Helen’s guest post
So, it turns out walking the length of Aotearoa is a bit of a family affair. My sister Helen has kindly shared her thoughts here on her four weeks walking Te Araroa. Watching my strong sister get even stronger over this time, in mind, body and spirit, is something not all siblings get to experience so I feel so lucky to have shared this time in this way.
It’s safe to say life on the trail has been a bit lonelier since… But enough from me!
Hello it’s Helen here one of Alex’s older sisters, I was lucky enough to join Alex for the first 460km of the South Island, arguably one of the most beautiful but challenging sections of the long walk.
It’s been two weeks since I finished walking and I thought I’d share some reflections on both the walk and my time since. How good is this blog by the way, I’m very lucky to have had Alex archive our experience so well.
Whenever I miss Alex in the morning , lying in my cushy bed, it comforts me that I know where he’ll be in his morning routine as it is the most finely crafted sequence of events I’ve ever witnessed. Despite only having 5 tasks to master, I was never ever ready with my wet shoes on before Alex. Next through hike I join you on Alex I will accomplish this if it’s last thing I do!
Late afternoon sun peeking into Slaty Hut
My second favourite task each morning (after eating breakfast) was packing my bag. As Alex once described it to me, tramping is a perpetual cycle of expanding and compressing your belongings. There is something very calming about being able to account for everything you own each morning and arranging it all to fit in a pack with no space wasted. Because nothing in your bag is superfluous, you also develop a really healthy relationship with the things you own. I’m trying to hold on to this connection with my goods back home but it’s admittedly a bit harder now.
Red Hills in the Richmond Ranges
After packing up and getting going each day, the large task ahead of us readily disappeared into small psychologically-appealing segments: 30 min till my next snack, just 2 x 200m till the summit, 2 hours which is really only 4x half an hour until the hut etc.
Since the walk I’ve noticed a novel sense of calm and ease at my mental state. I think it comes from knowing that as long as I have a water supply, food and a place to sleep I feel safe and ok and through learning that my sense of well-being is not contingent on any particular material good. Undoubtedly the metaphysical effects of prolonged exposure to nature and the physical strength you build also helped.
One of many snaking rivers
I’ve also developed a new appreciation for rivers, seeing them not as these gentle, rock-smoothing version of a salt water ocean but as a powerful living body of water that carries the force of the water behind it and feeds the sea.
Overall I am so so happy I was able to do this trip with Alex (and dad for a bit). I will certainly be back.
The tramping trio
