Day 87 (Sun 14 Feb): Merrivale to Birchwood Station Started 7.45am, finished 3.55pm, 26k. Pain in the head status: No pain, even after disturbed sleep from Julian’s snoring – the joys of hut living. Word of the day: Amative, pertaining to love, amorous. Tramping is not an amative activity, hence Valentine’s day was only celebratedContinue reading “Merrivale to Telford campsite”
Tag Archives: Te Araroa
Colac Bay to Merrivale
Day 85 (Fri 12 Feb): Colac Bay to Longwood Forest Started 7.10am, finished 6.10pm, 29k. Pain in the head status: I woke with a migraine around 4.30am which caused me some puzzlement. What had triggered this one? Had I eaten too much dairy- not that this usually is an issue but I had had twoContinue reading “Colac Bay to Merrivale”
Riverton to Colac Bay
Day 83 (Wed 10 Feb): Riverton to Colac Bay Started 9.25am, finished 1.45pm, 12k. Pain in the head status: Head gave a few twinges on the left hand side of the scalp, just to remind me the migraine is always lurking. It became a more severe twinge in the evening but was appeased by pubContinue reading “Riverton to Colac Bay”
Bluff to Riverton
Day 81 (Mon 8 Feb): Bluff to Invercargill Started walking 8.50am, finished 5pm, 37k. Pain in the head status: Perhaps appropriately, I’m starting the South Island trail with an entrenched migraine. This has been on and off for a few days and is now firmly fixated on the right side of my skull, gnawing atContinue reading “Bluff to Riverton”
A tramping critique of Harry Potter
JK Rowling’s creation of the world of Harry Potter was wildly imaginative and fantastically captivating, but fundamentally incredible – meaning, unbelievable without extreme credulity. The economics don’t work, the labour market is ridiculous – why on earth would so many wizards end up working 9 to 5 desk jobs at a bureaucratic, soul-destroying Ministerial department?Continue reading “A tramping critique of Harry Potter”
Trail arcana
Arcana, specialised knowledge, language or information. The TA has its own terminology and in-group arcana. Walkers become initiates into a select support group where we recognise fellow walkers and have an instant connection from our shared hardships. Here are some of the key words to know. TA = Te Araroa, or long pathway; New Zealand’sContinue reading “Trail arcana”
Finishing the North Island Te Araroa at Island Bay, Wellington
Day 80 (Monday 1 Feb): Wellington (home) to Island Bay Word of the day: Epicurean, devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially good food and luxury. We reached home on Wed 27 Feb and immediately launched into planning and preparation for the South Island, which was the opposite of restful, but to compensate, weContinue reading “Finishing the North Island Te Araroa at Island Bay, Wellington”
Waikanae to Wellington
Day 77 (Mon 25 Jan): Waikanae to Paekakariki Started 10.10am, finished 3.30pm, 16k. Pain in the head status: Blissfully painfree today. Word of the day: Deiprosophist, someone who is skilled in table talk. After the rigours of the Tararuas, today’s coastal walk was like having a rest day. After walking along the Waikanae River andContinue reading “Waikanae to Wellington”
Waitewaewae to Waikanae
Day 75 (Sat 23 Jan): Waitewaewae hut to Parawai hut Started 8.35am, finished 2.45pm, 10k. Pain in the head status: All good; am thanking the restorative power of sleep, the most incredible recovery tool ever invented. Word of the day: Compos mentis, of sound mind, sane. The reports on the track ahead were variable butContinue reading “Waitewaewae to Waikanae”
Te Matawai hut to Waitewaewae
Day 73 (Thurs 21 Jan): Te Matawai hut to Dracophyllum hut Started 8.50am, finished 1.10pm, 8k. Pain in the head status: Again, woke around 4am with a migraine radiating from my neck. Again, it eased off quite quickly with medication and I was perfectly fine the rest of the day. I can only hope thisContinue reading “Te Matawai hut to Waitewaewae”
Tramping with migraine in Aotearoa/New Zealand 