so far. This trek allows you to really see New Zealand and really get chatting to the locals and they have proved to be so kind and generous and interesting and entertaining. We've met farmers, hunters, local business owners, kids, town folk, village folk, sheep and cows galore, live possums, dead possums, and many more. But....all this time, the whole 3 months, all people have said to us is "wait until you see the south island". I have a new backpack thanks to Macpac doing me a fantastic deal, we have new t-shirts that aren't crusty and we both have new boots! So here we come south island!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT BE ONLINE OR CONTACTABLE AS MUCH IN THE SOUTH ISLAND DUE TO A MORE ISOLATED ROUTE.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">THERE ALSO PHOTO AND VIDEO UPDATES ON THIS BLOG.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-87029652976277022972011-01-09T16:06:00.000+13:002011-01-09T16:06:52.364+13:00HAVING OURSELVES A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G2QGwpxR5twzwlnKjSsavVTMRUza5M1yns-3dmaChLZeooTUloHZBgr2HRH1VlJh7gCSsaVwgUxp6izRujFfcZDrYfY7BMiUjj4Sfj5GoXnZ7POTf06IXeQPamEZsWvniJo-gl4cLfuc/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G2QGwpxR5twzwlnKjSsavVTMRUza5M1yns-3dmaChLZeooTUloHZBgr2HRH1VlJh7gCSsaVwgUxp6izRujFfcZDrYfY7BMiUjj4Sfj5GoXnZ7POTf06IXeQPamEZsWvniJo-gl4cLfuc/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorating our camp sport just north of Tongiriro Forest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Te Kuiti was a bit of a turning point for us. We talked about how we'd been feeling and what we want to do and decided that we were just going to have to go at the trail and go at it hard. So we packed some stuff in a box to post to Wellington so that our packs were lighter and put a notice on Facebook and our Blogs to say we wouldn't be in touch for a while. We stuck on our Santa hats and stuck out our thumbs and hitched us a ride back to the bush.<br />
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Having now celebrated Christmas a few days early by eating way too much yummy food, we had to come to terms with the fact that the real Christmas day might be a bit of a non event this year. Over the last few weeks we had tried to guess and plan where we'd be and it was forever changing. What we didn't realise was that we would actually be lucky enough to reach the Tongariro Crossing on Christmas day, and I couldn't have planned a better way to spend it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Morning as we begin the Tongiriro Crossing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The day began windy and wet with some thick, gray clouds that looked like they weren't moving. We began the walk which was immediately exciting, as being 1000 - 2000 meters high, there was no vegetation up there and we were surrounded by grey, volcanic rock. We were slipping and sliding our way up the steep mountain on the loose gravel when Shalane called my name behind me. As I looked back I saw that the clouds had cleared to reveal one of the gorgeous lakes with a towering volcano behind it. The weather just got better and better and before long the sky was clear blue and we had THE most stunning views of the lakes and craters around us.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkquV8la_r2EqCv4s0L5dvVu-4KS6mm-AWUXzW-p0TiPSjb8g7mTMjv-hbXphq926qb_sBD2zWQMja7Hb_c23HDfS9yW0ObaadMiLYEkXq-P7uWO-M4bRnuqdREesJ9K-DDb2aXv9I1MTk/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkquV8la_r2EqCv4s0L5dvVu-4KS6mm-AWUXzW-p0TiPSjb8g7mTMjv-hbXphq926qb_sBD2zWQMja7Hb_c23HDfS9yW0ObaadMiLYEkXq-P7uWO-M4bRnuqdREesJ9K-DDb2aXv9I1MTk/s400/IMG_0947.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxiYvefaxAjZWnVnead8YC4jdILWywUOUwlaMjMv7pecgO4RZYKgvvjYheHM99eo6Szvxnhg5vNBE43TJifleJnUyCtQwHT9QKFCmqHjAd7n5n0HV6rdueBsOu881_XQsxxzU4o8B7Si5/s1600/IMG_0966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxiYvefaxAjZWnVnead8YC4jdILWywUOUwlaMjMv7pecgO4RZYKgvvjYheHM99eo6Szvxnhg5vNBE43TJifleJnUyCtQwHT9QKFCmqHjAd7n5n0HV6rdueBsOu881_XQsxxzU4o8B7Si5/s400/IMG_0966.JPG" width="400" /></a>We decided to take a detour and do the northern circuit and I just felt like I was absorbing everything around me. To be so high up and walk across a huge plateau that is flattened out in front of you as far as your eyes can see, with snow capped mountains around you was such a buzz. On Christmas night we arrived at the cosy Outere Hut where me, Shalane and about 8 others chatted and ate in the evening until heading to bed at a normal early hour. The sunrise and low clouds were a great sight to wake up and walk to the following morning and we walked a full day to Whakapapa Village and then the next day to Whakapapa National Park, the whole two days with the snowy mountains in sight.<br />
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Once at the national park we heard the weather for the next day was going to be wet with strong winds so we took a rest day at the national park and pitched our tent in the hostel garden. The rain was atrocious so we surrendered to a day indoors with a rock climbing wall for entertainment.<br />
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The next few days were brilliant. Partly because DOC are pretty generous when estimating walking times for their trails so we got further each day than we thought and we finished at a decent time so spent the afternoons sunbathing and relaxing or doing yoga. It was perfect! New years eve saw us in bed at 8pm and we saw the new year in in our sleep. However, after a 10 hour walk only taking us 4 hours the next day we decided to spend the reast of new years day canoeing down the Whanganui river, instead of waiting until the following day. Part of the trail has us canoeing down the river as the only way to get to the next section as there are no trails or roads in the area. We had 2 days arranged on the river and they were absolutely beautiful!<br />
<br />
The first day we were paddling fairly fast to beat the wind and get to Pipriki. We'd set off walking at 6am that morning so to still be physically working at 5.30pm was exhausting, but to be working our arms and not our legs felt pretty good. We did have to share the river with a couple of jet boats and other canoes and kayaks and one complete douchebag who thought we all wanted to see and hear him darting about on his speed boat. But apart from that the dramatic, lush mountains either side of the gentle flowing Whanganui river was simply picturesque.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Wbrn6aasIiXFJCg61lcFS5dYGlCTMxTEAww-JH2Q2tuI8r-71C5kT6K2_3DK626VlF_sp4ohoz3dLL3y41iKJefCTp9K8ig_mrty1ZLjZh0YMcZDfEtaTA-mmBzPXKrDUA4djtjLnXR/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Wbrn6aasIiXFJCg61lcFS5dYGlCTMxTEAww-JH2Q2tuI8r-71C5kT6K2_3DK626VlF_sp4ohoz3dLL3y41iKJefCTp9K8ig_mrty1ZLjZh0YMcZDfEtaTA-mmBzPXKrDUA4djtjLnXR/s400/IMG_1097.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just floating along!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The following day was the best. It beats them all! We were on the river at our usual early hour and didn't see a single soul all day. We watched as the sun came up, we stopped for cups of tea and lunch on the rocks along the way and sailed down the gentle (and at one point not so gentle) rapids. The only time we used the paddle was to steer but we mostly sat and soaked up the birds chirping and gentle trickle of water as the smaall streams and waterfalls joined the river and the odd wild pig or goat making extremely random noises in the bush. The water was dead still and the reflection of those tall, lush mountains looked like a painting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUC74A0is-bDeGQKarDuj2_roPW9myTieG77hkG-85hPreR5TPm9Uh5RHqT-tKcd_aNyc-d4772il7eg-mHJo-ru-MxxcQBOxWUiDuei1n88flmUI0WNufDjkdAbg-OVDUvoIiSuWLvvJ/s1600/IMG_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUC74A0is-bDeGQKarDuj2_roPW9myTieG77hkG-85hPreR5TPm9Uh5RHqT-tKcd_aNyc-d4772il7eg-mHJo-ru-MxxcQBOxWUiDuei1n88flmUI0WNufDjkdAbg-OVDUvoIiSuWLvvJ/s400/IMG_1076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing Whanganui River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We looked behind us after one of the rapids to see the town we were meant to stop at getting smaller and smaller as we floated away from it and we secretly pleased. There had been no clear landmarks and by the time we realised there was nothing we could do. We continued for a few more hours down the river to the next town, taking it in turns to steer while the other laid back and sunbathed. When we arrived in Matahiwi we borrowed a locals phone to call and tell the hire company we'd gone a bit further than planned, before pitching our tent by the river and having a swim, a relax and some dinner.<br />
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The last few days of making good distance, getting further than we had hoped and still fully enjoying our afternoons are exactly what we've been striving for the whole trip and it feels so good. We did two days of road walking to reach Whanganui and still made it there quicker than we thought we would. <br />
<br />
When we got to Whanganui we were overwhelmed by how gorgeous it was. Nobody had really talked about it so we had no idea what to expect. We had a few practical things to do before relaxing and we decided that having not washed our clothes for...cough.....over a month, everything would need to be washed twice. So we packed ourselves off to a cheap store in town to buy something to wear while all our belongings were having a big soak. There weren't any op shops open so we found a store that sold XXXL T-Shirts (the size being essential as they would need to cover our bums - as I said....EVERYTHING needed washing) and managed to purchase 2 for $18. I can't tell you how amazing it felt to be putting on a different item of clothing, and one that was clean and I was clean and our clothes were being cleaned! Oh, happy days.<br />
<br />
I've realised that a large percentage of our low point was to do with managing our expectations. Finding out that we had slightly longer than we thought and reaching trails that took longer than they claimed to due to a lack of maintenance put a dampener on our, already low, motivation levels. That, combined with bad weather, Shalane's illness and things just not going our way made things seem impossible. Loosing sight of the small day to day goals and looking too far into the future at a goal that is still so far away meant that I lost momentum.<br />
<br />
The good news is, it feels so brilliant to have come out the other end of a very low point and during that time I realised that I don't want to give up on this trek in a hurry. We are officially back in the drivers seat.Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-86981739310256487912011-01-05T11:01:00.001+13:002011-01-05T11:02:11.436+13:00BOGGED IN AT BOG INN!Leaving Hamilton and walking further and further from civilisation felt great. Walking with the knowledge that, apart from a couple of small towns, we were off into the wilderness for a few days and it was just what I was looking forward to after the uninspiring tarmac from Auckland to Hamilton.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraKS5BBhP2b7ENUU1WOK0AJ1Uqv0KRw1jDKw3TjC48JsiuT2A112VmXq09a856tJvvq0JDdPW4IDpg54xnqCchgFzrlzCgyb4ocMlzSyho-4b7JgjLMjnBPRWCKgMo2kJeBEEvUh_el6O/s1600/IMG_0846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraKS5BBhP2b7ENUU1WOK0AJ1Uqv0KRw1jDKw3TjC48JsiuT2A112VmXq09a856tJvvq0JDdPW4IDpg54xnqCchgFzrlzCgyb4ocMlzSyho-4b7JgjLMjnBPRWCKgMo2kJeBEEvUh_el6O/s400/IMG_0846.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>The weather began in its usual scorchio style and we left Hamilton slightly later than our usual 6.00am start, as we were having to get a bus back to the place we left off when we stopped, on the north side of the city. We decided to set ourselves a goal of a lovely riverside spot about 30kms away, that looked great for camping, even though it would mean walking in the afternoon heat. We got offered about 6 rides as we walked down the Raglan Road (a road it had taken me an hour to hitch a ride on the day before in the rain) so we must have looked like we needed the help, with our packs loaded up with a full stock of food and water. If we weren't being offered rides, we were getting beeped, thanks to the new addition of tinsel and a Santa hat, that we had attached to our packs. The calls of "Merry Christmas" definitely put a skip in my step. We reached our goal and as it was such a hot day and our bags always feel a bit of a struggle after a rest day and being fully laden, we felt pretty pleased with ourselves.<br />
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While we were in Hamilon on our rest day we found out that we had miscalculated slightly and we had an extra few days on the next section of our journey. Although it wasn't much, we felt a bit disappointed and we had decided to put a bit of effort into making some distance and getting to Wellington without any further delays. So we were off to a good start....<br />
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As mentioned in the last blog, I have been feeling a little uninspired lately and, dare I say, bored. Ever since we left Auckland a few factors had left me wondering whether I would stay motivated enough to make it all the way down to Bluff. One of the reasons is my fitness. I saw a big change at the beginning of this trek, as I didn't train at all so my fitness improved very quickly including my stamina, endurance and strength, and as time has gone on my fitness has plateaued which subconsciously resulted in my lacking motivation. As minor as this sounds, it is something that really made me want to get up and go every morning, I felt amazing after pushing myself and seeing my muscles and my body change. The best thing I can relate it too is for those who run to keep fit. At first it feels great and you push through pain barriers and notice a difference and then after a while you just get bored, you are just running and running and although you may be maintaining a level of fitness it is certainly not as motivating as it is at first. <br />
<br />
Another factor that had effected my mentality is that I had started to become a little complacent with the scenery and as a few of the trails felt very similar to many others we have been on, I didn't feel as "wowed" as when we first began. I would find myself counting down the minutes to break and lunch and the end of the day. I would wake up in the morning and be in autopilot and by not taking in every inch of my surroundings and the experience, like I had done before, I would feel guilty but I couldn't seem to snap out of it. Somebody said to me recently that he wouldn't be able to do what we do because he can't walk without a purpose. Although we have a purpose, it's difficult to keep focus of it for such a long period of time. It's often easy to set yourself a target or a goal of a week or a month or a couple of months but when you have done 2.5 months and you still have the same amount to go, it's very hard to keep pushing yourself. I would wake up at 5.00am in the dark, fumble around and cook the oatmeal I have every morning, I would put on my one outfit, I would pack my bag in the methodical way I needed to so that everything fit, I would put one foot in front of the other again and again and walk for 8 maybe 9 whole hours a day and not necessarily have an amazing view or a particular destination to walk towards. I would then arrive somewhere, put up the tent, unpack my whole bag, have dinner and then go to bed. I tried to look at it with fresh eyes and get my excitement back but something was missing and as time went on and the feeling didn't really subside and I really started to think that I didn't want to do this anymore. I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I wanted the freedom of going where I wanted and when I wanted. Eating what I wanted. Wearing what I wanted. But I managed to shake those thoughts off. I had already seen so many amazing things and I still have loads to still experience, especially with the South Island being so different. I would think about the Solomon Islands and my commitment to them and the feeling that I personally would get when I reach Bluff! Unbeatable! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvaRmHs-h67peokyGOi4d_3xmKGIrERt0V8HckT3BtTwW8ir28ousCWHf2CNLI8rE7gyMODnal6kBs-RD2Z6rlAmDVC-jlypF2cGm3W0tItxhk7ZAAqKQTzrsfMlfrLqY6-T6I5nihpgb/s1600/IMG_0879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvaRmHs-h67peokyGOi4d_3xmKGIrERt0V8HckT3BtTwW8ir28ousCWHf2CNLI8rE7gyMODnal6kBs-RD2Z6rlAmDVC-jlypF2cGm3W0tItxhk7ZAAqKQTzrsfMlfrLqY6-T6I5nihpgb/s400/IMG_0879.JPG" width="400" /></a>When Shalane and I spoke about it, she understood and felt similar and we tried to spur each other on. The section after Hamilton was beautiful too which helped. The Kapamuhunga trail was like walking up and down every single hill that you see in those photographs of layered rolling green hills and it amazes me to think that people actually own that land. We had some gorgeous riverside camp spots too which allowed us some great down time. We'd pitch our tent and bathe in the river and I'd do some yoga and really relax.<br />
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I was walking along one day and I was thinking to myself, "what will it take for me to be snapped out of this feeling of bordom?" and "What can change so that I feel like I'm back on the adventure again?" Just the next day, the weather took a turn for the worse and in true New Zealand style, their summer turned very wet.<br />
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<u>DON'T EAT YELLOW SNOW....BUT CAN I DRINK YELLOW WATER?!</u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSaDvJyasGu8-2dcjNxV66lrPsobwFLvTLpIinorufJlp2PxruZMFn3tWycJ4BT0fM6lU9S_7Vi2C-agNozh3-xqxIptaKZJxOFs66652W3k3izMk_kXlFdJAzJtZal0J6Gp_i1cUJfTK/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSaDvJyasGu8-2dcjNxV66lrPsobwFLvTLpIinorufJlp2PxruZMFn3tWycJ4BT0fM6lU9S_7Vi2C-agNozh3-xqxIptaKZJxOFs66652W3k3izMk_kXlFdJAzJtZal0J6Gp_i1cUJfTK/s400/IMG_0893.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Perongia Mountain Helipad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The morning we climbed Perongia Mountain I was feeling very low and fed up and that was even before the rain started. At one point I stopped to take my rain coat off as I was hot and Shalane went on ahead and I lost track of time for a bit. I kept expecting to see Shalane around the next corner for break and every step I took seemed like an effort. At one point I skidded on some mud as I tried to climb up a steep bank and was feeling pretty defeated. I stood at the bottom of the steep bank, rain falling all around me, my pack heavy and my legs feeling like lead and I just spontaneously burst into tears. It was the strangest feeling but I immediately felt better after sobbing like a girl for a few minutes. It was like a release, maybe an overdue cry or something but I felt lighter and happier and by the time I saw Shalane for break it was like I started the day again. We climbed to over 900 m to a view of clouds and we soggily plodded along to the Pahautea Hut, where we decided to spend the afternoon for a rest. We hadn't stayed at many huts so it felt like a real treat. When I heard voices and a dog barking my initial thought was "oh no, we have to share the hut", but the current residents turned out to be Department of Conservation (DOC) goat hunters. Goats aren't native to NZ and eat all the native foliage so the hunters are sent in, often air lifted by helicopter with 10 days worth of food and equipment, ready to exterminate. Two hunters soon turned to 4 and we all sat and chatted while we were made numerous cups of tea and they even cooked a Shepherds Pie for dinner. It was really great to have company and what was even better was that because of the nature of their jobs, walking the mountains, long physical days, they were understanding of us smelling a bit and going to bed early. Before bed, Shalane and I went to the helipad to watch the sunset. The clouds had part lifted and part sunk and the view was absolutely stunning. We couldn't have hoped for a better rest day and with a bit of entertainment from Stu the hunter with his joke repertoire it was time to hit the hay. I had a feeling that, with a few good days trekking under our belts, a night in a hut with some good company, maybe things were about to change for the better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2soU0sjnbytM31UaZUEWVOhNVXhSU3HRwKE6edBd17QCXh5iYO-E4hoR0r6eqv1IGXXoGLApwfAa0KiJZtVuEltUHshXhsCzUwI7ldicvA2hGrA2UaivkUlixNpn2pV_Qf2oscCxKdVuj/s1600/IMG_0899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2soU0sjnbytM31UaZUEWVOhNVXhSU3HRwKE6edBd17QCXh5iYO-E4hoR0r6eqv1IGXXoGLApwfAa0KiJZtVuEltUHshXhsCzUwI7ldicvA2hGrA2UaivkUlixNpn2pV_Qf2oscCxKdVuj/s400/IMG_0899.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DOC Goat Hunters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After breakfast, cooked for us by the lads, they went off to work and Shalane and I took a look at our maps to plan out the next few days so that we could set ourselves some targets and start making some serious distance. We were starting to become aware that, although we don't want to rush this trek, the season and our finances suggest we can't take forever and we wanted to set ourselves a few goals. It was then that we realised more bad news. There had been another miscalculation and we had even more days to go than we originally thought. A few days here and there really isn't a huge problem but I guess it's all about managing our own expectations and because we can't afford to be trekking for ever and we have so much more time to come those few days just felt like forever. We're not entirely sure when the miscalculation happened but it was a knock down that we didn't really need as our motivation was already a little unstable. <br />
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Somehow, we woke up the next day feeling a little bit lifted and although the weather was now in full downpour the trail we were on took us around some of the most unbelievable farmland I've seen. It was so vast and simply something you see in photographs or paintings. At one point we came around one corner and the clouds lifted and thinned for a split second. Enough to reveal a breath taking view that gave me a big grin. When it rains really hard, something happens in me to give me a determination I didn't know I had. I think it's a sink or swim mentality (literally) and when you, your clothes and your bag are soaking wet and you are a few days walk from anywhere, without the promise of a dry, warm house to go home to, you have no choice but to keep going. Just as lunch time came around we'd approached an empty farm shed and as we stepped inside and the rain and wind got worse the luck of the finding the shelter just in time make me feel things were on our side. <br />
