“When it feels scary to jump, that’s exactly when you do otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life”
Abel Morales
Day 111
- Day 111 – Invercargill to Bluff ; 39 km
Total hiked: 3012 km
We completed the South Island. 🙂
After leaving Invercargill we trotted in a westerly headwind all day along the estuary, state highway 1 and around Bluff Hill/Motupōhue to Stirling Point.
We reached the end of Te Araroa!
WOW.
I did it!
- Trotted over 3000 kilometres.
- Completed Te Araroa.
- Realised that the only person that needs to believe in me for my life to be successful is me 🙂
While I am absolutely thrilled to have accomplished this, this hasn’t provided me with all the answers that I wanted for my life and thats okay. I have come to realise that nothing will. Change is inevitable. Good days, bad days, fun days, less-fun days are all part of life. What determines how each day goes comes down to perspective. Not the opinions of your friends, family, colleagues, randoms or society but you; how do you view yourself and what do you want to achieve each day. 🙂
What this trot has taught me is that much like the trail itself life is messy, chaotic and ever changing. No two hikers journey on Te Araroa are the same nor are peoples lives. For that reason I need to stop comparing myself to everyone else and live my own life.
Choose your own adventure! Your only limit is your mind. And to avoid sounding waaaay too much like an inspirational bumper sticker, I leave you with this…
“This life is mine alone so I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been”
Glennon Doyle
But I didn’t get here alone it took a village of people to help my 6 year dream of trotting the length of the country become reality and I want to thank every single one of them.
❤️ Arohanui to; ❤️
- Nate/N.D
- My parents (Kathy and Haydn)
- Granny Lorna
- José and Mark
- Whangarei ED doctors and nurses, especially Sam P (text and phone call support👍)
- Mike, Erin and your 3 sons
- Alice and Teresa for all your supportive comments (they especially helped when I was alone for weeks)
- Sarah, Alex and Murphy
- Gary, Jeni and Noel
- Charlotte (ultimate and favourite tour buddy!)
- Jules and John in Ahipara
- Steva and her mum Delwyn
- Marie on Ninety Mile Beach
- Alex and Dave in Helena Bay
- Casey and John on Kaimango Road
- Anthony and Fiona (a.k.a. Whin and Whiona) in Palmerston North
- Geoff and Sue in Paekākāriki
- Nicci from Piwaka Backpackers in Picton
- Bill at The Sanctuary in Arthur’s Pass
- Darren at Methven campsite
- Mike from Geraldine
- Annie at Bespoke Cycles in Tekapo
- Shawn and Connie (topnotch hitchhiker collectors)
- Mark and Jess in Te Anau
- Sarah and Dean at Birchwood Station
And for anyone else reading this… know you can always ask for help and if you do you may achieve something pretty extraordinary!
“Sometimes the hardest part of the journey is believing you are worthy of the trip”
Glenn Beck
GC Chronicles 
Nooo I didn’t want to read because I didn’t want it to be over! Congratulations Alex! And Nate! Time flies!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha thanks Alice, as I said in the post – top notch supportive commenting much appreciated!!! might just do another thru hike to keep the blog alive 😛
LikeLike
Perfect achievement, well done!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person