The Long Path Ahead | Te Araroa NoBo

For those of you who have been along for the ride with us, you know that Te Araroa is the dream adventure that we have longed for. In three weeks’ time, we will be walking along the coast in Bluff, New Zealand. For those of you who do not know, we have been yearning for this thru-hike and have the opportunity to hike half of it before retirement which is excellent given our joints 🙂 As if it can’t get any better, we have a week-long pit stop in Hawaii for our friend’s wedding who we are so happy for!

Te Araroa means “The Long Path” in Māori and spans across both islands. We plan to hike South Island which is over 800 miles. Do I (Sarah) comprehend this at the moment? No, I do not. I am certain that at the end of the journey I’ll say “wtf, we just hiked over 800 effin’ miles?!” with more vulgar language of course.

At this very moment, we are in Seattle and will be here for 3 weeks total which is flying by quicker than we imagined. We got to meet our new nephew, spend time with our family here which has been amazing as well as friends and prepare for the long path ahead. We have trained diligently thanks to Jeff’s workout plan and Groupon gym passes. All that’s left is a short list of items to buy before leaving Seattle – the rest is mostly food which we will get in New Zealand.

I feel both prepared and so nervous for our next adventure abroad. We have this magnificent journey ahead that inherently comes with scary uncertainties as well as beauty and utter fulfillment. The running to-do list seems infinite while our days are numbered until we’re on the trail without cell service.

Although we have been in the U.S. since early December, it has been somewhat of a blur. I had a septoplasty the week we came back to Texas and given the recovery, it took about a month to feel somewhat normal. We’ll share in a later post about travel and international health insurance, it’s been a “fun” and messy process 🙂 Given the surgery, holidays, and bouncing around cities, it has been a struggle to stay present and focus. I am doing my best however and seeing the people we love (as many as we can at least) while catching up on adulting.

Meanwhile, I’m still comprehending the fact that we spent nearly half a year in Europe?! I truly value our time in Europe and plan to write and share that experience with you all. As for the to-do list, I have been accepting (for years now) the fact that the list will always be there and some of the items are either self-imposed, unnecessary or both. We have tackled most of the important ones and what’s left can more likely wait (until we hit up a town and have Wi-Fi at least).

Over the past couple of months, family and friends have showered us with love and hospitality. As we embark on Part II of our adventures, we have reflected on where we’ve been and what’s to come. Thank you all for the love and support – we continue to feel grateful for this encouragement.

Lastly, please message us if you desire a postcard!