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Shalane had heard from David, a Kiwi guy doing Te Araroa ahead of us, who kindly warned us that the next section of this track was more overgrown with Gorse (a spiky, impossible, horrible bush that apparently comes from Europe) than anything we'd seen before, and as we'd come across some pretty towering examples we knew it had to be bad. So decided to re route to the road. We'd just past the track turn off when the farmer approached us and when we told him our reasons for rerouting, he suggested we take the old track that reconnects with the new, just above the Gorse. We took his advice and took as risk as his directions were the kind given by someone who knows the way like an engraving in his brain but doesn't necessarily know how to verbalise them. We took a while to find the way but eventually, we were back on track and we set up camp in the rain and hid inside for the rest of the evening.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2iYW0C5xLNFYYe-m1K6m9jUEwkrWQVW34pyr7inH9LMnET92rose8lYWeWFEnKaFMG6cpNVZTGXb6cqVaew-JehLKqFuongrSaDysSpx2lQb5aairjvuU9119vPa233nhjhG_5qAp7K8/s1600/IMG_0901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2iYW0C5xLNFYYe-m1K6m9jUEwkrWQVW34pyr7inH9LMnET92rose8lYWeWFEnKaFMG6cpNVZTGXb6cqVaew-JehLKqFuongrSaDysSpx2lQb5aairjvuU9119vPa233nhjhG_5qAp7K8/s400/IMG_0901.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Caravan at Te Kuiti Campsite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next few days sucked! We got rained on so heavily coming into Te Kuiti that I think my bones were waterlogged and the trail was very frustrating. I've never been lead so unnecessarily up and over so many hills when the route around the hill is as clear as day! The only thing that saved us from defeat that day (along with my secret stash of yoghurt covered raisins) was staying in a cheap caravan at Te Kuiti campsite and putting everything we owned in the tumble dryer.<br />
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The next day we left with everything waterproof on and everything tucked in and zipped up and apart from getting hot and sweaty from the extravagant layers, I was dry from the rain. The trail was again frustrating. With the instructions from the website leading us into an area with a "private land, trespassers will be prosecuted sign" before taking us to a trail which had us both thinking it was out last. The Mangakeowa Riverside trail was absolutely beautiful and has potential of being my favourite, had it not been for a near death experience. The rain made the trail a little more slippery than usual so we began sliding all over the place which we are actually used to , but when the small ridge we were walking on became tiny and uneven and the bushes and trees became over grown, both me and Shalane literally feared for our lives. On the left we had a sheer 20 meter drop down the river with nothing but brambles to catch our fall. The path was wide enough for one boot and often eroded away so you'd have to jump over big gaps and on the right were thorn bushes or Gorse so thickly over grown that to push through it, you needed the weight of your whole body and pack, which essentially put you an your 20kg load off balance, risking a fall to the brambles. This went on for nearly 2 hours and by the time we hit a clearing we were both scratched and cut, covered in debris, my waterproof bag cover was ripped and I had the biggest headache. By the time we reached a decent camp spot, unsure of where we were but too exhausted to carry on, we'd had enough. Today was officially the first day I wanted to quit this trek and really meant it. The trails were were being sent on were either pointless or dangerous and I couldn't wait to get out. I was sick of being able to smell myself and bored of walking. It chucked it down with rain again so we darted for the tent and stayed there, Both of us feeling bloody miserable.<br />
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Nothing seems as bad after a good night sleep and I guess one thing in our favour is that to quit we would still need to walk for 2 days to get anywhere. We woke up and went through the routine like any other morning and we proceeded to walk in the rain. We managed to find sheds to have breaks in along the way but we got rained on so heavily towards the end of the day that I wasn't sure I'd ever dry out. We walked a huge 40kms that day before setting up camp in a farm shed, next to a sheep's carcass. We sat there on a mouldy bit of foam we found on the floor, drinking yellow cow pee water as we vacantly stared at our dripping wet clothes with complete emotional and physical exhaustion. In the morning it's safe to say our clothes actually felt more wet. As I put on my cold, soggy t-shirt, my 2 pairs of wet socks and my squelching boots, that sink or swim determination hit me again. Today was the last day before we will reach Bog Inn Hut for a rest day. It had been 5 long days since the last rest day and we were in desperate need. 32 kms is all I have to walk, one mountain to climb and we can dry out clothes and have a day off in shelter. All I have to do is ignore my upset stomach and nausea that I must have got from the cow pee water, ignore my soaking wet everything and put one foot in front of the other. So we walked and we climbed to 1265m to another view of clouds and to blustering winds. We kept on walking through landslides and through flooded mountain rivers and we were soaked to the bone. Admittedly, the trail in the Puetora Forest was very pretty and the rain made it so lush and majestic but not a second too soon did we make it to Bog Inn Hut. The 4 bunk cosy hut was all ours and we lit the fire, changed into warm, dry clothes and congratulated ourselves on completing 5 long, tough and miserable days. We'd pushed ourselves hard, there had been tears and I certainly can't say I had been bored! I had pushed myself physically on those longer days and now know that I can be pushed more and will maybe see another change in my fitness. I'd seen enough rain to last me quite sometime and although I was still fed up with being able to smell myself, frustrated with the trails and overwhelmed by the number of days we still have until Bluff, or even Wellington for that matter, I keep saying I don't want to do this anymore but I keep getting up at 5am and putting my trekking boots on so I guess I the tough times will only make me more determined in the long run.<br />
<u><br />
</u><br />
<u>BOGGED IN AT BOG INN!</u><b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
Our rest day was great. A hunter had come by and gave us some extra food so we spent the day just lazing about and doing nothing. Both Shalane and I woke up with upset stomachs again so we had no problem with having an extremely lazy day and the rain continued constantly and heavily outside. At one point we spread the maps out on the floor and set ourselves and tough but reachable goal, full of long but possible days to get to Wellington. We finished the planning with the determination and a new gleam of light that we would get to the other side of this tough time and told ourselves that this was all part of the journey.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0GrzFSoOFe2XyqrnZZzMntxCwz7omZkzaKEHZDxzTfQ98VmbkTFDMFyXSqhOOfts5XPQ7aMkdZ0A4Kz_VLNRF7ELwHa9-s65VWaWYdMyS623GJ_RuE6aJSAHYk-S-bWf27cN_Rm3ADd3/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0GrzFSoOFe2XyqrnZZzMntxCwz7omZkzaKEHZDxzTfQ98VmbkTFDMFyXSqhOOfts5XPQ7aMkdZ0A4Kz_VLNRF7ELwHa9-s65VWaWYdMyS623GJ_RuE6aJSAHYk-S-bWf27cN_Rm3ADd3/s400/IMG_0912.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting to chop fire wood at Bog Inn Hut</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We woke at the usual time the next day ready for the off but unfortunately, Shalane was still not feeling well and the weather was horrific! With the track consisting mostly of muddy forest before reaching a river in a valley, we decided to wait a while until the rain slowed down. The day was miserable and with Christmas approaching, the weather fowl and with my temporary vision of light at the end of the tunnel now extinguished I cried a lot. Something about the bad weather and the Christmas tunes on the radio made me feel extremely homesick.<br />
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We ended up waiting in the hut all day! In fact, Shalane's health and the rain just got worse and by the following day, we had decided that we needed to get Shalane to a doctor. We were lucky enough that there was a trail leading out onto a forest road and we were even luckier to discover I had mobile phone signal once we were out on the road. By road we mean a dirt track with no traffic and still a good 8 hours walk to a main road. I called the DOC initially to double check the way out, as our maps didn't cover that area, but they were kind enough to send somebody to pick us up. Jason, the DOC Ranger scooped us off the dirt road like our knight in shining armor and drove us to the doctor in Mangakino, a small town about an hour north of the forest.<br />
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Shalane found out she had Gardia, a parasite that she got from water. Although we had treated the water, she had sipped half a cup one morning that she hadn't treated and we guessed that was the culprit. After discovering that between us we didn't have enough cash on us to pay for the doctors and after a further discovery that the town accommodation, food store or pharmacy didn't take card and the ATM didn't accept our international cards, we were feeling a little bit abandoned. The doctor very kindly offered us a lift to anywhere that was on her way home from work and as she lived in Hamilton, we asked to be dropped in Te Kuiti. We were back in the place we walked out of 4 days ago within the hour! <br />
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We checked back into the same campsite and sat on the grass unable to put the tent up for a few moments. As we sat there after a pretty dramatic day, we both wondered how many times we could keep picking ourselves back up and keep going before we were just too tired to do so.<br />
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We decided to make the most of our surroundings and as we had been trying to plan Christmas day for a while now (at one point fearing we might just have to road walk) we took full advantage of the supermarket nearby and didn't hold back. We put on our Santa hats cooked up an early Christmas Roast Chicken dinner, complete with mince pies and custard for desert and extra treats for the following day. As we both sat back in our chairs feeling like we might burst at the seams we suddenly felt very Christmassy! We put the day behind us and enjoyed an evening of indulging and it felt amazing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYF2vEiEbIg4apO993t27QpVsgZ32h_pGrsxxCptifvFgNrya70fC99pHj_02P12VU5y3TWddbVV4pz-EDoAxThbFYp9Yw4NC08lN-ZWFV4U7BrkkjXYQLXEnTEde_7qNM-dqm_1mdD6Y/s1600/IMG_0902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYF2vEiEbIg4apO993t27QpVsgZ32h_pGrsxxCptifvFgNrya70fC99pHj_02P12VU5y3TWddbVV4pz-EDoAxThbFYp9Yw4NC08lN-ZWFV4U7BrkkjXYQLXEnTEde_7qNM-dqm_1mdD6Y/s640/IMG_0902.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue at Te Kuiti, the Sheep Shearing Capital of the World!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-82681525792684237002010-12-24T10:53:00.001+13:002010-12-26T16:33:05.569+13:00OfflineJust a quickie to let you know that Shalane and I will be out of touch for a wee while. We keep getting up and trekking and setting our sights on reachable goals but something appears to want to stop us. After a constant battle with all things nature, whether it be weather or whether it be health or whether is be the general bush, something appears to want to slow us down!<br />
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We have recently ended back in Te Kuiti, somewhere that took us a week to trek away from as Shalane became sick from Gardia (a parasite from the water) and things have just not been on our side recently.<br />
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As a result, we have decided to go at it and go at it hard and therefore will not be updating the internet until we have beat whatever New Zealand has to throw at us. We won't have a lot of time as we need to get to Wellington for our ferry crossing but will update you as soon as possible.<br />
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In the meantime Happy Christmas and New Year folks!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-19985764453209613142010-12-10T22:02:00.001+13:002010-12-10T22:06:31.537+13:00The Hills Are Alive With The Sound of......State Highway 1!I wish I could say that every part of every day of this trek is beautiful and great but there were always going to be slightly less inspiring parts. I won't bore you with the details but......Ok, I will.<br />
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I feel that so far we have painted quite an idyllic picture of us skipping through meadows with the sun always shining and an amazing view always waiting for us around the corner or up a mountain but we haven't really gone into detail about how crusty our one outfit is or how we have to unpack and repack absolutely every last thing in our smelly backpacks every day of every week. To be quite honest with you, these things don't really bother me too much. <br />
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However, the trials of the trail are something that do get really tough and when the only way is onwards, it is sometimes difficult to remain motivated and keep walking. The 3 days following Auckland were mainly road walking. Long, endless boot on tarmac style road walking and this can can be tough for a few reasons. Firstly, is the physical aspect. When walking on a hard, flat surface for a long period of time everything that can hurt does.<br />
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The weight of the pack on top and the hard tarmac below means your ankles swell and calves tighten. The backpack moves with every single step and causing bruising your shoulders and painful back muscles. When usually on a trail the surface underfoot varies, the road is relentless! Also really nasty is the constant intrusive and loud traffic as it rushes past you, swerving at the last minute.<br />
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But that's not all.....<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEf4iXjIZoIJXZPsVESk9vxepoLVxpkhu8xNfc2GQwkLL5b86hKcQhehtH8jRzsZdUMTpDv0uqfD8zdve2Mv7Slu3w7JcVQgpSU2ttCPgIG3trBYXPvRDKJExkRgT0Cqe3L2GnPGDb7Ho0/s1600/DecemberAW+280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEf4iXjIZoIJXZPsVESk9vxepoLVxpkhu8xNfc2GQwkLL5b86hKcQhehtH8jRzsZdUMTpDv0uqfD8zdve2Mv7Slu3w7JcVQgpSU2ttCPgIG3trBYXPvRDKJExkRgT0Cqe3L2GnPGDb7Ho0/s400/DecemberAW+280.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the more quiet roads outside of Auckland but still Tarmac</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next is the pure boredom factor! I don't mind road walking too much when you are on a quiet, country road, looking out over the rolling hills or ocean or at all the new born spring animals with nobbly knees and ears too big for their head but road walking in the Auckland suburbs, which can I say are endless, was a little tough on the eye. I think it was a motivational issue more than the actual job in hand as you get the feeling you really are just walking from A to B with B being the goal, instead of all the little bits in between being part of it too, and because of that, you can never quite get there fast enough. Having to walk along in a built up area for 8 hours each day for 3 days before we felt like we were even nearly out of the Auckland area was hard to get out of tent for, even with the promise of oatmeal and powdered milk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IPR1RomeekmEpcGGBhe9pPB1paLb3iJ96v9N7ZOQyyq003YgD8bJbNvD2UqjHhidyr4vgfpq2zbPpSnunhhjo2f5dL0-lXVW4n0zzVLzkJbadwG2R28xKHR44hh2i0hQT1EbuKExOEkG/s1600/December+089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IPR1RomeekmEpcGGBhe9pPB1paLb3iJ96v9N7ZOQyyq003YgD8bJbNvD2UqjHhidyr4vgfpq2zbPpSnunhhjo2f5dL0-lXVW4n0zzVLzkJbadwG2R28xKHR44hh2i0hQT1EbuKExOEkG/s400/December+089.jpg" width="400" /></a>So there we would be, walking along the dark, grey, tarmac. If we were lucky, we'd have a pavement or a wide verge but often we'd have to dive into ditches, praying that the crazy driver coming towards us had seen us hobbling along. Sometimes, on slightly busier roads we'd walk along the verge for a while giving us that sensation of having one leg longer than the other as the small verge sloped to a steep gutter. I think you are getting the picture, but just in case you're not...... Our breaks were spent mostly in people's driveways looking out over that lovely asphalt and if we were ever bored of looking at the road and traffic, there was plenty of litter and of course, roadkill. The roadkill came in different shapes and sizes and stages of decay and sometimes you would even smell it before you saw it. However, luck was looking up and just south of Auckland we were taken off road and onto a grassy trail.. It passed through a really great campsite with some farm animals and out the other side down a track with some ickle bunnies hopping around and just when we were starting to enjoy the off road experience it guided us through to a water treatment site and onto a landfill area. Great!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqUYO7mI2dl2UYUdIa_kg7h5uxSGhpsUfs1Ci8nNTT-uuwRt0JAyrH5Rx7Ta_Xsx5r58hL7-ZPfXflaEtBEVi4W_h7HoRxQPCsyeTYf7yiA3EEiZ3787yuKX8-0tzAr5uXTa94MXNwHjT/s1600/December+092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqUYO7mI2dl2UYUdIa_kg7h5uxSGhpsUfs1Ci8nNTT-uuwRt0JAyrH5Rx7Ta_Xsx5r58hL7-ZPfXflaEtBEVi4W_h7HoRxQPCsyeTYf7yiA3EEiZ3787yuKX8-0tzAr5uXTa94MXNwHjT/s400/December+092.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the two small signs either side of me pointing at each other</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All this aside we still managed to have a giggle and when walking along one day we came across two Te Araroa signs pointing towards each other in the middle of the road and we knew we were in for a treat in this new area. The Te Araroa Trust has been building this trail with assistance from local councils so the signs and trail standards have been a little inconsistent, which is actually great and makes life a little more interesting but the Manakau area was special. The next sign we saw pointed us down a road and we had written instructions from the Te Araroa website in case of no signs. Well, we followed this track further and further looking in all directions for a sign or orange arrow or something and after sitting down and having some lunch having realised that even the instructions were of no use, we retraced our footsteps, only to join back on the (yep you guessed it) road. Having walked 8Kms and wasted nearly 2 hours we were feeling pretty poo. That day we finally reached our goal which was Totara Park where we set up camp for the day, having walked 38 kms and felt suitably exhausted! The good news is, we still had the crossword book. Shalane and I were not feeling like enough of a married couple, sharing a tent (even though we are topsy tailed), spending every waking moment, discussing bowel movements and future plans and all those other intimate details, our "relationship" just wasn't complete. So, with the purchase of a crossword book in Auckland we settled down that night to an ice cream and a good old mind puzzle.<br />
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When we arrived in Clevedon and found a pretty camp spot in a scenic reserve, we finally felt like we'd left the big smoke behind us. We decided on a rest day as the next section consisted of a new trail which our maps were too old show and with the non-existent signs we'd recently experienced, it was better to face what the Hanua Ranges had to throw at us having had a day of putting our feet up.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnr0-rPw7Zf0PzGl9uQkkuu3UVEC1cbMEgGNEek7IqD5QGaf0xrMQJGeVV35DImAkksNYKWC-gcXEPjRx8_CMMXB9Fu_i9OcpGD_ICqci6Z5mk3yp78pErH_38YrEoLV-o3YeMSpAjdul/s1600/December+102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnr0-rPw7Zf0PzGl9uQkkuu3UVEC1cbMEgGNEek7IqD5QGaf0xrMQJGeVV35DImAkksNYKWC-gcXEPjRx8_CMMXB9Fu_i9OcpGD_ICqci6Z5mk3yp78pErH_38YrEoLV-o3YeMSpAjdul/s400/December+102.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Climb of the Hanua Ranges</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The following day was really great. It began with more road walking which was just as boring and shite as I remembered but the road soon turned to gravel and the gravel road soon got smaller and smaller until it was a narrow footpath. The footpath was the Wairoa River track and it really was beautiful. The lush green trail followed the river as it meandered along through woodland and fields. Goodbye ruddy road and hello terrific trail and swanky signs! I didn't realise how much I had missed those orange arrows. We were on cloud 9 and actually skipped along like kids who had just received their weekly intake of E numbers. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPrAz6Mc0yCX7isoR_n4QDu-xiGNC0YUvRzzDZYSyXswbgExeRsccP7ZLrc8K3M8UN1lAKss99CUcc3h0jLXMlA9ALVtQRXwiKFZPL2LDKk2kpsG6Uk3PyKOMZKtpn_9u1meZWBMkPHBf/s1600/IMG_5978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPrAz6Mc0yCX7isoR_n4QDu-xiGNC0YUvRzzDZYSyXswbgExeRsccP7ZLrc8K3M8UN1lAKss99CUcc3h0jLXMlA9ALVtQRXwiKFZPL2LDKk2kpsG6Uk3PyKOMZKtpn_9u1meZWBMkPHBf/s320/IMG_5978.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our perfect campspot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After a while we were lead into the Hanua Ranges and although there was a trail heading south which is where we were heading, the Te Araroa sign lead us north and east and all sorts before we had no clue where we were but with our trust back in the signage and the adrenaline from having a good overdue sweat from the mountains we happily flew along the trail and it felt amazing! Even our campsite that night was perfect, with a small stream running nearby so we could soak our feet and top up water (not in that order) after a long but very enjoyable day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyPSt3QkO4_CreFeRFq3_E2J4dnsM9P84twKIDsRMcQ9YWRPbFh3XUxz-l9RLDHD5NC8gXiNPH_SnrzH4KTAqGJqiqNebWracwCv8NavcwXYbpHClsPsILD5jLq5rnLSYU9pRZ6J558vm/s1600/DecemberAW+304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyPSt3QkO4_CreFeRFq3_E2J4dnsM9P84twKIDsRMcQ9YWRPbFh3XUxz-l9RLDHD5NC8gXiNPH_SnrzH4KTAqGJqiqNebWracwCv8NavcwXYbpHClsPsILD5jLq5rnLSYU9pRZ6J558vm/s400/DecemberAW+304.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGTEAsZ1hiWe7nsLlUc6mDpuPwlhqOMkCd0OjnKH8NQ2LxYYMTzErEOTKsd9gW_SyfhAMa2Cy8jH7v6FoW0Y6SL4v2I9CH8y8lmt3KnotT34kv7XLThRp0Dfcpqt0NeknFAZDyUgwGXfY/s1600/IMG_5907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGTEAsZ1hiWe7nsLlUc6mDpuPwlhqOMkCd0OjnKH8NQ2LxYYMTzErEOTKsd9gW_SyfhAMa2Cy8jH7v6FoW0Y6SL4v2I9CH8y8lmt3KnotT34kv7XLThRp0Dfcpqt0NeknFAZDyUgwGXfY/s400/IMG_5907.JPG" width="400" /></a>The next day was just as good and had some interesting parts where our navigational skills sure were put to the test. Towards the end of the Hanura ranges all orange arrows disappeared and in their place were pink dots of paint! We followed the dots, not sure at all if we were meant to and our doubts were confirmed when we were lead to our near death down a vertical mountain edge. We had to slide down on our bums at times because standing over a 10 meter drop with 20 kgs on your back and nothing to help you but a couple of poles and the odd tree just wasn't going to work. We were completely surprised but delighted to find the Te Araroa sign at the bottom confirming that we were actually in the correct place. To top off another brilliant day of hard climbing, hard sweating and good fun, we found another perfect camp spot. After having an icey bath in the river and as we laid in the sun, with a river flowing next to us and our gorgeous little tent sitting on a flat, unlumpy patch up sheltered grass we looked at each other and said "this is what it's all about".<br />
