Te Araroa- Southland Pictures

Pictures include:
View from the Takatimus (pole)
View towards South Pacific from longwood forest (cool clouds)
Colac Bay school bus stop
Sunset at Oreti Beach
Several pics at Stirling Point, Bluff, the terminus of Te Araroa

Te Araroa - 141 Days Later and I've Walked the Length of New Zealand Via this Crazy Trail

I'm done! Yesterday evening, at around 6:30pm, Arne and I pulled into Stirling Point at the end of the Foveaux Walkway in Bluff, NZ. It was day 141 of my trip. As far as 'how do I feel?' 'how does my body feel?' 'it's a great accomplishment isn't it?' sort of questions, I'm feeling quite normal, my body feels fit, and I'm proud of myself for completing the trail. This trip's been a real adventure in myriad ways. It was mentally tough right through the last days as the trail never really let up (20km walk along the Bluff 'industrial line' highway yesterday is an example of mentally exhausting walking ha). I'm going to transcribe a section of my journal below. "3/19 - Live from Oreti Beach. Two day sremain on Te Araroa. Considering I have a full eleven/ten days remaining in New Zealand, the odds are in my favor to finish. Today was a cool beach/coastal walk from where Philipp dropped us off, on the road before Colac Bay, to the beach after Riverton. I totally underestimated the hardness of yesterday from Martin's Hut after a night/afternoon taking shelter from significant rain. It was an historic track next to an ancient gold mining 'race' aka it was a zigzagging net zero elevation change path with treacherous washouts everywhere. We assumed it'd be pretty easy, like the previous few days. It was not. I took a fall into a minor crevasse after slipping off a tree root. My chest slammed the roots on the other side of the gap and my right foot was dangling below my body several feet above a stream. Luckily I didnt hurt myself in any serious way. But it was emotionally draining. Also, both of my ankles were getting rubbed raw by my dirty ass socks. That also was tough. Arne offered me some of his tape, which helped a bunch. Also, washed socks this morning. Gross black water in sink five straight rinses. Philipp, now traveling with girlfriend Anna, found us walking towards Colac Bay. He drove a very small pink car. He was very happy to see us and we all laughed a lot last night. My abs were sore today from laughing (or maybe from my fall on the race track?). They (Philipp and Anna) made us spaghetti a la Badass Beni and then we had beers at the tavern conveniently connected to the Holiday Park office." So the day after that day I just wrote about, we walked into Invercargill during the evening and Arne was none too excited to go deal with 'city stuff' so we decided to just freedom camp on this walkway near the estuary which is part of Te Araroa. But there was a problem. We were due to finish the next day and were yet to purchase the champagne we'd dreamnt of opening at Stirling Point, Bluff. This led us to wander into the city. While wandering on a sidewalk, this lady pulled over and offered us a ride. She took us to the grocery store. But at the grocery store they sold no alcohol. So we went back outside to where she was waiting and told her the truth about us needing champagne and that we'd come on a long journey. She then brought us to the liquor store and we bought two bottles of champagne (actually 'sparkling wine' (11.5% alcohol content)). After talking more, we learned that she, a half scottish half samoan lady, traveled for endless years around europe/the world and she just invited us to pitch up our tents in her backyard. She lived in a one bedroom flat with her medical school studying brother. Things like this happen on the Te Araroa. Yesterday morning she drove us back to the estuary and we walked to Bluff mostly on the highway until the last 7km. Then we finished. Also, Will Nissan was going to meet up with me, but he caught the 'Invercargill Doldrums.' Ha. I'll post pictures soon. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the coming weeks/months. I'm back next Saturday night. Nick

Te Anau

Today Arne and I hitched into Mossburn and learned the four square supermarket is closed on Sundays. Had an ice cream and a local guy offered a ride to Te Anau. Ha.

Last section, though relatively flat, was mentally a bit tough as we get closer and closer to the end but still have to walk there.

Shooting to finish the 21st.

Nick

Pics include:
Mountains
Arne at North Mavora Lake
Grass on Mavora Walkway

Live from Queenstown - Te Araroa

Hello all, The last post from Wanaka failed to 'publish,' while I was briefly in that friendly tourist town for a few hours of relaxing in the sun and a beer at the bar. It is now live for you, just imagine that it was posted on March 1 and your sense of timing won't be too affected. I am now in Queenstown and have completed 2700km of the Te Araroa. Only a couple more weeks of walking left. Hard to believe. Feet are still holding up. Shoes maybe not so much, but I'm going to see if they can make it. The last two weeks or so since Lake Tekapo have been quite badass in terms of long days and beautiful mountains. Feeling really good walking up the endless saddles and passes. Thru-hiking is a great way to spend a winter. Especially when you can walk in the southern hemisphere. Nick

Wanaka 2600km done on Te Araroa

Well, Arne and I walked a serious and beautiful stretch from Tekapo to Wanaka. It was a seven day stretch and included lake walks, mountain passes, river valleys, walking tracks and 'routes' which is basically walking without a trail next to a river or up to a saddle.
It's March here in NZ and I can see the days shortening. Four months on the trail is quite some time, but there's still more to come to reach Bluff, which is at the 3054 km mark. I don't fully trust the maps' measurements of km though.

Some random things: Arne and I created two (mostly) fictional dancing possums named Bob and Isabella, they wear Turkish Hats. We've been making lots of jokes about those two.

I threw out my Icebreaker t-shirt today after at least one month of there being outrageous holes in it that caused me to look even more like a hobo.

The next section of the track was made possible by Shania Twain as the kiwis made her build huts and the track in order to be a foreign land owner or some such randomness. It's supposed to be quite hard.

Pictures include:
Robert and Holly ( we walked with them for a few days) and Arne soaking up words of wisdom from Jim - who is the support team for his wife, Linda who is walking the South Island- at a lunch spot where he made us tea.

View of Mt Cook from our campsite on lake Pukaki

Arne crossing the Aruriri River

View of Mt Aspiring over lake hawea

View of pakatuhi hut