Start – Riverside Holiday Park, Mangawhai
Finish – TA km 483 (Past Pakiri)
Daily Distance – 27km
TA Distance – 483km
Thru-hiking is a strange relationship. Organising my thoughts on what to write inside my tent with the
rain beating down I was feeling pretty low. The very slowness of traveling at walking speed has been
grating on me these last few days. Each day has begun to seem the same; pack up, walk on some roads,
climb a hill (usually muddy), descend the hill (always slippery), walk another road to a holiday park,
pitch tent, sleep. Yet the rain has passed like it always does and become a beautiful evening. I’ve heard it
said that the greatest challenge in thru-hiking isn’t physical, but mental and I am beginning to understand
what people mean when they say that. With the physical exhaustion of slogging through steep and muddy
bush forests nearly every day comes the question; “Why don’t you just quit? There are easier, less painful
and often more fun things that I could be doing than plodding for days through scenery that never seems
to change, so why not?” Honestly, I ask myself this question at least every few days and some days nearly
constantly. Perhaps everyone walking this trail experiences the same nagging question as a natural
reaction when things get boring or hard. The reasons I don’t quit? Firstly, I made a commitment to walk
this trail and support a charity that I believe in. I know that I can easily walk away from this trail, skip to
parts I may enjoy more or sit on a beach somewhere drinking cocktails if I so desire. For many people
walking away from their problems isn’t an option though, so I owe it to them and everybody who has so
generously supported the trip to go on. The second and undoubtedly less altruistic reason is that you never
know what amazing experience is just around the corner. For example, this afternoon was tough; dog
tired, but slogging up steep hills in the driving rain to reach camp. Scurrying to my tent to eat dinner in
the dry and hoping that, unlike last time, my tent doesn’t leak. But as I mentioned way back at the start,
the rain has stopped and become a beautiful evening. I have belatedly remembered to appreciate the great
privilege to be sitting in a forest clearing watching the sunset and even the gift to be doing something
hard by choice and not by force of circumstance. Moaning aside, I am still grateful to say that each day on
this trail has been lived, warts and all, but lived nonetheless.