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After a morning of land slides, strange cows and electric fences it was back to the road and I immediately went into a daze of dullness. When we came around the corner in Mercer and saw the Golden Arches it was a sliding door moment and sucked in by the temptation, Shalane and I had a big bad Maccy Ds. The first one for as long as I can remember and that afternoon became a right off. I was not happy with myself!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1d_HHJYCdfLzNSmgh3zlZaMB4JvrghGG89C0Dsl2IsvukUCfPJOHwfrIAacbuWVP8OsqEzC6Y64jgbYIVvkjs4AuCFMxdyA292FKszAHf2Veg_k-6MARyiYA_DCPQCScaNbD_gx8VQxQ/s1600/DecemberAW+314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1d_HHJYCdfLzNSmgh3zlZaMB4JvrghGG89C0Dsl2IsvukUCfPJOHwfrIAacbuWVP8OsqEzC6Y64jgbYIVvkjs4AuCFMxdyA292FKszAHf2Veg_k-6MARyiYA_DCPQCScaNbD_gx8VQxQ/s400/DecemberAW+314.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riverside lunch stop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We slept that night on the top of a hill with the sound of State Highway 1 loud below us and it was a sound that we would be hearing for the next couple of days. As we walked from Mercer to Rangariri to Huntly we were often off road, following the stopline of the Wikato River which was beatufil and allowed us to find more riverside camp spots. However, the highlight of this section has to be the nice ice truck driver. As we road walked some more from Huntly West to the Hakarimata Mountain Ranges, just south of the town, with the afternoon sun pounding down on us and cars rushing past us, a lovely man driving an ice truck pulled in to the layby and handed us both an ice cold bottle of orange and passionfruit juice, shouting "you look a bit hot" before speeding off, barely giving me time to thank him. The guy was a genious! Wherever you are in the world and whatever you are doing now Mr Truck Driver, thank you!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqgGM-b7eHXeCJ9E33Linb7E3W5jcxgPZjA-oJ5IZHaFs_zhwRmIIfQtPQGvKfn_TV6GNahCzcWk7F0l-dRAG8vEzwG4lUKOK4Kab22mOAsiDk7cxz98DKlkt9H6FV3JEAHSaFWXbSucl/s1600/DecemberAW+316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqgGM-b7eHXeCJ9E33Linb7E3W5jcxgPZjA-oJ5IZHaFs_zhwRmIIfQtPQGvKfn_TV6GNahCzcWk7F0l-dRAG8vEzwG4lUKOK4Kab22mOAsiDk7cxz98DKlkt9H6FV3JEAHSaFWXbSucl/s400/DecemberAW+316.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view from the Hakarimata Ranges</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Hakarimata ranges were my kind of forest trail. Although it began a little touristy, with the forest bed replaced with a gravel path, it soon turned into a windy forest path, complete with roots and vines to avoid tripping over and branches to limbo under. It followed the ridgeline of the ranges so was asending and decending slightly along the way so working up a good sweat and we completed the 8 hour track in 4 hours feeling pretty pleased with ourselves. We walked into Hamilton along SH1 was confirmation that we were ready for the bush. The highway was very busy, the afternoon heat was at a max and after a trail of roads to walk on and roads to listen too, I realised that what I need is a good, isolated bush and I have a feeling that this next section will be just what I am looking for.<br />
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We'll spend our rest day tomorrow in Raglan, by the beach before setting off for what looks like a very interesting part of Te Araroa and I really can't wait!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-72424897790209047112010-11-28T13:41:00.000+13:002010-11-28T13:41:13.137+13:00A Stroll in the Park!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Waipu - Auckland</div>16 November 2010 to 26 November 2010<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One thing is for sure, Shalane and I are certainly not rushing this trek. As we walk further and come across more beautiful views and friendly people, why not stop, rest, enjoy and soak up the experience. Although I am enjoying this experience more than I can explain and more than I ever imagined, I can safely say that trekking Te Araroa is not something that I will repeat and therefore will ensure I savour every moment.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtqVZ0w7EspA7ht7eRZrBPzUme-2D1yG3hPoTDPKHLyBV1Huyuxq7VMOW48t9EZk08bh4LkTN5q-H4y1PNJJIQcBlpsqRP6D2Xz1gnEB4v4M9Q7bGnB53zwztpld6dFnYZ-8rJLaMyOMO/s1600/Estuary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtqVZ0w7EspA7ht7eRZrBPzUme-2D1yG3hPoTDPKHLyBV1Huyuxq7VMOW48t9EZk08bh4LkTN5q-H4y1PNJJIQcBlpsqRP6D2Xz1gnEB4v4M9Q7bGnB53zwztpld6dFnYZ-8rJLaMyOMO/s400/Estuary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lonely boat on the Estuary</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's funny what makes a good day for me at the moment. It's not the usual ingredients you would expect, like the weather being nice and sunny, or the terrain being flat and and easy to walk. It's random events or the small things that just put a smile on my face. Oh and food, don't forget the food. The day we left Waipu was always going to be a good day. We had a wonderful stay at Waipu Wonderers, a hostel that felt more like a home. We only had half a day off but after being looked after so well by Elaine from the backpackers and enjoying some treats of fresh fruit from their fruit trees we felt like we'd had the whole day off. After an amazing lasagne the night before, I woke up to a breakfast of fresh fruit (a rarity on our dried fruit and nut diet) and muesli and yoghurt, with freshly squeezed orange juice. A breakfast Laura Bailey will confirm we never tired of on our travels. So feeling full and happy and after a lovely chat with Steve from the hostel in the morning we set off for a whole day of gloomy road walking; the pack feeling full and heavy with newly stocked food and water. We were walking along in the morning sun, chatting away when we spotted a Te Araroa sign pointing us off the road and onto an Estuary walk. We were sooo pleased to break up the road walking and we skipped off and along the estuary and with the tide being out we were able to walk around mangroves and up the bank trying to avoid the soggy bits. We had been walking for a while and looking out for a marker to direct us off the Estuary and back on the road. The estuary ahead was getting wetter and harder to walk and we decided to take a boat ramp up the bank to see where it would lead. We climbed up and over, only to find ourselves in somebody's back garden, so we continued down their drive which lead to the house. The owner was outside working on something and didn't even look up when we approached. I began to guiltily explain why we had suddenly appeared from the bush and up his garden and he seemed completely unfazed by the whole thing. We edge away smiling and down the rest of the drive to the main road, feeling very confused and wondering where we would end up. When we walked out onto the road, we found that there was a junction and leading straight ahead was the road that we needed. I grinned and said to Shalane "today's a good day isn't it?"</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrMgBzdJr5PVvFl150PYIVoHqN5pRb8STvFBANAqRPUl_PdUXVRZFUIyU14bfIr1_EQWQeg-iv8qq3b4oaipthLc_70pxSDa32yOK4WoDeeCEVon0Wgo6Ljw43fO6fWRe6IrG1em2sUk0/s1600/lamas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrMgBzdJr5PVvFl150PYIVoHqN5pRb8STvFBANAqRPUl_PdUXVRZFUIyU14bfIr1_EQWQeg-iv8qq3b4oaipthLc_70pxSDa32yOK4WoDeeCEVon0Wgo6Ljw43fO6fWRe6IrG1em2sUk0/s400/lamas.jpg" width="400" /></a>After strolling along a forestry road and chatting to a local along the way (a guy by the name of Gordan Brown, poor fella) we finally walked up and into a field with some odd looking lamas. They honestly looked like the surfer dudes of the animal kingdom, with long shaggy looking fringes and a look on their faces that just said "DUDES!" After a photo session, we walked on by, along the trail until we neared the end of our day. We were thinking about finding a camp spot for the night when we got to a sign on the trail that read "trail temporarily closed". The sign was rather annoyingly placed about an hours walk from the beginning of the track, so we were stuck in the middle! With no indication of how temporary this closure was, we convinced ourselves that we should sit and wait for the farmer to come along and reopen it. </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFvmqAte7zRkk2koBhINEhlmEUyrJOxNfsd-iFkt46CaEfmJejaXoG1HLpf5FtbW8gQ0RXRDk3VwVdSdW_tYvRSF1vx23xdCV00OzBmpuj-jRown_r-k1sj678Fbl7IMwcBllIWCQt7Y4/s1600/temp+closed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFvmqAte7zRkk2koBhINEhlmEUyrJOxNfsd-iFkt46CaEfmJejaXoG1HLpf5FtbW8gQ0RXRDk3VwVdSdW_tYvRSF1vx23xdCV00OzBmpuj-jRown_r-k1sj678Fbl7IMwcBllIWCQt7Y4/s400/temp+closed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a snooze while we wait for the trail to open</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuNXTMqATpU-bJtLG4Awb0GKakXta1PyKatxI8BvuTrnTWDm5PIBw7rrUrlUaHk2fygOcktaTGEU_1LKsEeHsplBT78_FG3Hvl4hJD-wtQq2w9B9oF1o2RIaJbe2niWuC-SIX5LugLd-p/s1600/clouds+low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuNXTMqATpU-bJtLG4Awb0GKakXta1PyKatxI8BvuTrnTWDm5PIBw7rrUrlUaHk2fygOcktaTGEU_1LKsEeHsplBT78_FG3Hvl4hJD-wtQq2w9B9oF1o2RIaJbe2niWuC-SIX5LugLd-p/s400/clouds+low.jpg" width="400" /></a>The following morning was stunning! With the clouds laying low it looked like a blanket of snow on the hills and farmland around us. We walked up and along the cliffs as the sun was rising and the ocean was glistening in the light. We had decided only to walk a short distance as we needed to catch up on some internet time and do a bit of shopping, so we reached Mangawhai Heads and spent a few hours there. Mangawhai was beautiful, if not a little developed, with hundreds of stunning houses by the sea and a small village style high street. The actual Mangawhai "village", another high street was also sweet and was situated a little bit inland. When we finished on the internet and I'd brought myself some natural sleeping tablets, we walked to Mangawhai Forest and set up camp for the night. We felt like we'd had a really lame, short walking day but when we added up the Kilometres it turned out to be 22km. When we began this trek, the thought of trekking anything over about 15 with that backpack on felt like a huge mission, and now, to pump out 22kms and feel lame was a good feeling. I went to sleep with a little help from my new purchase and had the best night sleep in ages.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We began the next day with 19 kms of beach walking followed by about 5 of road walking. By the time we reached Pakiri we both admitted to our bodies feeling a bit tied a put it down to trekking the previous day in peak heat. We set up camp early and re-hydrated feeling a bit lame again, but realising again that 24 kms really isn't that bad. We were on top of a huge hill and our view was worth a $million. It felt good to have the freedom to just stop when we wanted and not feel like we have to trek to the max every day. We sat and chatted about anything and everything and one topic that we'd been discussing lots along the way is the amount of litter we notice, due to us being on foot. We have said that we wish we could pick it all up but with our packs and there not always being a bin, sometimes for days, it's not that easy. We therefore have decided to pick up at least one item of litter every day for the rest of the trek but hopefully more. Between us that will mean 240 items of litter at very least by the time we finish the trek. It would be so cool if every future Te Araroa tramper did the same. We'd have the cleanest trek in the world. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We woke the next day to clouds and rain and it felt great. A really lovely change. The cool air and low clouds gave the countryside a majestic feel with the only drawback being that we couldn't see where we were going. We did some serious climbing that day and it felt good to do some work after a couple of easier days. Working the legs hard and breaking a sweat in the fresh air feels amazing. When we reached Matakana, we both fell in love. It's a gorgeous town with a great buzz to it and a brilliant cafe culture. It was even raining when we arrived and I STILL thought it was great. We stopped for lunch in one of the cafes and for the first time in a while we felt like normal people. We ate and people watched and laughed and chatted and it was only when it came to putting the packs back on that we were suddenly smelly trampers again. We walked further than we planned today as it was raining hard and if we stopped we would have just ended up hiding in the tent. The good news is that it made the next day a nice short one. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We were due to be at Sheepworld the next day and it wasn't far away. Granted, there were a few mountains between us and the campsite and it proved to be very much a mental game this morning. When you know you are close to somewhere, whether it be the end of the day or a destination you have set as a goal, your mind closes off, whatever time of the day it is. We were taking our time, taking long 20 minute (maybe longer) breaks each time as we climbed up and up. Even when we were meant to be descending to the road there would be more climbing and it was so frustrating when you just wanted to be there. We eventually came out near the Dome Cafe on State Highway 1 and instead of continuing on the trail, we hitched a ride down to Sheepworld. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnY5UVLz5729BQVLhlET1VlVdQ31KFaJRPDgrxlNehjudTNeJNqR2XFY-tMSoN8JLKuf-STbPOjWTLZVtw14r_2JwVsvdhWnZJ_sCrW1bjCsmgrM4D9ihx_yaWnUiFc_KX_R9BP39iVlB/s1600/lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnY5UVLz5729BQVLhlET1VlVdQ31KFaJRPDgrxlNehjudTNeJNqR2XFY-tMSoN8JLKuf-STbPOjWTLZVtw14r_2JwVsvdhWnZJ_sCrW1bjCsmgrM4D9ihx_yaWnUiFc_KX_R9BP39iVlB/s400/lamb.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding a lamb at Sheepworld</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sheepworld is a fantastic place to visit, straight off the SH1 and with bright pink sheep grazing in the field, you can't miss it. We stayed on the campsite which I would fully recommend for it's services and location. It's in a fantastic location with access to brilliant day walks, it's not far from the beach and is very central for accessing Mangawhai Heads, Matakana, Wakworth, Puhoi and more gorgeous towns in the area. The campsite is next to a huge river and had a new BBQ area right next to it which would be so cool in the summer or if you were in a group. It would be a great place to base yourself for seeing, what Shalane and I would say is our favourite area so far. If you have kids then there is the Sheepworld farm next door to the campsite. We visited the farm and watched the sheep dog demonstration and although I grew up on a sheep farm, still got as much pleasure feeding the baby lambs as the 6 year olds next to me and Shalane even gave sheep shearing a go.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our rest day there was perfect and with another treat of fresh fruit and muesli for breakfast, we left the next day with a skip in our step, with a mission to get to Puhoi. The trail was mostly logging and forest roads which are nice and wide and not to tricky underfoot, although still nice and steep. I climbed a steep hill and couldn't help but shout "whoo hoo that feels good" at the sweat and adrenaline. We were a couple of hours from Puhoi strolling along when we noticed we hadn't seen an orange marker for a while. By this time we were on a small road that was turning into a dirt track so as we walked, we looked around us trying to find our path. We crossed through a gate and I saw a wooden post laying on the floor, with an orange marker on it, so, presuming it had just been taking down, we continued on our way. Roughly 3/4 of an hour later, we hadn't seen one single sign to tell us we were going the right way, so with the sun blazing and not many more hours of energy left in us, we decided to set up camp where we were and back track the next day. Feeling a little confused at the disappearing signs, we enjoyed the sun that afternoon and tried to fill in our white bits as we have both adopted a rather attractive looking farmers tan. Everybody comments on our tan but they don't seem to realise that it stops at our shorts and sock line. Mmmmm, nice! </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8-10FfXizC1Gpx3JXW92jrKFOaVOhg1J9NA9HhstsiPNexLJg7lxEzWJvOEbX1pXL677ur74TxDtZ2uU78YXY-4I8Fls-6XdtjgIcAE9iUl4v-XXEvjhRCf-w_pxwD9xMQt4762cuqou/s1600/puhoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8-10FfXizC1Gpx3JXW92jrKFOaVOhg1J9NA9HhstsiPNexLJg7lxEzWJvOEbX1pXL677ur74TxDtZ2uU78YXY-4I8Fls-6XdtjgIcAE9iUl4v-XXEvjhRCf-w_pxwD9xMQt4762cuqou/s400/puhoi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Puhoi Pub and Hotel</td></tr>
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</div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next day, on our way back, we past the orange marker that had been laid on the floor and planned to walk back to the road, which was where we'd seen the last definite Te Araroa sign. However, before we reached the road, Shalane spotted an orange arrow up a tall hill in a field, only visible when walking the direction we had just come. We walked up to it and saw another one in front of us. We were really pleased to have found the trail but frustrated as our detour could have easily been avoided had the post not been removed. We strolled across farmers fields and along the road into Puhoi, promising ourselves another treat as we felt a little sorry for ourselves for getting lost. I had been really looking forward to spending some time in Puhoi as it had been described to us by a few people as a place well worth a visit. On walking into Puhoi, we both instantly saw it's charm. A very pretty village with an infamous pub and a great general store seemed to have it all. We called Judith Williams, a local reporter and historian and a friend of Inga's, from Ora Ora Resort. She came to meet us outside the general store which also did tea and coffee (with which we HAD to experience the local fresh doughnuts of course). Judith's family were the original Bohemian settlers of Puhoi and she introduced us to a few more locals who were also lucky enough to claim the same family history. She told us a little about the village itself and as we sat there, the buzz of the locals in such an idyllic place was unreal. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYzB4yvfQTNV3-YBZaaJ95CYH_yZbSk0jPPkApxRLze3QKrNTAE3e-26P6FMJ0bBCiw3vaF2OLtUSuEg7aasf-B18JwSAeMqDlcmEe6B9Oxu0jz6orKn470C8rq_eDqEsY5fq5pJWD31w/s1600/canoe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYzB4yvfQTNV3-YBZaaJ95CYH_yZbSk0jPPkApxRLze3QKrNTAE3e-26P6FMJ0bBCiw3vaF2OLtUSuEg7aasf-B18JwSAeMqDlcmEe6B9Oxu0jz6orKn470C8rq_eDqEsY5fq5pJWD31w/s400/canoe1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> We wondered down to Puhoi Canoes, as for the next section of the trail, we had to canoe down the river to Wenderholm. Fortunately for us, the weather was rainy and the tide was on it's way out so we had the perfect excuse to stay in Puhoi for the day, a decision we had already both secretly made in our heads. We were told by Puhoi Canoes to return the next day at 9.30am and we spent the day mostly at the pub, although it's not as it seems. The weather was a little grim so we sat outside, under cover and had some lunch, while chatting to the locals and reading my book and relaxing. It was the first time I'd sat in a pub all day and didn't have the slightest desire to drink. I sat and looked around at the very picturesque village and thought to myself, "with a small town that makes its own cheese, wine, beer, coffee, mustard and has it's own tea rooms, pub, canoe company and a fantastic general store, why the hell would you want to live anywhere else?" We were joined in the evening by a group of local lads our age and so had some good banter with them. It was actually really nice to be able to have some fun and know that we had a slight lay-in in the morning although it didn't stop us yawning at 6am, our usual bed time. The locals pointed us in the direction of a good campspot and at about 9pm we headed to bed. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLwnYkZa_1Svdc-szp-mO07_buGFOQixSC_JcJF18qVqLq_jwDQHrAIIpNLCCZFyKEo2us3ytF9M09WMZvfBVnnhovyn24bKagrs6nPzYJKkhHsMepOPNkjFA_g2BbT6ewMVlqA2Zxf3U/s1600/playpen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLwnYkZa_1Svdc-szp-mO07_buGFOQixSC_JcJF18qVqLq_jwDQHrAIIpNLCCZFyKEo2us3ytF9M09WMZvfBVnnhovyn24bKagrs6nPzYJKkhHsMepOPNkjFA_g2BbT6ewMVlqA2Zxf3U/s400/playpen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puhoi Playgroup</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Just as we walked across the park, a car pulled up behind us and my initial thought was "oh no, we're going to be in trouble for camping here" but a the lady got out the car and began to tell us that she had overheard us in the pub and didn't like the thought of us camping out in the cold. She told us that she had the keys to the local playgroup and that it had it's own kitchen and toilet and if we wanted to sleep on the bean bags on the floor we were welcome to. We had actually already been offered a place to stay that night by the chef in the pub and one of the locals but had opted to stay in the park as it was close to where we needed to be in the morning, but this offer was perfect. The playgroup was situated opposite the canoe place and we wouldn't be in anybody's way. So we accepted her kind offer and had the most random night accommodation of our trip so far! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_1yAFhY_wYlIErXgwn-jdIxFyAfD9vb_VJWKt7GPXZEggaEOn5Y7fPWhCBTuB67CSWDx3tUwIfA9BedS2zCxGPIbctS6eOoZwHnhlDXZmWGUoNIJSE7jYXHuCUnEf4_fru9RcLvss5KF/s1600/canoe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_1yAFhY_wYlIErXgwn-jdIxFyAfD9vb_VJWKt7GPXZEggaEOn5Y7fPWhCBTuB67CSWDx3tUwIfA9BedS2zCxGPIbctS6eOoZwHnhlDXZmWGUoNIJSE7jYXHuCUnEf4_fru9RcLvss5KF/s400/canoe2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When we arrived at Puhoi Canoe the next day we found out we'd made it to the local newsletter already lol. The canoe trip to Wenderholm was brilliant. We covered about 10kms in the end and with a gentle cruise, followed by more of an arm work out as we got near the sea, it was a great experience. It's a beautiful river too although canoing along side the major highway for a section of it was a bit strange. The owners met us at the other end to pick up our canoes and it was back on foot for the remainder of the day. The rest of the walk was perfect, with a trail, some beach walking and rock scrambling, followed by an easy touristy coastal path into Orewa. After a lazy day the previous day, it eased us back in gently. I can see a pattern forming here, lots of lazy days followed by easy ones - we do work hard, I promise! </div><br />
