Ten Te Araroa Trail Truths

Pure green!

Ten Te Araroa Trail Truths

1. Where there are no sandflies, there are mosquitoes.
2. There will be a river crossing (and wet feet) ten mins after you set off in the morning and ten mins before arriving at camp for the night.
3. Where there is a shortcut, there will be thorny bushes.
4. The ‘flat’ part of the trail will hide large ruts, holes, bogs, streams or boulders.
5. Injuries will only be sustained on the ‘easy’ sections, tripping over your own feet or checking your phone.
6. If your camp has a toilet, you will need to go approximately 15 mins after hitting the trail that day.
7. You haven’t washed properly for weeks, but your skin looks amazing.
8. When you skinnydip in a river, four more TA hikers will arrive at that very moment.
9. Mice are rampant in the hut where you forgot to hang up your food bag.
10. You’ll find that the luxury lodge offers cheap camping & free hot tubs, the day after you wild camped next to it.

Te Araroa Trail 2017/18 – Homeward bound today…

Te Araroa Trail Day 122 - Camping outside Upper Travers hut

It took a few months to walk from the Waikato to Canterbury, and it’ll take 1.5 hrs to fly back. It’s a sunny day ?? so I’m hoping for some great views of the mountains!

The end of an adventure is bittersweet. I’ll miss life on the trail, and my buddies Mike and Phil, as they carry on their journeys – but I’m super excited to spend my birthday with my friends this weekend!

I’ll be checking out these tips from adventurer Anna McNuff on how to handle the next few weeks, and the post-adventure blues.