Hi! I'm Sam! I'm tramping the Te Araroa NOBO. I'm hiking, because I want to slow down and speed up. I want to embrace simplicity, forgiveness, and freedom in a way that only a trail can provide. I'm hiking for clarity and peace, for new beginnings and new challenges. I'm hiking, because it's a dream that only I can create into my reality.
Posts
3 Months Later
Wow! How is it possible that I already finished the Te Araora three months ago? It was a challenging, albeit short, transition home. Then, I packed
Goal Setting and Thru-Hiking
At the end of January, I began my longest attempted thru-hike. As I prepared for my time in the wilderness on the Te Araroa, I decided to set some goals. In this post, I want to reflect on the goals I set and what actually happened.
The End of the Te Araroa
This is a really difficult post to write. Usually, I love writing these updates and sharing my journey, but I’m not as excited to share this. It seems that my journey has come to an end.
Te Araroa NOBO (Days 60-62)
Day 60 Woohoo! I’m finally back on the trail! I’ve got to say - it was really, really fun to go and explore Australia, and it’s really, really good
Exploring Australia!
Backpacking in New Zealand was a great idea for SO many reasons! One of the reasons I’m super thankful for right now is New Zealand’s proximity to Australia!
Exploring NZ (Days 53-58)
Days 53-55 With the Abel Tasman now a memory rather than an upcoming event, I started looking to the next adventure. My morning began in Marahau; I
Abel Tasman Great Walk (Days 48-52)
Day 48 After spending a few days in Nelson to eat and resupply, I was excited to get to my next section: the Abel Tasman Great Walk! I walked a day
Pros and Cons of the Te Araroa (South Island)
I’m less than a week from the end of my time on New Zealand’s South Island. With roughly 2 months of tramping completed, I’ve been reflecting on my
Te Araroa NOBO (Days 43-45)
(Another blog entry with a disclaimer. I’m off trail, so this post takes place entirely away from the Te Araroa. I’ve kept the title as it is to
Te Araroa NOBO (Days 40-42)
Day 40 Today is the first day that I’m walking SOBO instead of NOBO. It was a tough decision, but I’ll explain. Yesterday, it rained all day long.