As we walked along, the number of houses increased and we could even start to see the Sky Tower in Auckland city centre. The bush life was slowly disappearing and with very few ninja camp spots, we booked into Pinewood Caravan park at Red Beach. We were getting a bit excited about reaching Auckland as it represented a really big goal for us but there was definitely mixed feeling on my part, as coming out of the bush and small villages and suddenly into a place where there are just buildings and cars was more of a culture shock than I thought it would be. The good news is that we were pretty much following the beautiful coast line all the way into Auckland. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcc0CyfFOvmtvE98icd-VmOMBtQAHqwOzzBrSxUVyHeodCN_OSHcbGTqlpk5tYMbnztfftSeAQLE2aiLs9AZx1sYG0sZ9k1ko035Vmn5dYIRid81gy9HgCkuvPrhIr7Amvx0awoDQ_hoT/s1600/rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcc0CyfFOvmtvE98icd-VmOMBtQAHqwOzzBrSxUVyHeodCN_OSHcbGTqlpk5tYMbnztfftSeAQLE2aiLs9AZx1sYG0sZ9k1ko035Vmn5dYIRid81gy9HgCkuvPrhIr7Amvx0awoDQ_hoT/s320/rocks.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Negotiating the rocks before the falll</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next day we walked to Browns Bay which was a 33 km walk from Red Beach. The trail was a mix of coastal and residential and was actually really lovely. Shalane and I have become good property critics and enjoyed taking in the new surroundings. I also managed to entertain Shalane fully this morning when we were scrambing over some rocks on the beach I slipped and fell over. I managed to fall onto all fours but my bag slipped up towards my head and squashed my head to the floor. So if you can imagine me on my knees with my bum in the air, with my cheek squashed firmly into a puddle on the rock and the weight of my bag so heavy that my neck couldn't pick my head up. Thank goodness Shalane was there to hold my bag up so I could rescue my laughing face from the puddle. It was extremely amusing and with just a school boy grazed knee to show for it we giggled our way along the beach. We walked down towards the Weiti River and on our map and notes it said that we can wade the river at low tide. Dirk had also mentioned to us a guy who takes people across on his boat for free as he loves the idea of Te Araroa so much. We hadn't really known what to expect so we were wondering down a bit clueless when Gunter, the German guy who has the boat, called out to us from his balcony. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxm-_fLtFB_ACexVbCwaghqGqOyTHC4Z_ltex3xzod0FHTDLmm8NSoNceL3cmocoQM9ZNt3Fivv1txP_1hGFXm6ms0b9ZEs8U2NlNfGOIQoL-o5WoWI8eO5YjsLpTIcW2kXgYAQHNs5vM/s1600/boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxm-_fLtFB_ACexVbCwaghqGqOyTHC4Z_ltex3xzod0FHTDLmm8NSoNceL3cmocoQM9ZNt3Fivv1txP_1hGFXm6ms0b9ZEs8U2NlNfGOIQoL-o5WoWI8eO5YjsLpTIcW2kXgYAQHNs5vM/s400/boat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding on tight</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He invited us into his house for a cup of tea and a chat and he was a really fun guy. He took us across the river in a small dingy and I honestly thought we would sink it with our heavy bags and he laughed at how unsure I looked as we gripped tightly to the sides, especially as he insisted we kept our bags on. We made it across safely and waved him off before disappearing into the bush and continuing our way along a well trodden bush path for an hour and out onto the road. We walked into the increasingly built up town of Browns Bay and asked around for a campsite. Nobody seemed sure if there was one so we called into the local Estate Agency, feeling sure that they would know the area well. After they confirmed there wasn't one for another 15 Kms and after we explained that we were on foot and it being late afternoon didn't have time or energy to walk all that way, Shane, the estate agent came up with an idea. </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh-Zohz9zgmBGQrk3qiEPhe-4AHY2GhdTk48DqGz8t1pziEZlItFHynHoccNAraZtyFaRbY6ki7z_R2NZUYSSAYR5NvsHKIQoad54UGu90G8aQeKRf-6AhCbxSNoSoD5YLGY6YuDDnhoZ/s1600/house2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh-Zohz9zgmBGQrk3qiEPhe-4AHY2GhdTk48DqGz8t1pziEZlItFHynHoccNAraZtyFaRbY6ki7z_R2NZUYSSAYR5NvsHKIQoad54UGu90G8aQeKRf-6AhCbxSNoSoD5YLGY6YuDDnhoZ/s320/house2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a good view there aren't even windows in the way</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWptzAKx4TJFISNYwNu8HJdrW7Tx__ExAB9fGPLFNSyywMOlv5UPqKZsuIw01Qsi-n_BXzIezZIELDG2wTb9tQL-RXSdCmdY_s4hTCb4uFLnb8o8nXxwge6CEyyeVbsAFtF-xxfHUCAtv/s1600/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWptzAKx4TJFISNYwNu8HJdrW7Tx__ExAB9fGPLFNSyywMOlv5UPqKZsuIw01Qsi-n_BXzIezZIELDG2wTb9tQL-RXSdCmdY_s4hTCb4uFLnb8o8nXxwge6CEyyeVbsAFtF-xxfHUCAtv/s320/house.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best room in the house!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He offered for us to stay in the house that he was currently building. He walked with us up the cliff (passing the Te Araroa sign which meant his house was actually on the official path) and he began to tell us that the builders were there and we'd have to stay out of there way until 5pm. What we didn't realise was that his house was actually in the very early stages of being built so after climbing up a ladder with our packs on, into the wooden frame and scaffolding, we put our bags down in bedroom 3, the room with the most walls and set off to the public toilets for a wash. It was possibly up there with the play centre for the most random nights accommodation and with Shane's only request being that we cook dinner outside the wooden framework (a fair ask I think) we ate and settled down for bed with another amazing sea view. We had breakfast down on the beach in the morning while the sun came up behind the clouds. It's a hard life!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next day was just full of excitment. We were so close to Auckland and having adapted slowly to being back into civilisation, we were now just looking forward to a shower, pizza and knowing we had come this far. When we were in Auckland before we began this trek, my friend Andy (Riggers) who was living in the city had mentioned a brilliant pizza place near his flat and suggested that when we trek back through the city, we should stay with him and have a pizza night. This idea has been our sole motivation for the whole Cape Reinga to Auckland section so goodness knows what we are going to do from now on to keep us going. We walked along the coast on and off the beach and chatted to locals along the way. One lady was so shocked at what we were doing that she told everyone she walked past for the rest of the day, to the extent that random people came up to us and said "we've heard about you". We need somebody like her everywhere we go if we want to reach out target for the Soloman Islands.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1r7y8AbVOBhSIFVshpWF1lNvEyHeXI9QhmjjGkvxCBvyFojWQwvb30D7F1NnjQ4hA4KvOD2_A5umZwMypPTmUQ5rReQCaHHE5zyVttvWkbtv8bpDjqbZ04gniKhdzWE_hRRiJhv4XVah/s1600/devon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1r7y8AbVOBhSIFVshpWF1lNvEyHeXI9QhmjjGkvxCBvyFojWQwvb30D7F1NnjQ4hA4KvOD2_A5umZwMypPTmUQ5rReQCaHHE5zyVttvWkbtv8bpDjqbZ04gniKhdzWE_hRRiJhv4XVah/s320/devon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We walked in the gorgeous sunshine and in one of the breaks I couldn't resist any longer. I dumped my bag and ran into the sea, just a few kms from Devonport, where we were due to get the ferry. It was amazing! Just a few more Kms and we were in Devonport with a look of complete surprise on our faces. I had a real mix of feelings. Seeing the big city across the water was just incredible after the small villages and towns we'd passed and I don't think I could believe we'd got there. It actually felt like we'd finished so we had to push that feeling out of our heads quick. It also felt like we'd been out of civilisation a lot longer than we actually had and I'm not sure if it was the pure size and buzz of the city or the fact that we looked and smelt like cave women. We changed and attepted to make ourselves look like normal people in the toilet at the ferry port as we were just about to visit Riggers at work. It was so lovely to see him and we've been staying with him the last two days where I think it is safe to say, we've felt so looked after. With the best shower since I can remember, with real shampoo and conditioner and a real bed with great food, I feel like it's been a mini celebration.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiho66dDEY1ymqv0xfOup1eRXHUub4beZr7pesZd3ox7pbN0KOf7SQE6_brk6xtZiA1BefIoQEQOgJeeeWiTq5ORTfRUSI78Xu1FULI4ohwWFWTrtoSFT6zxReTVBPZEF-6FTE4mx0S-Nt/s1600/smellybags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiho66dDEY1ymqv0xfOup1eRXHUub4beZr7pesZd3ox7pbN0KOf7SQE6_brk6xtZiA1BefIoQEQOgJeeeWiTq5ORTfRUSI78Xu1FULI4ohwWFWTrtoSFT6zxReTVBPZEF-6FTE4mx0S-Nt/s320/smellybags.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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Riggers doing everything he can to hide the smell of our bags at his work</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are currently waiting for our next food drop to arrive and we'll be on our way but one thing is for sure. This last section has been the best so far. A fair number of challenges but enjoying the country for all it has to offer, meeting more locals and learning about New Zealand, stopping in the places we love the most and generally enjoying every second.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-36041623186391008162010-11-20T15:53:00.002+13:002010-11-20T15:53:45.750+13:00PhotosHey guys<br />
<br />
Just wanted to let you know that my photos are taking ages to update for the previous post, however, if you go to my photos page on my website or this blog, there is an album full of trekking photos for you all to enjoy!<br />
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Take it easy!<br />
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AlexAlex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-10819041832106343452010-11-17T13:50:00.001+13:002010-11-20T15:45:53.930+13:00Human PinballWe're like 2 metal balls in a pinball machine. We'll be flung into play and start rolling along quickly up and down wide gravel forest roads when we'll suddenly see an orange marker. We'll then be sucked into a hole and up a ramp that is steep and hard to see with roots and rocks under foot, sharp, spiky plants covering the path in front of us and branches hanging over head. So much so that our eyes will be darting from floor to over our heads to try and avoid all the forest has to throw at us. We'll slowly roll along at a snails pace for 2, 3 maybe 4 hours or more, dodging and stepping steadily, using all our energy through concentration. We'll be trudging up hill, in the dark of the canopy, steeply, leg muscles aching, shoulders feeling the weight of the backpack, trying to avoid spiky, painful plants while trying also not to slip or trip, muscles tired, then suddenly, the forest pinball flippers will spit us out at the top of the sleep ascent to a bright, sunny, grassy green meadow or rolling hill with so much space around you and a view like you've never seen before. You'll suddenly feel free and your pack will be light and you can see the pathway laid out in front of you over the hundred gentle sloping hills of the New Zealand countryside covered in daises and other wild flower and maybe even the distant ocean view. We'll roll quickly down the hill ready for the next game of pinball to begin.<br />
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Kerrikerri - Waipu <br />
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It's been 10 days of ups and downs, literally and mentally. We set off from Kerikeri after a sad goodbye to Inge from Ora Ora Resort. I was very inspired by the resort and overwhelmed by how lovely everybody was there, that it felt incredibly sad to say our goodbyes. We gave ourselves an easy target of Paihia, just roughly 6 hours walk away and strolled along chatting at a steady pace. The road walking followed by forest roads was perfect for the day following a rest day, as it woke us up gently. Our bags were loaded up with 10 days worth of food so that we could go right through to Waipu and my bum and hips were feeling the new weight. Especially with a bit of extra food thrown in there now that I have realised our original diet wasn't enough. We were familiar with Paihia as we'd stayed there before we began the trek so we checked into the peaceful campsite on the river and had a relaxed night.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise in Paihia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I woke up the next morning feeling absolutely shattered. I hadn't been sleeping well since the trek began and when the alarm went off I had a feeling of dread that I was required to actually move. We set off at the normal time and it was THE most beautiful sunrise. It has been firework night the previous nights and there was the lovely smell of smoldering bonfires as we walked along the beach. Despite this picturesque morning, I was feeling very negative and everything seemed to be hard work. The coastal walk from Paihia to Opua was beautiful and we walked along the cliff ridge, weaving in and out of tiny little private bays, envying the gorgeous houses with their prime locations. We eventually arrived in the beautiful Opua and waited a few minutes for the ferry that would take us across for just $1. Bargain! When we reached the other side we followed a forest path that ran parallel with the road and the up hills were more of a struggle for me than ever before. It wasn't until we were spat out onto the road pinball style that I realised a couldn't go on today. My body literally crashed and burned due to the exhaustion of not sleeping and it was clear that we were going nowhere fast. I felt emotional and weak and we made a decision to stop the day short. The poor, patient Shalane walked with me to the nearest campsite where I crashed and slept all afternoon. I woke for food before crashing again all night. After discussing option of preventing this happening again, I now have an additional weight in my bag of a book, in the hopes that it helps me get off to sleep at nights.<br />
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We got up to face the day and try and make some good ground after a disappointing day the previous day. We left Russel early and were soon walking in the Russel forest with a great variety of trail, starting with a gravel road again. While we were walking along a really nice lady pulled up to us and asked us if we wanted work for free accommodation and food. She owned a small business and was looking for workers. We explained that we were on bit of a mission and continued on our way. The forest was a bit tricky after effortless road walking. Our minds hadn't had to think about a single step on the road and all of a sudden we were having to watch our step and it took a while to adapt. We stopped after 33 kms at a shelter in the middle of the hut. We were tired but it felt good and we had some dinner while watching some playful, purple birds and listening to the water of the nearby stream. It really is a relaxing sound after a long day and it felt good to be back on track.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shalane letting off steam after a morning of climbing</td></tr>
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Bamm! Wake up, walk up! We were climbing instantly in the morning. As the track progressed there was cutty grass and prikly bushes taller than us and taking over the whole path. We were cut and scratched all over as we pushed our way through, using all our weight and sometimes the path would disappear completely. There were landslides and fallen down trees and at one point I climbed up over a huge fallen tree, onto a loose dirt (almost vertical) edge completely unconvinced we were on the right path. Luckily our new maps and our sudden change of direction suggested we should push on, and that feeling when we saw the first sign in hours was unbeatable. We reached our destination in Teal Bay, just past Helena Bay and Shalane found us a wicked camp spot that almost looked like it was built specially for us. It was on the beach and private and we settled down for the night after a satisfying feed.<br />
<br />
Waking up with the sound of the waves breaking on the shore made a wicked change. After setting off, with a short stop at a river for water we were soon climbing with the most fantastic views. The hills were never-ending all around us. We walked through the Morepark track forest and the signs in this area were great. Whangarei council have done a great job in this area and the whole section was brilliantly signed. The trail consisted of forest, steep climbs and farmland and the buggers brought us right down to sea level before sending us all the way back up again! It was a lazy ish day with a 40 minute break enjoying the sun but the blood was still pumping and walking along in the sunshine with everything that spring has to offer around us really did make me feel lucky. We arrived at Whananaki and had the very pleasant surprise of a campsite being right on the trail. We were expecting to walk another hour so this was a real treat. The Whananaki North Holiday Park and they even gave us a Te Araroa discount and some eggs. It's the 3rd lot of eggs we've been randomly given, a strange but accepted gift! We treated ourselves with a non freeze dried meal and felt very looked after.<br />
<br />
The next day was great! We walked 35 kms and had so much fun along the way. We walked from Whananaki to Ngunguru and the trail was a mixture of coast, forest, gravel road, fields and just about anything you can imagine. Just when you were ready for a change of terrain you would get one and the sun was shining bright. The coastal walk took us in and out of some very cute little bays with some very lucky home owners tucked away. We got to Matapouri and met 2 young lads on horses (as you do). We had a great chat with them and they were really nice and they offered for us to stay with them when we got to Ngunguru. As we said goodbye and walked away we realised that we hadn't met many people our age along the way and it made a refreshing change. We stopped off for a break at a massive Kauri tree before finally arriving in Ngunguru, only to find out that out of the 2 campsites they had in the small seaside town, non were in existence. We called a local lady over to ask her about a campsite and after she explained there were non, she didn't hestiate to offer us a spot in her garden. Wendy was on her way out but said she would call her husband and warn him, and sent us round. She was so kind and didn't seem fazed by 2 girls she had known for 5 seconds sleeping in her garden. She even left 2 big fluffy towels out for us to have a shower.<br />
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We woke up wondering where we were and set off on a horrid day of mostly road walking. We had a few hours on the Makeral forest track with more fallen trees, spiky plants and hard to find markers before more road walking. We came down towards the Horahora River, hoping to find a campspot but there was a whole lot of mangrove. We finally found a good spot next to a river walking trail and collapsed for the night. We were in need of a rest day but decided to push on one more day and reach Peach Cove Hut, which would mean an awesome rest day.<br />
<br />
