You’re doing WHAT?

In a couple of weeks I will be starting to walk the Te Araroa Trail , known as the TA, from the top of the North Island , Cape Reinga , all the way to Bluff at the end of the South Island.

Oh yes, I am back in New Zealand.

Yes, it does sound crazy to most people, but this seems like a very natural thing to me. Everything you need on your back, getting rid of all the excess and going for a pretty decent walk.

The Te Araroa trail was officially opened in 2011 and on the worldwide scale is very fresh and new in comparison with some of the longer standing trails like the Pacific Crest Trail. It is very unique as it traverses so many different landscapes and is extremely diverse – encompassing a true view of New Zealand on a historical, cultural and natural level.

Now, even though the TA is called a trail , it is a little better described as a route. It is made up of existing track networks, newly made tracks, road walls, bush bashes, river trekking and alpine sections to name a few. There will be well marked sections and barely marked sections , and is definately not an established trail underfoot the whole way.

It is going to be a pretty epic way to spend my first summer back in NZ for three years, and I’m looking forward to meeting some amazing people as I tramp south. Not to mention the mind blowing scenery.

Having just finished a summer in the Canadian Rockies, I am lucky to have been training in the mountains, getting used to carrying a pack and playing around with gear configurations. As a keen tramper I have been doing lots of multi day hikes including a couple of longer ones, my longest being the 11 day Sunshine Coast Trail BC in April.

However, in the last month I have been letting my body rest, and trying to eat as much as possible. NZ conditions and weather are in a league of their own, and demand respect, so I am getting back into the searing heat from the sun and how quick conditions change. Oh, and the having wet feet all the time thing. Refreshing 🙂

In the next two weeks I will be doing a bit of training tramping to get back into it. Watch this space for the classic gear post in which I will show you what’s in my backpack for this trip.