why am i doing this
As I've told people of my intention to walk the Te Araroa Trail the conversations tend to take a predictable and now familiar course. The first question is: "How long will it take you?". Without fail the the second question I'm asked is "but why?" or "why would you want to do that when there are perfectly serviceable cars to take you there?".
Answering the first is easy (five months, give or take) but the second is a bit more difficult because, frankly I'm not really sure why I'm doing this.
Walking Te Araroa was an idea that a few of us discussed a number of years ago and like so many such things we never took past the discussion stage. I suppose those discussions did sow the seed and as time has gone by I've increasingly be intrigued by the possibility of doing a long thru-hike while I still can and, hopefully, my knees will cooperate.
Having been fortunate enough to have traveled widely overseas I am always in awe the truly fabulous country that is Aotearoa New Zealand. Not just the physical beauty either but the peoples we share this paradise with. Te Araroa, for me will be an opportunity to both immerse myself in landscapes and meet many New Zealanders and hopefully hear their stories.
It really is a case of the classic 1984 Tourism New Zealand ad campaign "Don't leave home until you've seen the country" although I'm perhaps doing the other way and having seen the world am looking to see my country. Perhaps they will remake this ad to "Can't leave home so may as well see the country"!
My plan is to do the North Island largely solo although I am sure there will be times family and/or friends will join me for a day or two. It is so rare in this day that we spend stretches of time alone and responsible for all decisions affecting us. I am somewhat intrigued to see how I respond to this, Call it an experiment I'm carrying out on myself if you will.