I woke up feeling determined but knowing that I had a bloody long day ahead of me. The first couple of hours were just road walking which, although my pack was instantly uncomfortable, wasn't too bad. A lady who was out for a run, while her son rode his bike walked and talked to us for a while and I was pleased to pick up an avocado from a driveway stand along the way. all in all, it was a good morning. We arrived at the estuary which we had to cross at low tide and luckily it was. We walked along the edge until we found the spot that wast best to cross. The bed of the estuary was very boggy and some stinky water remained in the middle so we took our boots off and began to walk across. We started sinking up to our knees and the mud underneath was black. We slowly slodged our way across and our feet were scraping on shells and rocks right at the bottom. I looked at the water and a one point thought it had risen but there was only one way to go and that was forward. It was a long way across and it was not easy and we even wondered quite how far it was possible to sink. We made it over with a sigh of relief and sat and had a well deserved break while we cleaned up. Just as we were about to leave we looked back to an unrecognisable estuary full of water and had a nervous giggle at our close escape! After the estuary we walked along a track to the beach and then walked along the beach for a couple of hours to a mountain and then climbed as steep as you can get for what seemed like forever! We were both exhausted and we pushed and pushed to get to Peach Cover Hut. We'd walked 35 Kms and were tired from the start and by this time our bodies were saying no and our minds were loosing the battle too. I was so physically exhausted that I felt like crying, as my mind was pushing on but my muscles just couldn't do it and the frustration was immense. I pushed on at a snails pace and we climbed down a heap of stairs before collapsing in a heap at the hut and I can 100% confirm that I pushed my body, in fact, my whole self on this day more than I ever have before and when we were done, it felt really good.<br />
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We couldn't have hoped for a better rest day. We had running water, a long drop toilet and a private beach to ourselves! We were up and on the beach at 7am and it was scorchio enough for sunbathing by 8am. We tried to get rid of our ridiculous tan lines for a few hours before lazing and eating and generally doing nothing by the hut. It was just what we needed. We were laying there dreaming of all our friends turning up with a load of food, maybe even a BBQ. A little bit later, we heard voices in the bush and soon we were joined by 14 members of tramping club! It wasn't quite our friends from home but they brought food :-) I felt fully rested and ready to continue.<br />
<br />
The next day started with 840 steps and a few mountains to climb and views to make your eyes water. We had ocean on both sides and followed the mountain ridge all the way down. After a bit of road walking and a stop off at the shop for some sneaky jelly beans, we got to the bay where we had to hitch a ride on a boat across to Marsden Point. We not only got a lift across without having to wait too long but they chucked us a fresh crayfish for our dinner before speeding off back to sea. They were good fun guys and we couldn't believe how easy it was to hitch a boat. We chuckled to ourselves and walked down a beautiful white sand beach with turquoise sea before finding a gorgeous camp in the dunes where we cooked up our crayfish and enjoyed the afternoon sun. The river we had to cross was in high tide so we decided to deal with it in the morning.<br />
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A short day the next day took us across the Ruakaka river into Waipu where we headed to Waipu Wonderers backpackers who kindly acted as a food drop location for us. On arrival we bumped into Dirk, the Dutch guy we met on our first day of the trek and by pure coincidence, it happened to be our 1 month anniversary. Steve and Elaine from the backpackers were great and their backpackers is a home from home. Elaine drove us to a cheaper supermarket and they couldn't do enough for us. They have fresh fruit trees in the garden that we were able to help ourselves and we thought we were in heaven after craving fresh fruit for days. The backpackers is small and more like a homestay - A well recommended place to stay.<br />
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Me, Shalane and Dirk made us a feast of lasagne and garlic bread to celebrate and kicked back to enjoy the comforts of the hostel, feeling contently full and very happy.<br />
<br />
We really have been overwhelmed by all the lovely people we've met along the way. People just chatting in the street, farmers, boat owners, people offering us somewhere to stay and generally going out of their way to be very kind in a very effortless manner. It really is a gorgeous country with lovely people and the trail gives us a real chance to mix with locals. We are one month in and it just gets better.Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-73654738839407406162010-11-04T21:06:00.004+13:002010-11-05T16:56:12.432+13:00Holy Cow it's an Adventure!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY80vv__5TO-72rnTM0xfBG2tjosA9TRxXoFkbDxZQGgYFsQxEyi9Mrxd1-d4_xSrSB3cCD_p2oQr8OFDJo3P7ZWAHEMfVMEBMAp43su6wdC-tvTAknWBYaEU2x6VDHC7mu79-VzsBd12_/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY80vv__5TO-72rnTM0xfBG2tjosA9TRxXoFkbDxZQGgYFsQxEyi9Mrxd1-d4_xSrSB3cCD_p2oQr8OFDJo3P7ZWAHEMfVMEBMAp43su6wdC-tvTAknWBYaEU2x6VDHC7mu79-VzsBd12_/s400/IMG_0568.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Boots/Bad Boots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m16S1EvWScSIYx6IZtUiG5oo2ht9xhcdVOu1RfTQrQn7-_VzEp7vC1lJ5RTKm0i0QOaPhsGtuczNHvyTUlIoQIcwNhRYpWIK2sFVOMVd79QEvelg6-gRuutWVkBLeWdHq4pbAG_FP0H3/s1600/IMG_0570.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m16S1EvWScSIYx6IZtUiG5oo2ht9xhcdVOu1RfTQrQn7-_VzEp7vC1lJ5RTKm0i0QOaPhsGtuczNHvyTUlIoQIcwNhRYpWIK2sFVOMVd79QEvelg6-gRuutWVkBLeWdHq4pbAG_FP0H3/s400/IMG_0570.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our claim to fame in the local newspapers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My old faithful boots turned out to be just old and I was told to rest for a week by the Physio. With a kind offer from Inge at the Ora Ora Resort in Kerikeri to rest in her capable hands, we were picked up and taken to her for a week of ankle icing, sleep and kind lovely people. While in Kerikeri we were able to attend the fundraising event Inge had arranged for us, which was meant to happen when we trekked through Kerikeri but as it was all arranged, it seemed crazy not to. We spoke to the group of Transition Town people about our plans and the money we were trying to raise and hopefully got ourselves a few more supporters. We even found time for an interview with the local newspaper journalist in the morning before we left to return to Ahipara.<br />
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We were dropped back to Ahipara (and then back in Kataia and then Ahipara all over again before I finally decided I was happy with my foot and boots - thank you Robert and Richard for humouring me on this one) for one last check up by the physio, who said (despite the strange grinding noise in my ankle) that I was good to go. I've been given techniques to manage the injury for the 5 months of hardcore tramping and have a new pair of boots but apart from that, bring on the bush!<br />
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Day 13 - 20 - Ahipara Connection - Kerikeri<br />
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We trekked along the road for about 8.5 kms before entering Herekino Forest. I can't tell you how good it felt to be back! We trekked for about 4 hours in total through the forest and over small streams, at a really steady pace before deciding to make the first day back a short one. We set up camp in the forest and had come dinner and I felt it was a good start. The adventure begins, take 2.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMg7sEEaWLo9mrE1LJoVl-9ueGWpWkItylZcEluQw0AD8mguX-n67I1jU0KkoblNeA6ELyji28WsXSpnEzbKhhwrRakaBg3N29_v6rBO_Y14QSQzK4iuAPCPJbVTEBNW5SYZ0XYFXzXDLt/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMg7sEEaWLo9mrE1LJoVl-9ueGWpWkItylZcEluQw0AD8mguX-n67I1jU0KkoblNeA6ELyji28WsXSpnEzbKhhwrRakaBg3N29_v6rBO_Y14QSQzK4iuAPCPJbVTEBNW5SYZ0XYFXzXDLt/s400/IMG_0455.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view as we came out Herekino Forest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We woke up slowly the next day and set off on our new adventure at about 7am, and in fact, the whole day took on this chilled pace and as we meandered through the Herekino forest on the fun varied track, which at times was really hard to navigate due to lots of overgrown bush and fallen trees (thank goodness for those orange markers), we took nice long breaks and lunches and chatted and laughed our way out of the forest. My feet and pack felt great and with a really steep descent we were out of the forest and looking over an amazing view of rolling green farmland. With the sun still shining and a camp spot chosen we went to bathe our feet and fill up our water bottles in the nearby stream. The track had been really exciting and I love it when you don't feel like a million people have trekked it before you. I can't wait to have many more days like this one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv-zbohz5j12_SrpsCr8qtEwjlNprd1E8nS7QJzyNh90zopGDFHE4hqP_er6Ub6KOeIwOG3g_vxB5jR9437iZwTX7pziZQOXobFd6Ax5DwSjsHAEHOCRYof49GbJ0qr32thPrYYhVC2uB/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv-zbohz5j12_SrpsCr8qtEwjlNprd1E8nS7QJzyNh90zopGDFHE4hqP_er6Ub6KOeIwOG3g_vxB5jR9437iZwTX7pziZQOXobFd6Ax5DwSjsHAEHOCRYof49GbJ0qr32thPrYYhVC2uB/s320/IMG_0183.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJhYfTNRUtsZKkb-lnnJrdzitqCC-7jOpoH3KJNe5otdaLSM_9442k6PQhNhwtr_jza8ly5Atw38-P6n8TQeNZINEdnSp3iNvksuZyWkoAvXliSjbXCHoPhgDl5G8uckViQcB3LSklMqn/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJhYfTNRUtsZKkb-lnnJrdzitqCC-7jOpoH3KJNe5otdaLSM_9442k6PQhNhwtr_jza8ly5Atw38-P6n8TQeNZINEdnSp3iNvksuZyWkoAvXliSjbXCHoPhgDl5G8uckViQcB3LSklMqn/s320/IMG_0512.JPG" width="240" /></a> We started the next day at a very similar pace, with a relaxed start and lots of photo taking, the trail took us through a gorgeous meadow with really tall ferns and wild flowers. I found myself walking along getting whiffs of perfume from the flowers and taking everything in and it wasn't long before we both confessed we were feeling in a very lazy mood. After the mutual laziness was voiced and after a little bit of road walking down into Takahue, we saw John the farmer, who kindly let us stay the night on his land. We set up our tent at about 11am by a river, made a lovely washing line from our trekking poles and built a fire on some rocks. The sun was shining and we had nowhere we had to be and life was feeling pretty good. After a bit of yoga and numerous cups of tea it was soon the afternoon and John came over later to chat and gave us a few tips on finding the trail. We had come a little off the official trail to find a camp spot but were still on a walking trail and he recommended we continue along the road which was actually the original trail that went through his farm land and would eventually meet up with the other one on the ridge. He even brought us over some eggs and meat to stock up our protein levels. Shalane and I were talking about how simple life feels when you are trekking. You feel rewarded at the smallest of things like a camp fire, or a finding a good bush to pee behind or even tying your shoe lace with your pack on, without falling over! Life is simple. Life is great!<br />
So it was time to actually do some trekking, and with our sights set on a campsite about 10.5 hours away, we set off for a really long day. We walked down the farm track and it was about 5 minutes before we came to two locked gates. Good start to the day we thought. But with definite permission from John we jumped the fence and continued along the way. We entered the field with a very noisy cow and after a few strange howls and grunts, I realised the cow wasn't constipated but was in fact trying to communicate with the herd of cows in the next<br />
field. Being calving season, they were all over protective of their young so we held our ground and kept walking at a steady pace. The cow crossed our path a few times before letting us past and as I looked behind I realised it was scuffing at the ground like a bull. We turned a corner and both looked at each other and then behind us again and both confessed we expected to see the cow race around the corner after us at a charge. We made it through the next gate to safety, but when we looked up, there were about 50 cows all looking at us. Shalane mumbled something about being the cow whisperer for the day and as I took on my new title, I held the cow's stare as we walked slowly forward all the time saying in a high pitched, girly voice "we mean no harm little cow". She took some budging but the cow eventually ran, taking all her mates with her and we continued up the winding track which was gradually, and then not so gradually taking us up to meet the new trail on the ridge. Being an old trail the orange markers we were following became a little spontaneously placed and we weren't entirely sure we were heading in the right direction. In fact, that became the theme of the day. As we reached the new trail on the ridge of Raetea mountain and began to climb to it's 744m summit, the trail was amazingly fun and close to extinction. Overgrown plants, fallen down trees and vines and roots and anything else you can imagine a forest to have, completely masked our path and we had just the orange markers to let us know we were on our way. We were only ever as lost as the last bit of orange. These eyes are now trained so hard that I can spot orange a mile away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT_fCq6mlxGsOS_-ooMcEG-LXISDMfyvSAz9SiwKMcTAMaiDyFgAYJh99gqm1DqMcv7VsLbf8_Ct8o-Byb72kiE0CHItrTWfOcTieeqTUhFlnXgV_wEYJz3Hageq8ugAAx1r-YUlmYLMO/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT_fCq6mlxGsOS_-ooMcEG-LXISDMfyvSAz9SiwKMcTAMaiDyFgAYJh99gqm1DqMcv7VsLbf8_Ct8o-Byb72kiE0CHItrTWfOcTieeqTUhFlnXgV_wEYJz3Hageq8ugAAx1r-YUlmYLMO/s400/IMG_0529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After our cow encounter and morning climb in Takahue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It really was an amazing trail with very steep climbs but that feeling that you are on a path that isn't so well trodden was great. IT was such an adventure and a beautiful one too. We stopped for short breaks in spots of sun beaming through the canopy before tackling some more vines and limboing under more fallen trees. When we reached the peak it was a scary sensation. We really were on a small peak with nothing but sharp declining mountain edges all around us. As we trailed down and back up some more ridges until we reached Mangamuka mountain, past the dead possums that lined our path (enough to make a heap of Pete's Possum Pies) we were almost at the SH1, the major road that would connect us to our next trail tomorrow, when Shalane fell and hurt her foot. After a worryingly long moment of dizzy shock and a pain assessment, she decided she was ok to continue slowly. Luckily the initial pain had subsided and it didn't turn out too bad. We hobbled our way out of the forest and onto the road shoulder and a long walk after a long day down the road to the rest area that we would spend the night. After an already long day made longer by a minor set back, we retired to the tent feeling suitably exhausted, but wow, what a muscle hardening, blood pumping, eye pleasing way to spend the day!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWRBR4vbdJ2bNujnkHrAzFrPGDja9HgMh37VBgt93gG3rRcQLGIBkBGJp49Q5E5Y40lhOlqXy6ZDRbkxpDQhm6NiAT5yW6N_VQw85PqPXWWyXrPdDVIO4ojXjXVHBv_4OHj4-rngUWuGg/s1600/IMG_0531.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWRBR4vbdJ2bNujnkHrAzFrPGDja9HgMh37VBgt93gG3rRcQLGIBkBGJp49Q5E5Y40lhOlqXy6ZDRbkxpDQhm6NiAT5yW6N_VQw85PqPXWWyXrPdDVIO4ojXjXVHBv_4OHj4-rngUWuGg/s320/IMG_0531.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>It is safe to say the next morning was a slow one but we didn't snooze too much before we were stuffed with oatmeal and back out on that road shoulder on our way down to Mangamuka. After a quick treat in the first shop we'd seen for a few days (mine was a cheese toasty and Shalane chocolate) we continued our journey to the Omahuta Puketi Forest Track. We walked and walked until we were bored of bends... "just round the next corner, the next corner....oooo maybe the next one" but it felt good to be out in the sun after being sheltered by the ooodles of tall trees for a few days and I'll never get bored of those green rolling hills. There were 2 options for this next section, a dry weather and wet weather route and as we'd have over a week of glorious sunshine we chose the dry route. We did end up walking a little too far due to our road not being named and our map not being too good and ended up setting up camp in the Kauri Sancturary. We were slowly starting to loose faith in our map and it later on came to let us down some more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEV9GvqtQMgJtC8EEnPlik7Tr_Ke-yZey11mh052xVWxZgMrp1Bz0FZRlnW6_fVt1xkZpGvJ2MrZB7zEUP0j7C16SW90uTUpwxJ7uWjBxGXhXGIZH7sxNc5UYnY8PF6ibd98Uj7YwEAlE/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEV9GvqtQMgJtC8EEnPlik7Tr_Ke-yZey11mh052xVWxZgMrp1Bz0FZRlnW6_fVt1xkZpGvJ2MrZB7zEUP0j7C16SW90uTUpwxJ7uWjBxGXhXGIZH7sxNc5UYnY8PF6ibd98Uj7YwEAlE/s320/IMG_0541.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Low clouds over the hills surrounding the logging roads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That night we were a little low on water so we licked our bowls clean of sweet and sour lamb and again the next morning of oatmeal and thought, why didn't we just do this from the start? We set off early the next morning and using our slightly incompetent map and instructions from Te Araroa website, along with guesstimated walking times, we lead our way down to a logging skid site that was meant to have markers leading to the next trail. We pushed through overgrown prickly bushes and my legs got ripped to shreds on "cutty grass" but we pushed on and came to the skid site, only to find more overgrown bush and not a marker in site. After a little chat with Edmund Kiwi (please view videos) we decided to back track and take option B which would lead us along logging roads past Omahuta Forest and into Puketi Forest. The logging roads were like a maze and with no road names even option B felt hard. We managed, with a little help from the logging workers, to get onto the correct road, which was actually named something different on the Te Araroa website and walk the long, long long road across to Puketi Forest. This didn't happen without an hour of walking in the wrong direction and a lot of sole destroying doubt and unsure decisions. It was a really mentally tough day. I also realised on this day that the diet we were on was not enough and I spent a lot of time feeling hungry. The meals were not even touching the side and I started feeling a little weak. We were slowly loosing the will to carry on after being unsure if we were even on the right road when we came to a split in the road. Neither way looked particularly obvious so we dumped our bags and each took a road for 5 minutes before reporting back with our findings. I was extatic to find a dead end, ruling out that way for sure and never imagined Shalane would come back with the incredible news that she did! She found a sign complete with map and a time. We were back in the land of the living and we knew we were on the right track. The next journey was an hour of a well used forest track which was great, but it was tough and when Shalane said the best way to describe my starved face with grey tone and sunken eyes was Death, I knew I needed to stop and eat soon. We had limited cold food left as we were coming to the end of our days and we trekked a little more before setting up camp in the forest and eating. It felt amazing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_samGYduAq13GPK3na-5T1w7lovWIRsuSflThe2aojje6F9PmnbauxHWkl5uKcGruZqznrcrdXzKgsHpkPpEeOrGu05sCu4zBWwBfXqAURgC6m66WFLosjat_6FIhD-at5AN0x34QKNF/s1600/IMG_0225.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_samGYduAq13GPK3na-5T1w7lovWIRsuSflThe2aojje6F9PmnbauxHWkl5uKcGruZqznrcrdXzKgsHpkPpEeOrGu05sCu4zBWwBfXqAURgC6m66WFLosjat_6FIhD-at5AN0x34QKNF/s320/IMG_0225.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it! Rainbow Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The last day felt good from start to finish. We were determined and up and trekking in the forest with our head torches on as the canopy kept the light out. It was all systems go and although I love an adventure, after a couple of days of not being too sure and a little bit of back tracking, we were enjoying the knowledge of distance and time we had on this day. The forest we were in was great with plenty of river crossings and vertical mud banks to keep us entertained. We trekked to Puketi Recreation Area and it felt like Christmas to arrive. We both took a celebratory pee on the real toilet with actual loo roll and set off along the road to the Kerikeri river track. After a few hours and a nice long chat with a friendly farmer we made it. I even treated myself to a cheese and bacon scone at Waipapa - Mmmmm! We stopped at Rainbow Falls and decided to give it one last push to OraOra Resort to see our lovely family there. These were the guys that looked afted us so well when my foot was hurt and Inge was kindly accepting a food drop for us from Back Country Cusine. The river track is an easy path and as we walked along side it in the sun we had big grins on our face and it felt like we were coming home. The day had been a long one after about 28 kms and nearly 10 hours (including breaks) and when we arrived at OraOra, Trish and Neil, the family that are woofing at OraOra greeted us with smiles and soup and even a salt foot soak. The boys, Richard and Robert and then Inge soon turned up and it really felt like we had really made it. They have all been so kind to us that it will be sad to move on to the next stage of our journey, knowing that we don't have them to look forward to at the end. We hope to see Inge and possibly the family for part of the trek a little later on but for now they will definitely remain with us in spirit.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwXarIL2snyBN-lloIK93K4BTW9fcOFMhsOTuF23Cg3EM-OuV3JNc3q7fzvl3EFP1K6t7fnzuEjcKbWqsPaVq9W9OBRk4x8Oqw-jRJlAB3q5rQLQf6D4co2asKdiEzEpFbBCioA595RfF/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwXarIL2snyBN-lloIK93K4BTW9fcOFMhsOTuF23Cg3EM-OuV3JNc3q7fzvl3EFP1K6t7fnzuEjcKbWqsPaVq9W9OBRk4x8Oqw-jRJlAB3q5rQLQf6D4co2asKdiEzEpFbBCioA595RfF/s640/IMG_0559.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Amazing Family at OraOra Resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-3126306778339868792010-10-21T14:45:00.003+13:002010-11-04T11:53:00.644+13:00Cape Reinga to Hospital!And we're off......<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdlZoxo6crtMCBeFTJznxGwKb4ouv-jQyJUpY4nkRzTDJmuSvawSnncRAL51Zkl9vRlMBwUKPJFfvhAJAocDRbo2Y39NHOedjRc5KaZeoHqfJZB2UeTXMw2U8qC1ywsGzdC-QKxpljDMI/s1600/IMG_0394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdlZoxo6crtMCBeFTJznxGwKb4ouv-jQyJUpY4nkRzTDJmuSvawSnncRAL51Zkl9vRlMBwUKPJFfvhAJAocDRbo2Y39NHOedjRc5KaZeoHqfJZB2UeTXMw2U8qC1ywsGzdC-QKxpljDMI/s320/IMG_0394.JPG" width="320" /></a>We met a group of Israeli and Czech guys in the hostel we were staying at in Paihia who kindly said they would give us a lift up to Cape Reinga. They were good fun and had actually spent the summer in Den Haag in Holland which is where I spent a few days before coming to New Zealand and they had some good stories to tell. They had a good travel ethic which was to go everywhere slowly and we stopped along they way in Kerikeri for an amazing Israeli meal in a cafe there. It was a hot sunny afternoon and there was a group of 9 of us so a good atmosphere and the food was great - even for their tough standards. After lunch we set off up north to 90 mile beach, where the guys were insistent on attempting a bit of sand surfing with a makeshift board and a piece of rope tide to the back of their car. Needless to say they weren't entirely successful but they did have a lot of fun trying! With a lot of perseverance and determination, they managed to use the board of skateboard and surf along the sand before falling in the water and getting freezing cold and wet! It was more fun for us, the spectators I think. We arrived at Cape Reinga and after inspecting the lighthouse, we made it to the campsite down the road. We had dinner together before Shalane and I headed to bed early ready for day one.<br />
