Nice Northland
Kerikeri 224km to Ocean Beach 371km (day 12 to 21) Now things started to change. Yes, we may have got a bit fitter, but the trail also got a bit kinder. And wow, the people of Northland came to the fore. Also, the subliminal, subconscious, unconscious thoughts about keeping up, doing x km per day, walking every single step started to fade. This was our … Continue reading Nice Northland
Road to Hell
“This ain’t no upwardly mobile freeway. Oh no, this is the road. This is the road. This is the road to hell. ( Chris Rea – Road to Hell ) Walking on State Highway 1 has never been on my bucket-list. Nevertheless here I was, trudging up the Mangamuka Gorge on SH1 facing oncoming traffic which varied between logging trucks, other heavy haulage trucks and … Continue reading Road to Hell
Introducing Wanda
“I am a passenger. And I ride and I ride. I ride through the city’s backside. I see the stars come out of the sky.” (Iggy Pop – Passenger) Eagle-eyed readers of this blog may have already spotted her. And to some extent most trips have that person whose whole is strangely equal to the sum of their parts. In our case it’s Wanda, a … Continue reading Introducing Wanda
Kauri Forest Odyssey
After a couple of days rest, we felt ready for the next chapter, Kaitaia to Keri Keri, another 100km+ stretch, through a couple of Northland’s forests. Sounded like a plan, especially once we decided to avoid a famed 15km section which was now knee deep in mud. We learnt a lot in the next 5 days! The letter ‘R’ featured a lot. Relentless, river (of … Continue reading Kauri Forest Odyssey
Mighty mile beach
You spend months researching, and imagining, but it still takes your breath away. Cape Reinga must be about the most iconic start to a walk possible. The sheer scale, isolation and wild beauty is breath-taking. Then overlay the spirituality – letting go of the old life, and remembering your loved ones. Powerful. Then start walking south. The enormity of the vista, plus the chosen path … Continue reading Mighty mile beach
90 Mile Beach
“I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name. It felt good to be out of the rain. In the desert, you can remember your name ’cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain…” Historically, I hadn’t a clue what Dewey Bunnell and his mates were on about in their now classic tune written in 1972. However, after a 4-day … Continue reading 90 Mile Beach
Heading North
“A long time ago came a man on a track, walking 30 miles with a sack on his back.” (Dire Straits – Telegraph Road) And we’re off. Finally! The garden has been brutalised into shape, the house has been let and Tana the Lab has been housed with her BFF Daisy. Jetstar whisked us 900 km north to Auckland, over the terrain we would at … Continue reading Heading North
Abel Tasman pre-tramp
What a great way to test out new gear, and spend time with good friends. We did a fabulous overnight to Whariwharangi homestead. Continue reading Abel Tasman pre-tramp
Why TA? – KK
Since it is the question we get asked the most, I think it is useful to try and document some of my thinking before we start on the trail, as I assume hindsight may give us different perspectives. For me, it is about stepping of the normal treadmill and resetting ourselves. It is about having a solid physical, mental, emotional challenge and letting the rest … Continue reading Why TA? – KK
Why TA? – Pete
A love of Walking I’ll be the first to admit I have not always enjoyed walking. From days walking under protest to school in Durban to my university days where I ensured my accommodation was always a stones throw away from the lecture halls, I treated walking as a necessary evil and something to be done where a more superior form of transport just did … Continue reading Why TA? – Pete
walk.laugh.wonder 