Day 113 (Fri 12 March): Stone hut to camp by Bush Stream roadend (near Rangitata river) Started 7.55am, finished 3.50pm, 16k. Pain in the head status: No headache today. Word of the day: Blepharospasm, eyelid twitch. For the first time in ages, I didn’t sleep very well, thanks in large part to a shooting painContinue reading “Stone hut to Mt Potts car park (Rangitata River)”
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Roundhill ski area to Stone hut
Day 111 (Wed 10 March): Roundhill ski area camp to Camp Stream hut Started 8.20am, finished 10.20am, 7k. Pain in the head status: The hiatus continued- until the afternoon. I had just calculated that it was almost a fortnight since the last migraine and was reflecting that I hadn’t had a break like this since…IContinue reading “Roundhill ski area to Stone hut”
Lake Tekapo to camp near Roundhill ski area
Day 109 (Mon 8 March): Lake Tekapo We spent the morning planning how and when to get across the Rangitata and Rakaia rivers, both large braided river systems that Te Araroa does not cross, designating them as ‘hazard zones’ and leaving hikers with the quandary of how bespoke get around them, as the nearest bridgesContinue reading “Lake Tekapo to camp near Roundhill ski area”
Lake Ruataniwha to Lake Tekapo
Day 107 (Sat 6 March): Lake Ohau to Lake Ruataniwha Started sometime around 9.30am, finished sometime around 1.30pm, 35k (by bike). Pain in the head status: Nothing – hallelujah! Word of the day: Bespoke, made to order. By the time we got going, yesterday’s rain had retreated from Lake Ohau, and the dense clouds liftedContinue reading “Lake Ruataniwha to Lake Tekapo”
Top Timaru hut to Lake Ohau
Day 105 (Thurs 4 March): Top Timaru hut to East Ahuriri hut Started 7.50am, finished 6.25pm, 34k. Pain in the head status: No pain. Unreal. Word of the day: Rhapsodic, enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling. All the trampers we saw today had a singular focus – getting across the Ahuriri River, the largest unbridgedContinue reading “Top Timaru hut to Lake Ohau”
Lake Hawea to Top Timaru hut
Day 103 (Tues 2 March): Lake Hawea to Stody hut (Breast Hill track) Started 7.15am, finished 3.20pm, 23k. Pain in the head status: No pain – I thought I might suffer as had a disturbed night’s sleep with the couple in the room next to us at the hostel conducting an opera of snores allContinue reading “Lake Hawea to Top Timaru hut”
Wanaka to Lake Hawea
Day 101 (Sun 28 Feb): Wanaka Today I said goodbye to my dearly beloved Mountain Design gaiters, that have been my faithful tramping companions for many many years, protecting my legs from malicious undergrowth, my feet from sticks and stones and my boots from rain and sodden grass. I’ve been searching for another pair forContinue reading “Wanaka to Lake Hawea”
Te Araroa Book Review
The pants of perspective, by Anna McNuff. This book recounts the adventures of a British lass who ran the TA in 2015 from Bluff to Cape Reinga, taking considerably longer than Kiwi nurse Brooke Thomas, who completed the trail this year in 57 days and 10 hours. To be fair, Brooke was ‘supported’ (family andContinue reading “Te Araroa Book Review”
Roses hut (Motatapu track) to Wanaka
Day 99 (Fri 26 Feb): Roses hut to Fern Burn hut Started 7.50am, finished 4.20pm, 16k. Pain in the head status: No pain during the day but woke up around 10pm with a thumper. I’ve found these types of headache usually respond best to a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, but it was a long time since dinnerContinue reading “Roses hut (Motatapu track) to Wanaka”
Queenstown to Roses hut (Motatapu track)
Day 97 (Wed 24 Feb): Queenstown to Arrowtown Started 7.25am, finished 2.20pm, 29k. Pain in the head status: No pain. It feels like a long time since the last migraine. As usual, I have no idea why or what I’m doing right, that’s different from what I’ve been doing the last few months. I’ll enjoyContinue reading “Queenstown to Roses hut (Motatapu track)”
Tramping with migraine in Aotearoa/New Zealand 