<br />
Day 1 on the Te Araroa Trail (Done in a UK Big Brother style voice)<br />
<br />
<b>15 October 2010</b> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjwYfXv1QOhw-zEOzPYJfwCOhW6cNFEyzGnTZUNjtdZjpo8LDJHL2dm15d64x_U-TFusiUeOmlGAc0v46rWAVzmbCMSvuhNcdpmbxkU4b7I5FYljEqhEy0uucBdsDs7yKn8RftR49ssdB/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjwYfXv1QOhw-zEOzPYJfwCOhW6cNFEyzGnTZUNjtdZjpo8LDJHL2dm15d64x_U-TFusiUeOmlGAc0v46rWAVzmbCMSvuhNcdpmbxkU4b7I5FYljEqhEy0uucBdsDs7yKn8RftR49ssdB/s320/IMG_0412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Taputaputa Campsite - Kahokawa Beach <br />
<br />
We woke up at 5.30am in an attempt to leave at 6.30am but a lack of sleep (due to excitement) it was quite hard to motivate myself in the dark so a slightly slow start for me! However, once up and awake I was properly excited and ready for anything. Kirsten kindly woke up to wave us off and Shalane and I set off with an additional trekking buddy in tow. Chen, another Israeli guy that we met at the hostel we'd been staying at in Paihia, wanted a short trek so decided to join us for 2 of our days. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj-EzEFC1g4GgkceWuj7g2nxnxHA4xjzw1_4wc-UcL3PJSzRvWjPUUdP0_iy7r0Nf0nn3D2R4t1BgKHX4NeT-mMKvm52YvizBSIzuz3Y4_uaUSYsGfVxjeBK3F5tA5q9dkYcwdsQKCVk8/s1600/IMG_0421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj-EzEFC1g4GgkceWuj7g2nxnxHA4xjzw1_4wc-UcL3PJSzRvWjPUUdP0_iy7r0Nf0nn3D2R4t1BgKHX4NeT-mMKvm52YvizBSIzuz3Y4_uaUSYsGfVxjeBK3F5tA5q9dkYcwdsQKCVk8/s320/IMG_0421.JPG" width="320" /></a>The first 2 hours of the day were spent just trekking to the start of the trail. I wee warm up you could say. It was nice and hilly and definitely got the blood pumping and by the time we got to the lighthouse I had to laugh to myself that we hadn't even started Te Araroa yet. Chen had a coffee break while we overlooked the lighthouse and we were soon on our way once more. The trail was up and down, hills, cliffs and dunes with a small section of beach walking and was a really great variety. The weather was a bit rubbish, with a bit of rain and very overcast but a great temperature for us. By 2pm my feet began to hurt and I was pleased to stop when we did. We had trekked for 26 Kms and had found a camp at the start of the beach that we were set to walk on for the next 3 days solid. I ran into the sea before I cooled down for a very invigorating dip, as it was Baltic, before settling down for a night around a fire with some yummy Back Country Cuisine to reward us for our hard days trek. We were sitting and chatting when a young Dutch guy strolled up - Dirk Jan. He is also doing the Te Araroa and asked to trek with us for the next few days of beach walking. It was only then, talking in the group that it suddenly hit me....I'm going to be trekking for 5 whole months ahd I don't think I really realised that before now. Shit!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Day 2 16 October 2010 </b><br />
Kahokawa Beach - The Bluff<b> </b><br />
<br />
Blisters! 3 years with the same trekking boots in countries all around the world and they start to give me blisters on day 2 of the biggest trek I'll ever do!!!! 7 in total and the one on my little toe is the size of a whole other toe!<br />
<br />
The blisters on my heals actually started at the end of day one and one or 2 of my toes and as soon as I put my boots on I knew it would be a tough day. The start was ok though, they hurt but it was bearable, however, with a guesstimate of 30 Kms ahead, something needed to be done. The blisters got more painful and I realised I was walking strangely to try and avoid the pain, so after we said goodbye to Chen at Te Paki stream, Shalane, Kirk Jan and I walked another couple of hours when I decided I had to change my shoes. On one of our breaks I swapped to sandals and it felt great - at first. More blisters started appearing on the bottom of my toes and the afternoon was a bit of a flop. We stopped and started quite a lot and only trekked a disappointing 23 Kms instead of our intended 30 which meant 2 long days ahead. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSJB8OokHtkfo7U17lWW2JGe_jXk5sW649Rg6ImAfrAeDOoXWaSnLoTva-dhr4iOyRRzBbBBKF1ZGKqoN4LlBv47Aa2WvOL0DzKZEkUOvrLuLI9weSTCFiDxvV1cuGdiBZSd5fPJnYDf_/s1600/IMG_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSJB8OokHtkfo7U17lWW2JGe_jXk5sW649Rg6ImAfrAeDOoXWaSnLoTva-dhr4iOyRRzBbBBKF1ZGKqoN4LlBv47Aa2WvOL0DzKZEkUOvrLuLI9weSTCFiDxvV1cuGdiBZSd5fPJnYDf_/s320/IMG_0426.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
The beach walking is pretty tough considering it's all one level and I know once we start climbing those mountains I'll wish I was back on the beach, but with no real landmarks visable and nothing much to look at but sand, sea and dunes, it's just one foot in front of the other for 8 long hours! The one level of walking means the pack and boots give constant friction in the same place for many hours but on the bright side, I managed to carry maximum water and food AND my trekking boots and all my heaviest clothes and am still alive to tell the tale. The weather was good too and we set up camp near a lovely stream with an amazing view of the ocean and the sun was glorious in the afternoon.<br />
<br />
With a now swollen Achilles and blisters galore we were still in good spirits. It's amazing what a bit of sun can do! I just hope my body doesn't let me down.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Day 3 17 October 2010</b><br />
<b></b>The Bluff - 3 Kms South of Hakatere<br />
<br />
Well, the good news is my blisters weren't too bad in the morning. I taped them up and when I put my boots on they felt fine. Through the day a few points hurt but not as bad as the previous. After 8 hours and 34 Kms it was a slightly different story. The good news is that if you keep walking, they go kind of numb, it was only really when we had a break and started up again that I looked and felt like an old woman.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEd82PEMLKEwqIwoFHcYnYS363Qs5vHE14aWSxHdAmTB7QJUULFYZzE_xaTJAxPjFV4FkHN4CN5tUnjkqGvr3IUgkWeYm6os8c8XE3d804RuUc0wE2B8m85rgPTXb3pzTISMdme8heWDnZ/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEd82PEMLKEwqIwoFHcYnYS363Qs5vHE14aWSxHdAmTB7QJUULFYZzE_xaTJAxPjFV4FkHN4CN5tUnjkqGvr3IUgkWeYm6os8c8XE3d804RuUc0wE2B8m85rgPTXb3pzTISMdme8heWDnZ/s320/IMG_0448.JPG" width="320" /></a>The weather was rainy on day 3 but the hardest thing for me on this day was pure, 100% boredom. Don't get me wrong, the beach is beautiful but very much ready for some variety now. The clouds were thick on all sides of us and there were no land marks to tell us how fast or far we were going. At least with the sea on the right and dunes on the left we knew we were always going in the right direction. I would set myself a landmark, like a stone or shell or a slightly larger dune and maybe through a loss of sanity I would sing to myself. There was also a lot of traffic on the beach and the odd wave from the sandy highway would perk me up a bit. There was also a nice bus driver man who threw a couple of bottles of water at us out of the bus door as he drove by. He must have known that water was scarce along this stretch of beach and when we reached the stream we had been trekking hard to reach , we were very grateful for the water. The stream was full of rubbish and I'm not sure I'd even wash my feet in the still, moldy looking water. Shalane found us a good spot under some trees behind the dunes and the sun came out just in time for dinner. All in all a good day and knowing that the next day was destination day felt good. We had a sneaky treat of two back country cuisine meals each as we felt doubly hungry after a long day - Naughty but nice!<br />
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<b>Day 4 18 October 2010</b><br />
South of Hakatere - Ahipara<br />
<b> </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROUzyPqy5onSOcL4FomA6Kj2lGEOvShqgH4VdMdjDWPXm4UHhFs6KmB1Gn0VCEUyGHKU6PBkTsX8YTkrstnhxNX-zpmctX6Hh_wCL_1tJ1ta5KZnkq9fLdCjry-3BtoEsA4KT1Ocyn1K_/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROUzyPqy5onSOcL4FomA6Kj2lGEOvShqgH4VdMdjDWPXm4UHhFs6KmB1Gn0VCEUyGHKU6PBkTsX8YTkrstnhxNX-zpmctX6Hh_wCL_1tJ1ta5KZnkq9fLdCjry-3BtoEsA4KT1Ocyn1K_/s320/IMG_0440.JPG" width="320" /></a><b> </b>Well well well, what a day! We woke up and set off at our usual 6.45am and began our walk in some moody, cloudy lighting over the ocean, with some clear sky in parts and a dark rim of clouds heading our way and you could see the rain in the distance. We managed to avoid the first onset and even got to enjoy a beautiful rainbow that appeared in the distance but before long we were wet and cold with some very strong icy winds. One thing I will say about walking on the beach is that it shows no mercy to the elements!<br />
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By the afternoon we had some sun, wind but sun and lots of beach. We walked along the beach and strolled some more beach when we sat and had lunch we ate on the beach and every now and then I'd look behind me at the long stretch of beach before turning round to look ahead at the longer stretch of beach.<br />
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We saw a man running up the beach playing gulf as he ran, and lots of tour buses driving up the beach with hundreds of noses pressed against the window staring at 3 (now quite tanned) beached looking trekkers.<br />
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The great news was that when the clouds disappeared and the sun came out we could see little white dots in the hills ahead - Ahipara! I had a little pep talk with myself after lunch and I said "hey Alex, toughen up princess. Those blisters and muscles aren't getting any better but if you carry on walking slowly they will just hurt for longer". So I walked and I walked fast, and those little white dots in the hills got bigger and I felt really good until we turned a slight corner in the beach and blimey that wind! As much as we walked and pushed and pumped those legs that wind was pushing us back. We were getting nowhere fast. Some sailing buggies things and quad bikes roared past me, just to confirm that I had picked the wrong hobby and I found myself swearing so hard at the wind. With a bit more swearing and a bit more pumping of those muscles we made it to tarmac and after having a celebratory cold soft drink and a packet of salt and vinegar, we found a campsite down the road and wearily set up our home.<br />
<br />
After showering and sorting ourselves out, it became clear that my fankle (fat ankle for those that don't know) was now worryingly large and very hot and red and a trip to hospital on our day of rest was a must. We awoke early and after waiting for the bus to not turn up for half an hour we hitched into Kataia for hospital and food shopping. After a referral to the Physio and a quick appointment back in Ahipara, it turns out I have Achilles Peritendonitis (or something like that. Basically tissue damage around my Achilles tendon which has caused internal bleeding0 and I have doctors orders to rest for a week. Not the best start to the trip but with 4 days down and 146 to go, it's best I listen to doc and sit tight until the swelling goes down. The injury actually started on our trial trek but it was the beach walk that finished me off and some new trekking boots (bought with my magic beans as funds did not stretch that far) will be needed.<br />
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A bit disappointing and I feel guilty for poor Shalane but hopefully we'll be on our way soon.Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-13353374701981785722010-10-15T18:30:00.004+13:002010-10-15T18:30:00.628+13:00Never a Dull DayThough the idea of setting off into the wild with a piece of tarp and a toothbrush does appeal to me, when trekking an entire country over a 5 month period with more weather changes and types of terrain than you can shake a stick at, I like the knowledge that we are fully prepared.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvGgG5yovFf86GlCtYx2r0noanF8TEH3ds56KOnhlAbIF83L9mVHoz_5mzBxmzwZDTBBmhQVVr2d2RwqCCAczeyzUylvOYRT3t7aWpyfploTtiN7kdyyfi8L12FAcaODB5PVLFKFkqlm-/s1600/IMG_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvGgG5yovFf86GlCtYx2r0noanF8TEH3ds56KOnhlAbIF83L9mVHoz_5mzBxmzwZDTBBmhQVVr2d2RwqCCAczeyzUylvOYRT3t7aWpyfploTtiN7kdyyfi8L12FAcaODB5PVLFKFkqlm-/s320/IMG_0378.JPG" width="240" /></a>When the idea of trekking Te Araroa was first born Shalane and I agreed that we would need to start from scratch with clothing and equipment. Up until this point both of us have made do with what we had so instead of proper trekking boots, Shalane used trail runner shoes to trek 1000 kms and instead of quick-dry, light weight trekking trousers, I’ve used fashion combat trousers. When planning to carry our wardrobe, bedroom and kitchen on our backs, we had to at least make sure we had a few practical, light weight items.<br />
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Having said all that, there was no way that we would be able to buy everything we needed and still have money left over for food and other essentials. So we put our heads together and decided that since we are doing the trek to raise money for Indigo Foundation, it would only make sense to try and get some outdoor gear companies on board through sponsorship. <br />
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We now have a complete gear list which was purchased through a mixture of sponsorship, shopping or the reinventing of old faithfuls. It is safe to say, I have learnt a few things about what amazing products there are out there.<br />
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After ticking off the essentials, e.g. first aid kits and emergency kits, we have then made decisions based on comfort, fit and purpose. Weight and price were a toss-up, depending on what item we were referring to. We definitely had to take into account durability for such a long journey.<br />
<br />
I decided that boots and socks and anything that we were going to use and rely on the most would take priority and money would not be an issue. I luckily had some very well broken in trekking boots and good socks from previous treks. I have a good enough pack that, although not ideal (as I was sold the wrong size 3 years ago) will do. This item is essentially one that should be a perfect fit and I should ensure is a great fit but finances just won't stretch that far. Luckily the guys in the store gave me new, larger straps and did they best they could with what they had! I also had a good sleeping bag from a while back, and although it sheds a few hundred feathers a night, there are still one or two left in there. My nickname bigbird certainly has a new meaning every morning.<br />
<br />
We had a few teething problems with the tent. The tent we were planning on using was put up in a hostel garden and turned out to no longer be water proof. Shalane had the tent sent over from Canada and although it worked well at first, we believe that the sun in Australia may well have damaged the outer shell and the hard floor worn down the bottom, resulting in a couple of soggy (not so happy) campers! After a bit of research and realising that plan B (spraying it with waterproofer) just wasn't going to cut the mustard and plan C (getting it exchanged via Canada) wasn't going to fit our time scale, it was reluctantly on to plan D - A new tent. Luckily Macpac had some amazing sales on, and we managed to get a light weight tent, fitting our fussy criteria with an extra added bonus of being suitable for 6 ft me! The best bit was, it was half price. Problem solved.<br />
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The rest of our shopping would have made my mum proud! We went into each shop and found everything we needed, tried it on, wrote down prices and sizes and brands and then sat down to compare them all over lunch, before going round to each shop again and purchasing the best of each item based on weight, fit, price etc. Needless to say we know each store member by name in Newmarket, Auckland. It was pretty exhausting and with a few more trips back and forth for the odd item I felt well and truly shopped out!<br />
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<br />
Once our lists neared the end, all that was left was to pack it all up and go on a trial trek. We chose Hillary Trail in the Waitakere Ranges as it offered a variety of terrain and conditions that would maximize our ability to sort out which of our gear we’d keep and which we’d leave behind when we officially set out on Te Araroa. <br />
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We definitely learnt a lot after adding food and water to our packs and we have both removed a few, not so essential, items since. I think that if we had the finances, it would be a lot easier to pack lighter, with some really great light weight materials and items on offer. I have now managed to get my base weight down to 17 kgs. I think I could probably have found lighter sandals for crossing rivers and a lighter coat but apart from that, I feel that I have pretty much the bare minimum. My gear list can be found below.<br />
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There are some items that are shared between me and Shalane so please feel free to visit www.onelifeadventures.com to see what Shalane is carrying. The list below is just what is in my pack:<br />
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<b>Essentials</b><br />
<br />
First Aid Kit <br />
Sleeping bag<br />
<br />
Sleep sheet<br />
<br />
Sleeping mat<br />
<br />
Headlamp<br />
Swiss Army Knife <br />
<br />
Water Bottles 1L (4)<br />
<br />
Osprey water bladder 2L<br />
Gas canister<br />
Tent<br />
Sunglasses<br />
<br />
Toothbrush/toothpaste<br />
Sunscreen/Bug spray<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Clothes</b><br />
<br />
Trekking boots<br />
<br />
Sandals<br />
<br />
Socks (3)<br />
<br />
Underwear (2)<br />
Sports Bra<br />
Shorts<br />
Waterproof Trousers<br />
Thermals (1 set)<br />
<br />
T-shirt (2)<br />
Long sleeved Thermal top<br />
<br />
Fleece<br />
Rain jacket<br />
Beanie<br />
<br />
<b>Extras</b><br />
<br />
Camera (includes spare battery and memory cards, charger, memory sticks)<br />
Journal/pen<br />
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<b>Food</b> (we'll vary carrying anywhere from 4-14 days worth of food depending on where we are)<br />
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<u>Breakfast</u><br />
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Oatmeal<br />
Dried fruit<br />
Dried milk<br />
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Tea<br />
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<u>Lunch</u><br />
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Muesli power bar<br />
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Dried fruit/veggie fibre bar<br />
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<u>Snacks</u><br />
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Trail mix<br />
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<u>Dinner</u><br />
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Freeze dried meal<br />
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<b> Ready for the Off</b><br />
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My Uncle once said to me when I was living out of a van and travelling around, while he reminisced of his own amazing road trips - "there is never a dull day on the road". <br />
