It has been almost 2 weeks since reaching Bluff and my Te Araroa journey finally came to an end.
Returning home, I have been struck by just how adaptable we are as people. Stepping off the plane a
virtual stranger in my own life, to picking up the mantle of old cares and habits required little less than a
week. People say that a long journey will change you, and for me at least, that proved to be the case.
During the course of Te Araroa I learned to be philosophical in the face of hardship, how few possessions
we really need to be happy and perhaps most importantly to be grateful for the everyday luxuries such as
running water and ready access to food that we so often take for granted. The disappointing caveat to all
of these changes however, is just how easily they can slip away when exposed to the frantic pace and
complexity of “real” life. Hopefully, with a little regular effort, I can succeed in holding onto the lessons
learned and making them a lasting change.
Te Araroa was not the walk that I expected it to be, in some ways wasn’t the walk that I wanted it to be,
but I can honestly say that I have no regrets about choosing to walk the trail. I loved uncovering the
unexpected variety of scenery that NZ has to offer. I doubt many countries could offer such a beautiful
array of beaches, rainforests, rivers, estuaries, grasslands and mountains. All of this and backed up by the
warmth, generosity and incredible hospitality of the NZ people. Also, boysenberry iced cream is
amazing!
The only main complaint that I have about Te Araroa is the quality of the path. Sidle paths that seemed to
have been constructed with natural selection more than enjoyment in mind, frequent land slips leading to
torturous scrambling around and my personal favourite, muddy, rooty rainforests. I often felt as if I was
walking through one of the most beautiful countries on earth, but seeing nothing but my own bootlaces as
I battled against the roughness of the path.
My greatest pleasure in walking Te Araroa has undoubtedly been the people who, for 100 different
reasons, shared the absurd notion that walking the length of a country was a good idea. Having shared
time, challenges and friendship with people from all over the globe, the world seems a smaller and
friendlier place. And that, more than anything, is the lesson that I hope to take from my experiences
walking Te Araroa.
Thanks for reading.
Until the next trip….
