GO NZ: Te Araroa changed my life walking the length of New Zealand
24 Dec, 2020 05:13 PM
6 minutes to read
Laura Waters, pictured at Masons Hut, the last hut in the South Island on the Te Araroa Trail. Photo / Laura Waters
NZ Herald
By: Laura Waters
I get misty eyed when I think about the time I walked from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Here she goes again, friends no doubt think as I wax on about the joys, tribulations and wondrous sights encountered during that 3000km journey down the length of the country. As far as once in a lifetime trips go, tramping Te Araroa was spectacularly transformative, and the long-lasting effect it had on my life only made it even more memorable. With the world s current challenges, escaping into the wilds is looking a tempting option again.
Dec.19.2020
The pandemic has gifted me over 9 months and counting in the beautiful country of New Zealand. Iâve spent the past eight of them in Kerikeri, in the Northland region of the North Island. Because New Zealand has focused on keeping people healthy first, and the economy second, Iâve been able to travel and have a fairly normal life. Due to these ideal circumstances, Iâve had a long while to discover the gems that create the north of the North Island. Iâve even been lucky to befriend people with cars to see more of it than I could have by bus or on foot. Everyone raves about the South Island, which is why I decided to come up north. In my 3 years of nomadic life, Iâve learned that some of the best parts of a country are the locations that fewer tourists venture to. I present to you my personal list of places not to be missed on your next trip to New Zealand.