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So it's off into the wilderness we go. These boots were certainly made for walking and all this talk and preparation has gone on long enough. We start with 4 days of beach walking along 90 Mile Beach, which is 60 Miles long (?????), and as we wave goodbye to Kirsten, who has come to visit us and see us off, we'll be looking forward to the 5 months, 150 days of steep mountains, stunning valleys, beaches and rivers, farmland, villages and a variety of weather conditions. Living out of a tent with the beautiful things in life all around us. Back to nature. Cooking on a camp stove or fire and washing in the rivers, listening to the birds while we sit and rest in the afternoons and write about the days events. Meeting people along the way and testing our strengths on whatever New Zealand has to throw a us. Never a dull day!<br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-37536884405492112772010-10-11T09:55:00.000+13:002010-10-11T09:55:40.345+13:00Take only Photographs, Leave only Footsteps<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In the whirlwind of preparations and personal new journeys, it's easy to slip away from the core, important reasons we are embarking on such an adventure.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Environmental sustainability is something I have become increasingly more aware of as I've travelled from the UK to India, South-East Asia to Australasia, there is a wide variety of lessons to learn.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOmydMm_EZR5qGgP8X1aXktc47kfd_Rp9j1jWGvuiHjeKSaGfvItXzyGOgDdhTg7f_8wfloESgPsSDkrZSHs64llBldB8aqAfttlI7UWVphIjH7SMOqEqkp475f5otIZupCwrro68Q5o7/s1600/al.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOmydMm_EZR5qGgP8X1aXktc47kfd_Rp9j1jWGvuiHjeKSaGfvItXzyGOgDdhTg7f_8wfloESgPsSDkrZSHs64llBldB8aqAfttlI7UWVphIjH7SMOqEqkp475f5otIZupCwrro68Q5o7/s320/al.bmp" width="242" /></a>When I first set off on my travels with Laura in November 2007, we were both very much absorbed in "our experience" and it's safe to say we rinsed everything there was to rinse, every last drop from our travels. We travelled very far on a tiny budget which meant sleeping in the cheapest, most cockroach infested places (including snuggling up on the floor of Mumbai train station), we ate the delicious local food and got on crazy buses instead of planes and didn't drink and party ourselves around the world. We learnt so much about different cultures and history of all the countries that we were lucky enough to visit. We both went on personal journeys but very much a journey together, which, as you can imagine, formed an unbreakable bond between us. But I think I can speak for the both of us that after travelling for a while, you step out of the bubble and start becoming more of a conscious traveller.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was a little while into my travels that I learnt about Ecotourism and it really helped me to be an Eco traveller. Ecotourism (Ecological Tourism) is responsible travel to fragile, pristine and usually protected areas (but to be honest, I think that includes everywhere). It strives to be low impact and small scale and educates the traveller, provides funds for ecological conservation; and directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities at the same time as respecting and human rights. Ecotourism is important so that future generations may experience aspects of the environment relatively untouched by human intervention.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As a traveller you become increasingly aware of how much of an impact you have, as one of the millions who travel every year. It is clearly a vicious circle between communities relying on tourism and the damage that tourism does to a place. Not only physical damage but the attitude you have has an enormous affect on the people you meet. Fellow travellers as well as locals. I was saddened to meet locals in the majority, if not all the countries I visited who felt bitter towards tourists. For many different reasons but for valid reasons. Sometimes a town had gained a reputation for all good party town so attracted drunken yob behaviour, sometimes the tourist couldn't grasp the concept that you can't always have all the home comforts but still demanded them and sometimes the town just grew too quickly to accommodate for the increasing tourists.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I found myself saying often "wow, this place is amazing, I would have loved to see it 10 years ago". Now that we are all a little more aware of the impact our actions as a traveller has on the environment and the planet as a whole, I believe we can keep changes to a minimum so that in 10 years time, the adventurers of that day can see what we see now.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4zrRF6lb79w4NPMAJJ-2qCEEeVyW3bcs3gjf8uDJcX7FQIwnOvKEP29peZ9WHI1XFHPlLGqwroKFzX0aYGX3diUMrQvA5w3_Bs1EuufYHcWRcqL4wzjUU6jXbIB5-zHdJPxu68r3IBwN/s1600/dieback_strategicmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4zrRF6lb79w4NPMAJJ-2qCEEeVyW3bcs3gjf8uDJcX7FQIwnOvKEP29peZ9WHI1XFHPlLGqwroKFzX0aYGX3diUMrQvA5w3_Bs1EuufYHcWRcqL4wzjUU6jXbIB5-zHdJPxu68r3IBwN/s320/dieback_strategicmap.jpg" width="320" /></a>As a trekking fan I was already very aware of the problems caused by the constant use of the trails and keeping to the trail to prevent tracks widening was always something I took seriously. When I arrived in Australia and went on an Eco Boat Tour on the South West coast, I was shocked to learn about Dieback. Dieback was a disease being spread by trekkers/walkers, as well as animals and was killing Australia's amazing wild flower. There is a similar case in New Zealand, which Shalane and I learnt about when we walked the Hillary Trail. Dieback in that area is killing a large amount of Kauri trees and we were required to scrape and spray our boots at the beginning and end of each new track. Luckily there is a prevention in place and in both New Zealand and Australia, there are already cases of the dead areas returning to it's beautiful, natural state. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyAigxE8-D1rSKgp1uQu8ZNMRcs98K5ibiZcdrzwgmNKcR1dr6iP6jrrKTyH6iqztuaSK7kTBfsJGooi_dYFImoAOMNHwBX57pDGIzp84iHUvUJQuCBY8LYUURLl8U4YN9wnUd4oZ8Aek/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyAigxE8-D1rSKgp1uQu8ZNMRcs98K5ibiZcdrzwgmNKcR1dr6iP6jrrKTyH6iqztuaSK7kTBfsJGooi_dYFImoAOMNHwBX57pDGIzp84iHUvUJQuCBY8LYUURLl8U4YN9wnUd4oZ8Aek/s320/IMG_0100.JPG" width="240" /></a>Even before I reached Australia we were becoming aware of the necessities surrounding well trodden paths. Laura and I were both surprised when we visited the Taman Negara to find the oldest tropical rain forest in the world with wooden board ways and steps. I had expectations of a wild Forest with paths you need to scramble up.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Having learnt a few things along my travelling ways, it completely and utterly shocked me to find out some people still carried on their lives littering and not mastering the most simple things such as common sense! When sharing a lift with a few others in Australia, one passenger shamelessly wound his window down and threw a beer bottle into the hedge, and that wasn't the end of it. People would have a BBQ and not take their rubbish away, they would drop wrappers on the floor a few metres from the bin. I am not saying that I've never littered of course. When I was younger and wasn't so aware of the affects it had on the environment, I was "too cool" to pick up my rubbish. My belief in Karma also assisted in cancelling out that bad habit.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0uc6M9GHi4WZfLWGLxQfM3zGg4QavTYZB7gLZ9knDwPAta2J2PHoVRNwg9lu5F8U02-wltPVi6EI9ac1nAmj0YH-9RN0zd6UYeMWkSPd_K7yoNHb6OXFCYZHvkmUmvIs6CmjhwkEPPpB/s1600/Binyourbutt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0uc6M9GHi4WZfLWGLxQfM3zGg4QavTYZB7gLZ9knDwPAta2J2PHoVRNwg9lu5F8U02-wltPVi6EI9ac1nAmj0YH-9RN0zd6UYeMWkSPd_K7yoNHb6OXFCYZHvkmUmvIs6CmjhwkEPPpB/s320/Binyourbutt.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was often pleasantly surprised at times too! I remember feeling a warn fuzzy feeling when I was hanging around with some friends in Australia. They were lads, for any English person reading this you'll know what I mean. Cool, laid back and blokey. They all smoked but after every cigarette they would ensure the butt went in the bin, even if it meant getting up walking 5 minutes and coming all the way back. If we ever camped over night anywhere, they would check the whole area the next morning for the smallest of butts. It really impressed me and it always made me think - "if only everyone did that".</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">That's what it all comes down to in my eyes. We are each one of a huge circle of travellers. That circle increases every year and I would encourage anybody to travel for the life experience it brings. If each and every one of us was aware of the knock on effect our actions have, not only on the environment but on the people we meet there would be a substantial difference.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've learnt as much from fellow travellers caring about their actions than I have about them caring very little. If you are one of the traveller to care, you will gradually create awareness to everyone you meet and you will no longer be the minority. You are never too cool to care! </div><br />
Our Te Araroa adventure is also an attempt to promote women's adventure travel. You will see newspapers and magazines full of stories about men completely amazing adventures but you rarely see stories about females. When you research further you will find that women do go out there and do amazing things but you just don't really hear about it as much. The truth is, male or female there are many of us that at one point in our lives have said the words "oh, I'd love to do that" and never even begin to look into it. I am definitely one of those people. I only ever did anything great if somebody booked it for me and picked me up from my doorstep. I also look at some of these incredible adventurers and convince myself that some people are just born with the motivation and determination to go out and do it! This probably isn't true but basically became my excuse.<br />
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I have never been snowboarding and I don't have a crazy extreme sport as a hobby and I am not a repeat conqueror of all things adventure. But, for once in my life, I heard of something that made me think "I want to do that" and this time there are no excuses!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For anybody who has a slight desire to do something similar, something outside you comfort zone, something that excites you but feels unreachable then just go for it! My advice is honestly, honestly, if I can do it, anyone can. I'm 6 ft tall, they don't make trekking trousers to fit people like me, I'm boney in the exact place my bad sits on my hips and shoulders, I'm flat footed and I'm just not built for carrying 25 kgs but I'll give it a go! There are so much advice on the Internet, there are forums, fellow travellers and general support and absolutely no more excuses! Release your inner adventurer.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Of course I am not forgetting the Indigo Foundation. Their Soloman Islands project is our focus and AUD $10,000 is our goal. In reaching this goal we will fun the whole project for 2 more years. Visit the Indigo Foundation page for more details and help out if you can.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>And remember - Take only Photographs, Leaave only Footsteps!<br />
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</div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-45129494262618145172010-10-06T11:45:00.000+13:002010-10-06T11:51:23.359+13:00A Taste of Life on the Trail<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpdeEGP_t2CIu2elttY0x4TSLM1dKvog2eHRsXnLREvrfmDMy5jmgUBI5KWAszIurA8fT2eBtJSm5R4v10btApJ2pxbhEUOAiC_gc3TMCdzPc22lLVVrJyS3EYIH3A9kFSDrHfILJYiTa/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpdeEGP_t2CIu2elttY0x4TSLM1dKvog2eHRsXnLREvrfmDMy5jmgUBI5KWAszIurA8fT2eBtJSm5R4v10btApJ2pxbhEUOAiC_gc3TMCdzPc22lLVVrJyS3EYIH3A9kFSDrHfILJYiTa/s320/IMG_0132.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"It's not the mountain we conquer but ourselves" ~ Edmund Hillary</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We chose to do our trial trek in the Waitakere ranges on the Hillary Trail for a number of different reasons. Not only did we need to go somewhere close to Auckland so it was cheap and easy to get to but we also got 2 recommendations for the trail stretching as far as London to New Zealand. We later found out that it was where Edmund Hillary trained for his climb up Everest so it felt the perfect place to start!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The trail stretches for 70 kms and the terrain is a mix of just about everything you can expect from New Zealand (apart from snow). That, combined with some varying weather conditions certainly gave us an opportunity to test out our gear, abilities and team work!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b>Sunday 26 September (11 kms)</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We woke up a little late due to us not realising that the clocks changed for daylight savings! We packed up in the morning and having practice packed the day before I felt good about the weight of my pack. Adding 5 litres of water to it however, made a huge difference and I left the hostel feeling quite nervous. We began the trek at the Arataki visitors centre where our friend Ray kindly dropped us off. We gathered all the relevant information regarding the trail conditions and maps. It appeared that the very wet winter had caused a river to flood which meant a detour was required and the muddy track meant our estimated times may change.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInrL1fWPAv_ch0fHGwvE8y_MnEKa_iJm0dSFcYZOJzYZX-PHI1vQiFrjzA6SA2t4QPGVuLJA2nYe46zMPUJ4s5lHvs20sSkrpY4mVLHYyIY5-I9vUFS5v1ZD0uZB-SV_wr9kykizkaImn/s1600/IMG_5152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInrL1fWPAv_ch0fHGwvE8y_MnEKa_iJm0dSFcYZOJzYZX-PHI1vQiFrjzA6SA2t4QPGVuLJA2nYe46zMPUJ4s5lHvs20sSkrpY4mVLHYyIY5-I9vUFS5v1ZD0uZB-SV_wr9kykizkaImn/s320/IMG_5152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our campsite long drop - with a view!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From the visitors centre we trekked in some really deep mud. Every </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">step we took we crossed our fingers that we would stop sinking just before the mud reached the top of our boots and we had that feeling of getting nowhere fast! Although the trail itself was muddy it was manageable and as we climbed steep banks and over and under fallen trees, crossed streams and walked mountain ridges and I thought to myself, it was nothing I hadn't done before. However, doing all of that with 25+ kgs on my back was a whole different story. I walked along feeling a little defeated from the start and with the first river crossing being followed by a steep muddy bank that required our scrambling skills, the pack slipped a little causing me to feel unbalanced. I also noticed that being quite heavy footed, the pressure each step had on my legs meant that going down hill was just a painful as going up hill. I always knew that the pack would be the biggest challenge and by the end of the first day,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rwLx18HTi8mjyfNg30KwmP-sghy0puFR8x-sSV9aDCcpqdRmLVEBh_fdj4ieEibI4jHIWk_vCLTC5_p_hnpm6vZAQ1T6orr7jSriPFj6IRzdvQ4P7CFWzgu9DeNwHlKNTrsBOhNHg9hu/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rwLx18HTi8mjyfNg30KwmP-sghy0puFR8x-sSV9aDCcpqdRmLVEBh_fdj4ieEibI4jHIWk_vCLTC5_p_hnpm6vZAQ1T6orr7jSriPFj6IRzdvQ4P7CFWzgu9DeNwHlKNTrsBOhNHg9hu/s320/IMG_0139.JPG" width="320" /></a> my shoulders, back, feet, hips and just about everything in my body HURT! However, I finished the first day feeling positive. I had made it to the end of the first day and already stepped out of my comfort zone and won! I felt a determination inside me, quite deep inside me, but it was there and it will be what keeps me going!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Monday 26 September (10 Kms)</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The second day started off easier than I thought it would. We were up and packing at 6, although we took a little longer than we should have to pack up but I'm sure we'll get it down to a fine art as the mornings roll on. Trying to pack the bag so that the weight is balanced at the same time as certain things being accessible throughout the day is a mission, but the weather being nice made it easy to play around. I stuffed and restuffed and balanced but finally it was time for the pack to go back on! As I heaved it up and plopped it on my shoulders, the pain wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMrvlIyhzPllT6qofRqBdRglSgdcyBJ0SJC5-J6gYT0tT-9svGcXxgSEotEgdnij57Vj0dq7GvRsZlWIx-xNpiFECdC8OK42eCovxpuBZ7b-mNEaH6cHJnqYAjlrtl4nLJSPPEZ_slMk5/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMrvlIyhzPllT6qofRqBdRglSgdcyBJ0SJC5-J6gYT0tT-9svGcXxgSEotEgdnij57Vj0dq7GvRsZlWIx-xNpiFECdC8OK42eCovxpuBZ7b-mNEaH6cHJnqYAjlrtl4nLJSPPEZ_slMk5/s320/IMG_0067.JPG" width="240" /></a>I was lucky that my leg muscles weren't aching. I just felt battered and bruised and the pack hurt but it was a pain that I became used to very quickly. The trek on the second day was tough with some very steep ascents and descents. The ascents turned my weak knees to rubber, making the descents just as tricky. I had to stop and take it slow just to give my legs a chance to stop wobbling. Negotiating my way along narrow mountain ridges with legs made of rubber and 25 kgs on my back is now officially my new party trick!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Shalane and I chatted and sung our way up and down the hills and it was reassuring to hear that Shalane was finding her trail tough too. She has done a long self supported trail not so long ago so to find out her pack was hurting and the trail was tough helped me soldier on. We both agreed that having to be careful with every step due to small ridges, ankle deep mud and tree roots did make the trail mentally draining.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The last section of the trek was very tough. We walked for 6 hours altogether but that is including a half hour lunch (slackers). We did roughly 10 Kms which was shorter than the official day 2 of the trail as we had to re-route due to flooding on the next day. We summited a 240m mountain at the end which was nothing compared to the 389m we did at 8am, but what made it tough was that when we looked down and saw our campsite, it took all the determination and motivation to carry on as we had to descend slightly before climbing yet another mountain before the trail led us all the way down to Whatipu lodge! (i know you are probably all thinking it sounds nothing considering we will soon be climbing 900m but it was a tough start for my rubber legs)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv9mBP-l52ChroeU5vZsDbb_pSorK9UAmdVeMqx_FsMCtKzT43NNDyu6uk1BG33_VfZ45mG3bV2PN8_N6oDcmUmQo6C4_bOgl_N3a1AWCQQsj4MqPSGz1jWLwD4qR_ZL9Kz1c4J9Z46w3/s1600/IMG_0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv9mBP-l52ChroeU5vZsDbb_pSorK9UAmdVeMqx_FsMCtKzT43NNDyu6uk1BG33_VfZ45mG3bV2PN8_N6oDcmUmQo6C4_bOgl_N3a1AWCQQsj4MqPSGz1jWLwD4qR_ZL9Kz1c4J9Z46w3/s320/IMG_0195.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The campground was a happy haven surrounded by green mountains and a beach. The sun was shining and as we made a washing line between our hiking poles and sat with the sun beating down on our faces, resting our weary legs, we got a taste of what life on the trail is really going to feel like. Early starts walking and afternoons appreciating our surroundings! That all topped off with Thia Chicken curry by Back Country Cuisine made a perfect day!<br />
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<strong>Tuesday 28 September (20 kms)</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7cIXICdCDBwer4lo0FKf4tpK9yNlza3MdU4YVk-ecyGnDoqi_o-XVaR_jr-blMLxjFv0otoW8vICBArugnRu-iJycJ4NYAsQVxOakZm8z5rjeH_1Mu6PLW2CZ-JSGiHOYPBOPO3xU8m1/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7cIXICdCDBwer4lo0FKf4tpK9yNlza3MdU4YVk-ecyGnDoqi_o-XVaR_jr-blMLxjFv0otoW8vICBArugnRu-iJycJ4NYAsQVxOakZm8z5rjeH_1Mu6PLW2CZ-JSGiHOYPBOPO3xU8m1/s320/IMG_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On day three we both started the morning well by packing up nice and early. The trail began with us walking along the beach as the sun rose behind the hills. The black sand was almost purple in places and glistened in the sun. We were in pain, but it was familiar pain! The first hour flew by which lead us into a false sense of security as the following hours were slow and tough. We only just saw the marker leading us off the beach and back onto the official trail and after a lot of guessing with our non topographical map, we decided it was definitely the correct route! No sooner were we off the beach we were climbing again, up the Zion Ridge Track and we pushed on up and down the cliffs. I noticed that I was having to stop regularly to slow my heart beat down and every few steep steps and I had to recover and I started to wonder if my body was more unfit than I thought! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The sun was fierce, the route was muddy and by the time we made it to Kerekere, the first town we reached and a good 6.5 hours into our journey, i was beaten. It was 1.40pm and we'd been going since 7.30am and in my head I felt like we'd arrived at our destination and the thought of doing another 3 hours felt impossible. It came clear to me then, that the whole thing is a mind game. Feeding your mind with small rewards, realistic targets and trail expectations! The heat really got to me over the next hour and I think Shalane thought I was on the edge but with a quick change into my shorts and I felt like I was starting a new day! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9tus_hAjmodP4lY561xnnqcSEh5ConGqaNgmAkzOhGPFnrtIeW_9wDGNtoRd7Wz5tykZfPmhvJcPkcB282VpzU_my84BRcApsJlCeOI8JGamUXL5S_VeIKuMydeDd3l0X2Pq5jWMClSI/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9tus_hAjmodP4lY561xnnqcSEh5ConGqaNgmAkzOhGPFnrtIeW_9wDGNtoRd7Wz5tykZfPmhvJcPkcB282VpzU_my84BRcApsJlCeOI8JGamUXL5S_VeIKuMydeDd3l0X2Pq5jWMClSI/s320/IMG_0214.JPG" width="320" /></a>The last stretch of an hour long, steep, down hill road walking was painful on the feet and shoulders and it was then that we decided that we'd earned ourselves a rest day. We'd thrown ourselves into these long day on a tough trail with no training (so not at our fittest) and then wondered why we ached and felt tired!!! We needed to give our bodies time to recover!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We arrived at Piha at 5.20pm, just in time to run to the shop and get some well deserved crisps and chocolate. We had been living off a really healthy diet of oatmeal for breakfast, energy bars for lunch and Back Country Cuisine yummy freeze dried dinners with trail mix for snack and heaps of water. We felt healthy and good but the thought of a little treat make it all worth while. We had a hot shower, dinner and I think I drifted off into contented sleep before finishing my mouthful of chocolate. I'd made it through a 10 hour day! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Wednesday 29 September (The day of rest)</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4UJrThZLam72Uomy5P75fSscjCIyDYwJXLCicBpXq2tYpjWW50-cZgDUsX1s2d3WKbr29CD27Pe77uQTcgxGkaygP8DBnQNoYTeStaWejSWGaC8HzdR6FN-EvWpx8OjWKdIFNsi2MEcA/s1600/IMG_5222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4UJrThZLam72Uomy5P75fSscjCIyDYwJXLCicBpXq2tYpjWW50-cZgDUsX1s2d3WKbr29CD27Pe77uQTcgxGkaygP8DBnQNoYTeStaWejSWGaC8HzdR6FN-EvWpx8OjWKdIFNsi2MEcA/s320/IMG_5222.JPG" width="320" /></a>The rest day felt good! My thigh muscles had really done some work and I giggled to myself every time I tried to sit on the toilet. My legs would support me 60% of the way down and I had to fall the other 40% and getting back up was just as fun. We did nothing but chilled, enjoyed the beach and read and it was just what we needed.