The Hiker Hobble

There are days I don't want to get out of bed in the morning, days when I'd rather lay in my sleeping bag all day than walk the next section. My feet hurt, my body is exhausted, I'm too hungry to keep moving, all the excuses creep into my head and make me want to stay in my tent.  After a few minutes of furious debate in my head, I run my hand through my unkempt hair, rub my beard to ensure it survived the night and drag myself out of my tent and start making my daily progress. Most mornings

It's Not a Trail

I have a confession to make: I have been somewhat disappointed with the Te Araroa thus far. Instead of the off-the-grid style of hiking I'm used to, I've been hiking from one town to the next, often spending hours along asphalt and forestry roads. So far I've spent more nights in a hostel bed than my own tent, and when I have slept in my tent, it's cost me about as much as a hostel would have Perhaps I didn't do enough research or maybe I set my expectations too high. Either way, while not