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Thursday 30 September (17 kms)</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">By day 5 I was ready and raring to go. We trekked at a good pace and covered a good distance. We came off the Hillary trail slightly in order to begin our journey to Swanson railway station so we could get back to Auckland. The campsite we were heading to was beyond rolling hills, great views and farmland and by the time we got there we were feeling fitter and stronger. We chatted along the way and soaked up the countryside and the ups and downs of the trail seemed nothing to our newly rested muscles. We even got to test out our Swazi rain coats in the on/off rain! The thunder that roared in the background suggested we were in for an interesting night of camping too! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We were just walking over a farmers field at the top of the hill when I realised my backpack cover had blown off! So we left the cows to guard our bags and ran back to find it sitting happily in the hedge! Phew!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The campsite we looked forward to reaching turned out to be non existent and after walking up and down the muddy trail a good 4 times, we pitched our home on the side of the track feeling confused.com. Rain was due so we ensured we were high enough from the river before we drifted into an early sleep state. Well, Shalane did! My body and mind decided to stay awake most of that night so I spent the first few hours watching the hundreds of mosquitoes begin to gather outside.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For anybody who has seen the film Birds by Alfred Hitchcock would have been amused by this "moment". The mozzies were landing on the fly net, looking at me, saying "I'm watching you" and "you've got to come out eventually" and by the time it got light again in the morning there was close to 100 mozzies sitting on our tent, waiting for our fresh, young, tasty blood. The rain was pounding down heavily on the tent and poor Shalane had been laying there needing the toilet for hours and even now she couldn't go for fear of getting eaten alive and soaked. So we covered every inch of our skin, ready to face the day, the rain and the mozzies.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSga8gNn1tjWYjAEzffXL9fMu0bD_mBtyzPTmUvgB6moUfjQUfM7niaTrdG4avXF47XL0OGTriKc45JdVGcH0nc3aFtfLwXyQ4-48H2IOdDezCcZ-RsIdX2L1gnx-pqFZhv778WrJpaI4X/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSga8gNn1tjWYjAEzffXL9fMu0bD_mBtyzPTmUvgB6moUfjQUfM7niaTrdG4avXF47XL0OGTriKc45JdVGcH0nc3aFtfLwXyQ4-48H2IOdDezCcZ-RsIdX2L1gnx-pqFZhv778WrJpaI4X/s320/IMG_0099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The last day was short and easy. Setting off at 8am as it got light so late, with rain jackets on we trekked up and down more gradual hills but the mud was bad and rivers flooded. luckily they were small and we could still wade across but the current was fast and made me nervous for the bigger rivers I know we have ahead of us. I was grateful for the rain as it gave us a taster of the weather we will have to face and I was equally as grateful that it wasn't heavier. Knowing we'd soon be home to dry off made it all that much easier to contend with.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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So, I definitely used some new muscles and I definitely introduced a new pain which</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm sure will become like an old friend soon enough. I certainly had a realisation that my pack will be the bane of my life over the next 5 months and I learnt that earlier starts and shorter breaks will mean a more enjoyable experience. Shalane and I both learnt a bit more about each other and how we tick and we both felt great on our healthy diet with heaps of water and exercise so we are looking forward to our bodies becoming temples!!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But the most important thing I learnt is that I am going to have to become so mentally and emotionally strong to ensure this trek will not beat me! I can put one leg in front of the other (even if they are made of rubber) and I can suffer and bit of pain but remaining determined and positive when I'm wet, cold, tired and aching and miles away from anywhere with dangerous mountains to climb and HUGE rivers to wade with 2, maybe 3 or 4 months still left ahead of me is the challenge!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I can do this and I will complete this trek!</div>Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-47002248120271451982010-10-02T15:38:00.000+13:002010-10-06T09:17:03.323+13:00Saving Lives - All in a Days Work!<a href="http://www.pft.co.nz/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgoV51_lyohBB1kUrZL_oihScalEZsE_6YT9o8EQlIBNJ_Lywf8NA1KKFxTy4nYwSF3KPO1eMTfdCHXnQGmIhMy6y_Yfuimt9zRolH3cLhRyeNqne5TKfNYzPRfmrv0mMxOuikmGn6zCK/s1600/tn_first-training.gif" /></a>Shalane and I attended a Wilderness First Aid course for 2 days recently, thanks to one of our sponsors First Training. The first day was at a university campus just north of Auckland and we were promised by James, the course Trainer that he would try and prevent any casualties that may suffer from death by PowerPoint and I have to say he did a good job.<br />
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The course was relaxed and fun with a lot of interaction from us and the other huge group of younger students who were doing the course as part of there Outdoor Leader course. We covered the basics on day one and it felt good to have a refresher of it all. Obviously it wasn't long before the good old CPR dummies came out to help us!<br />
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But it was day 2 that really exceeded expectations! The course was held out of the city around the grounds of the Scout Headquarters for Auckland City. The grounds consisted of forests and rivers and a gorgeous deserted beach. The afternoon included role plays that we had briefly discussed in teams the previous day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDO1ZwE6OHLP-P2bSDBx0_JhjoLniin5A6SmFMS2lh7NJ2P25K0b-8X4z71Xwc_GkdeQnvkJhSnidYm7qVsz-EA4sPQasSUOxFMVumO0hkawm4okJghZlxgel3t0h8ki2_EhhyphenhyphenQWlhBAr/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDO1ZwE6OHLP-P2bSDBx0_JhjoLniin5A6SmFMS2lh7NJ2P25K0b-8X4z71Xwc_GkdeQnvkJhSnidYm7qVsz-EA4sPQasSUOxFMVumO0hkawm4okJghZlxgel3t0h8ki2_EhhyphenhyphenQWlhBAr/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="240" /></a>The first team went off into the bush to set up their emergency and the other two teams waited at base for the radio call. When the call came over the radio, we were encouraged, using the theory information we had been taught, to collect location details, situation details and the number of people involved. We then had to rush in with first aid kits and attend to each casualty as best we could. Poor pregnant Shalane was involved in a terrible explosion out in the bush when something blew up on her campfire, resulting in her and her camping buddies full of shock and burns and asthma attacks. There was an after event briefing at the end of each emergency which was really great as we got the chance to learn mistakes or improvements.<br />
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Next, Shalane and I were part of an emergency team who saved a large group from a tragic rafting accident down on the rocks by the sea. There were bodies thrown around everywhere! Some with Hypothermia, some neck injuries and some unconscious! Blood and bruising everywhere you looked! But with hope of the air ambulance on it's way and a shelter being set up while we waited, I think it's safe to say we did out best!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjTGAh3qy3xy7aQFrBUq6bzCL4zmyr15N3FXOTf9Crxd_Z9aNhiUnwtbTfdmqebG39fQBdc_uoELKax6Z1mfc5ebSvy6W0OikdrlJOKP4Lz_l288p8x2AmRSmym7ru1ZzBWbl3rBJg1YU/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjTGAh3qy3xy7aQFrBUq6bzCL4zmyr15N3FXOTf9Crxd_Z9aNhiUnwtbTfdmqebG39fQBdc_uoELKax6Z1mfc5ebSvy6W0OikdrlJOKP4Lz_l288p8x2AmRSmym7ru1ZzBWbl3rBJg1YU/s200/IMG_0037.JPG" width="150" /></a>And if all that wasn't traumatic enough for one day, I was involved in a scary incident when a bridge collapsed over a river while walking in the forest. One of my friends lost his arm in the fall and another got carried down the river in the current, while I laid there on the bank of the river with part of the wooden bridge protruding out of my stomach! The water levels were rising due to rain further up stream so needless to say, the emergency team had their work cut out but handled the situation very well with 100% survival rate.<br />
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All that life saving was exhausting but it was a great afternoon and a great way to learn and know how you would react in an emergency situation.<br />
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Shalane and I definitely feel more prepared and just hope we never have to learn our new skills!<br />
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There is a video of our experience on it's way!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-50356346024095027012010-09-20T09:58:00.000+12:002010-09-20T09:58:11.699+12:00Christmas Came EarlyIf somebody asked me what I do all day, I'd find it really hard to tell them. I get up early and scoff breakfast down my throat, I remain busy all day until I collapse exhausted at the end but when I list off the days activities I become stuck at number 2!!!!<br />
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Shalane and I have been working really hard on ticking off our lists but at the end of each day the lists are longer! I even woke up this morning having extended the list in my sleep! We've been researching places for food drops and contacting more companies for sponsorship through donation and have been shopping for a few last items, including that all important tent. I think we still have to buy a trowel for toilet digging....nice! But it still doesn't seem enough to fill a day, yet we collapse in our lovely, cosy hostel at the end of each day feeling like we deserve a holiday! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMeYI1W9NvJ4tkgU_QVCukyJtd3XEZNbNvJgLtd8kpDAK1_tFU-ND_B9BUkHKJPMUqTEiZMH7dxkTYnZqGpSQYfJpYeyYyQ4kJR0BnZMa24uKLe3e-KTLWnrYuFLht6O1BPYgdotaUVMJ/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMeYI1W9NvJ4tkgU_QVCukyJtd3XEZNbNvJgLtd8kpDAK1_tFU-ND_B9BUkHKJPMUqTEiZMH7dxkTYnZqGpSQYfJpYeyYyQ4kJR0BnZMa24uKLe3e-KTLWnrYuFLht6O1BPYgdotaUVMJ/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNImVv_NZaI82ZS0ovCJmNxgzTM-0LiR1g7qY8tWDx8cs4qtr1Y1JnGXn_zn_s-l5-QHQeMOJPeBoWMkdvBGtzQf5qUldiy7CgXFdx4fyG3eeEzvdmQgh24lMF3TXWdFxs1PzRFBxMgbeE/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPMioK_w_cBHRtM4qLxsWfleaDlxHoPFtoKi7AgkBUY4cO6qQGSlih-TRo3u27qYWT9eGd5IxGCC19890waYpzobuw3FvO6kJyx0YyFGk2f_kx1MJZsvjN2cFFFNDllg5do5Voe_z-Kn3/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPMioK_w_cBHRtM4qLxsWfleaDlxHoPFtoKi7AgkBUY4cO6qQGSlih-TRo3u27qYWT9eGd5IxGCC19890waYpzobuw3FvO6kJyx0YyFGk2f_kx1MJZsvjN2cFFFNDllg5do5Voe_z-Kn3/s200/IMG_0005.JPG" width="200" /></a>We are staying at the City Garden Lodge in Auckland, which I'm loving. We have 2 tents in the garden and use of the Granny style house with wood burning fire to lounge around in and cook. The two tents are of course a sleeping one and a storage one as Santa Clause really did arrive early! Santa Clause being my friend Paul, who has kindly been receiving and storing all our sponsorship gear over the last few weeks. I met Paul in India 4 years ago and I had been promising I'd see him in New Zealand ever since. He now lives in Auckland and took us out to dinner when we first arrived and showed us around a little. He dropped off our boxes of gear one morning including a new camera I got sent to him and Shalane and I really did look like over excited kids! It wasn't long before the boxes were torn open, clothes and hiking poles and collapsible bowls and all sorts were spread around the room. Bivouac were fantastic and sent us more than we asked for and Swazi's stuff is going to keep us warm on the coldest of nights! We later collected our stuff from macpac and had a wonderful night sleep in our new tent with new mats in new thermals! It's safe to say that we are fully kitted out! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQJeC2i3uPxEEgLwM_Bp89Nw7DlURtPCaUHo-3kkGUN6o9tC_CozAA_-LOlKD0piQwqof5ufYLZoGmQ2wc95euLUDJUy06acnhGIoCH8X2DA7XKYV9EqHUMsuXlRM-lnq16I5fnuYSFjy/s1600/AW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQJeC2i3uPxEEgLwM_Bp89Nw7DlURtPCaUHo-3kkGUN6o9tC_CozAA_-LOlKD0piQwqof5ufYLZoGmQ2wc95euLUDJUy06acnhGIoCH8X2DA7XKYV9EqHUMsuXlRM-lnq16I5fnuYSFjy/s320/AW.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4GaMb08UEvGrM6HmnAFjrnN9KXqEfvRJrkjep2Z3A1OGM4oiMQz_b1CRRFcmdyN_KT3b_uFMLUMUYzjiriMOpyB-xCA4J7JIYYeo-8KnaKSkVVsn2BU_JBEOt8ie8UvA0c4QCj1KNDb7/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4GaMb08UEvGrM6HmnAFjrnN9KXqEfvRJrkjep2Z3A1OGM4oiMQz_b1CRRFcmdyN_KT3b_uFMLUMUYzjiriMOpyB-xCA4J7JIYYeo-8KnaKSkVVsn2BU_JBEOt8ie8UvA0c4QCj1KNDb7/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>So trying to get past the excitement and back to the job in hand, we set to marking our our route on a map as best we can in an attempt to see if we can manage without a GPS. A question that has been going back and forth since we got to New Zealand. We've spoken to some people who have used one on the trek before but the trail has become more developed since they completed it last year, so after the discovery of a great map that actually shows the trail route (or what is completed so far) and our lack of funds, we have decided to set off without one, with the scope to buying one when we pass through Auckland if we think we need to. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNImVv_NZaI82ZS0ovCJmNxgzTM-0LiR1g7qY8tWDx8cs4qtr1Y1JnGXn_zn_s-l5-QHQeMOJPeBoWMkdvBGtzQf5qUldiy7CgXFdx4fyG3eeEzvdmQgh24lMF3TXWdFxs1PzRFBxMgbeE/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNImVv_NZaI82ZS0ovCJmNxgzTM-0LiR1g7qY8tWDx8cs4qtr1Y1JnGXn_zn_s-l5-QHQeMOJPeBoWMkdvBGtzQf5qUldiy7CgXFdx4fyG3eeEzvdmQgh24lMF3TXWdFxs1PzRFBxMgbeE/s320/IMG_0048.JPG" /></a>After marking off the route we worked out where we might need food drops so that we can let Back Country Cuisine know where to deliver. We found businesses in the area that may wish to help us by accepting our packages and have started to send them emails, so with any luck, we will have, at least, the north island confirmed before we leave. <br />
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In between work we have found time to meet up with my friend Riggers (who I met in Darwin) for dinner and we even went out last night for a cheap pizza and pint! We even dressed up and wore make up and looked like normal people. Today, we've given ourselves a well deserved day off and plan to visit the museum to learn a little bit about New Zealand and the culture! <br />
If any of you know any way in which you can help promote the trek while we are walking and don't have internet access then all your ideas, help and support will be hugely appreciated! You will even get your name/logo (if you have one) on our websites.Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-13008209830443685502010-09-15T16:08:00.000+12:002010-09-15T16:08:56.204+12:00My Feet Don't Touch the GroundI arrived in Auckland at 1am Saturday morning and after finding my way to the hostel on a shuttle bus, I looked out the window, breathed in deep and already had a great feeling about New Zealand!<br />
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When I wake up in the hostel in the morning I feel like I'm in someones home. It's a big house, with a cosy sitting room, log fire and a kitchen full of herbs and spices. The whole house has old, dark wood floors and I feel at home. When I meet up with Shalane, she tells me that she has been floating around in a bubble for the last few days and she doesn't seem to know if she is coming or going! We both agree that in our heads, we had a goal of getting to Auckland - together - and now that we had accomplished that, we didn't really know where to go from there!<br />
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And so out come the lists! Being a Virgo, list making comes as naturally to me as breathing! I had already started 3 lists, including a list of things to ask Shalane when I see her, a list of things I need to do towards the trek and a list of things I need to buy for the trek. So we excitedly catch up on the last few weeks, leaving Broome and our recent adventures. Shalane shows me the super cool promo video that she made for the Indigo Foundation fund raising event taking place in October. Check it out - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8Zh_y9cts">Promo Video</a>.<br />
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We sit in Starbucks and are both just so dazed and confused that we are actually in New Zealand! We talk about the trek and get excited about the next few weeks. The preparing and the actual starting! We talk about the possibility of visiting the community in the Solomon Islands and what our plans are after the trek. Shalane decides to come to my hostel and we put the tent up in the garden to save some money. For me it was more that I needed to toughen up again after being pampered at home for a month! Moments after we put the tent up Shalane mentions that the floor seems to be feeling a little damp and before long we realise that the whole floor has become un-waterproof since Broome! As Auckland has recently had some heavy rain, the ground was really wet so we lay a few bin bags down and sleep in there for the night! We manage to stay pretty dry all night but when we awake in the morning, realise that the outer shell of the tent is also leaking a little and we both start to panic! We are now onto our 4th night and with a little hope and a lot of plastic bags we are doing ok!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s1600/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM4UKAWqIIwJkv7d_kcHxCWeFiClgp6jyR-WGrvA4zh9pVgbEGmypMxgOSNzpn5jgDHsQLp6qvfK9t1WpkoT3XyDtjwKJtbPTkYajUmaJExJgTcmNGPi3ZQi4sIRZ6x-olVcOzBMvtCMj/s320/tn_macpac-logo-full-colour-on-white.jpg" /></a>Shalane calls the company that the tent is from back home in Canada and they tell her they will exchange not problem. Phew! Oh but they have non in stock until February! We then decide to walk around the main outdoor shops and ask there advice, and just as I like it, we get different information in each story, ranging from "yeah, just spray it with some of this and it will be fine", to "you could send it off to this repair place and see what they say", to "nope! it's not possible, you can't fix it". After looking at prices of lightweight, waterproof tents of the same standard and seeing price tags of $800, we start to panic slightly! It was only in Macpac, the last shop we go in that things start looking up. They guy calls the tent repair company that they use who explain they would not want to take responsibility for it as we are doing a trek on such a big scale but they do have sale on! The perfect tent for half price! Macpac to the rescue! We had a chuckle to ourselves! There we are, about to embark on the outdoor adventure of our lives and we nearly didn't have a waterproof tent - just a minor detail!<br />
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So on with more fun! My birthday turned into a very well planned shopping day with a morning of price researching, a lovely lunch bought for me by Shalane and Riggers (a friend I met in Darwin last year) followed by an afternoon of buying! So with the wallet hurting and the tent bulging at the seams with purchases, all we are waiting for now is Santa to arrive. Santa of course is Paul Shadboult, our saviour! Paul, I met in India 4 years ago and with 4 years of promising to see him in New Zealand I finally make it. He has been amazingly helpful from the start, sending us info, links, letting us post all our sponsor gear to his address, answering all my questions, taking us out for dinner when we arrived. He has all our gear from the sponsors in his lock up and it really will feel like Christmas when he drops it off, we can't wait!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilboUkuAAskpjET7skVcV4ZZgv87bii_b3-MLaQMOjXt2H_4E2lVhRtX9-F2ipE3GdR4voaSoSWGLwl0vDFd13Y_PMKnGZJGLth1kpMbNoDMncjwvREvd1jH8V_wJcC7qXDV5Y7lNfHm54/s1600/DSCF0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilboUkuAAskpjET7skVcV4ZZgv87bii_b3-MLaQMOjXt2H_4E2lVhRtX9-F2ipE3GdR4voaSoSWGLwl0vDFd13Y_PMKnGZJGLth1kpMbNoDMncjwvREvd1jH8V_wJcC7qXDV5Y7lNfHm54/s320/DSCF0779.JPG" /></a><br />
In the meantime we've been planning! The food drops and route marking on maps has began. It's hard to know what we will need in way of maps so as we both stumble into the final preparations blind, we hope that our laid back "she'll be 'right" Ozzie attitude will still get us through this even though we are across the water!<br />
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The next step is the gear testing practise trip!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8189119589425317918.post-22574622785704506452010-09-07T22:13:00.000+12:002010-09-07T22:13:28.395+12:00LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!Ok, so now I have my visa I can tell you what a complete nightmare the last few months have been for me! Not only have I jumped through the ever moving hoops but I've been given hope then had it taken away, I've had fun at home but been constantly thinking about the trek, but worst of all, not being able to get excited about something this huge was like an ancient torture! All the ingredients were there.....the support from friends, the exciting marketing and receiving sponsors, hearing exciting updates from Shalane but all I could think was, yeah great! But now, with 3 months of restrained excitement about to explode, I am going to have to make this the shortest post in history, get out this library and bounce, sing, shout and dance all the way home to break the news to my poor mother!<br />
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Now I can really say, with all meaning and heart - Watch this space for real, nitty, gritty updates people!!!<br />
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WHOOOOOPPPP WHHOOOOOOOPPP!Alex Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089875096144993278noreply@blogger.com0