This is the end of the toughest, longest but best journey of my life.
3000km. 133 days. 3 pairs of shoes. At least 100l of mud.
Uncountable awesome moments, stunning views, amazing people (including my incredible blog readers).
I am proud, happy and sad. A big chapter is over.
But: Every ending is the start of something new!
More about the last day once I have finished celebrating 😉
Hello Mountains 
What a disaster : it’s over … Hats off !
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Indeed a disaster 😉 Now I actually have to work out where to go next every day and can’t just follow a trail for months! Merci for all your comments and encouragements!!!
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Awesome!
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Danke Papa 😉
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Congrats! Aeesome achievement, Especially after those hatd parts around Arthur’s Pass. You will never forget this experience of being on the trail for such a long time.
Now enjoy a few days off before your next trip begins 🙂
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Danke!!! I am indeed relaxing (and preparing) now. Feels good 😉
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Congratulations Bettina. Many of us have followed your journey, including myself via your blog or Instagram. You have been an inspiration. Plus you have provided some amazing observations, filled us with moments of beauty, made us gasp in trepidation and hold our breath in fear with your tales of the trails testing of your resolve. May you journey on with more confidence than you started with this one. May the future be filled with wonder for you. I turn 70 this year and in November I shall commence the journey down the same trail in celebration of that event.
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Hi Frank, thank you so much for your kind words! I wish you all the best for your own challenge this year. Make sure to go as light as possible and stay determined. The weather MUST be better the next season 😉
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Congratulations – for an awesome job. Thanks for sharing.
JellyBeans Dad
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Thank you very much! It was so much fun to hear from Jellybean and Carbo about you. They must be finished as well now!?
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Hello Tina
Well done. We were a few days after you on the QC trail but then came back to Aust. I have followed you and other blogs on the TA trek and you have exceeded by far all others in content, data and great pics. In fact, after following you each few days, I am encouraged now to do the TA because of you. You and Peggy were a great inspiration for us ‘downunder’. Congratulations.
God bless
Peter
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Hi Peter, wow, thank you! I guess the most important thing is to stay determined (useful that I am stubborn!)… It’s tough but worth it, so go and do the TA if you can! All the best for you.
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Bettina, Fantastic!!!
I can hardly believe it’s over. Similarly to the others posting I agree that your blog has been inspirational (I hope one day not too far in the future I’ll be swinging on the Bluff signpost). Good luck in all your future endeavors. I’m so happy knowing that you will take memories of Aotearoa/New Zealand with you for the rest of your life. Kia kaha, arohanui. Ross
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Hey Ross, thank you! I will take so many great memories of the nature and people with me and never forget this adventure… Eventually I will just forget about the hard times and remember only good ones 😉
All the best for your own adventure and Bluff signpost swinging!
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Congratulations and thanks for sharing your journey with us!
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Thank you Tara!
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BETTINAAAAA !!!!! Du bist der Oberhammer, feier bitte doppelt so viel einfach nur DICH :-* hoffentlich bis bald.
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Daaaankeschön 🙂 War dann gestern abend doch zu müde zum feiern, aber das wird nachgeholt!
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Congratulations,
I never intervene on your blog, but it was with joy and assiduity that I followed your adventures. What a joy to see your perseverance en your enthusiasm.
I will leave in October 2017 for I hope live the same experience, adventures as you.
In this regard, as I also plan to hold a blog, can you tell me how much it cost you in GSM package. Was it easy to ave network for send your reports.
Another great bravo, Eric (Belgium)
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Hi Eric, thank you very much! I hope you still want to do the trail after reading my blog 😉 All the best for your adventure and stay determined!
If you use a simple WordPress blog you don’t have to pay anything. I pay a small fee for my domain hello-mountains.com every year, but you don’t need to buy one. The WordPress app works alright. What worked best for me was writing every evening my blog in my tent in a “notepad” app, selecting and already downsizing images (to around 250kb, otherwise uploading takes too long). Once in town I copy pasted the text in the WordPress app and added pictures. Wi-Fi didn’t work well in every hostel but luckily I had the Spark mobile contract and could use some phone cabins as well for Wi-Fi (not everywhere though). Public libraries also have free and mainly good Wi-Fi.
Let me know your blog name, I would love to follow you!
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Bettina, thank you for all this information
It is with pleasure that I will send you the contact details of my blog.
I will test it during my trek in the Lake District in northern England.
If I can still afford. I intend to do the Araroa in the same spirit as you with a maximum of nights in tent and do not throw money out of the windows, but do you have an idea of what you paid for the 133 days (backpakers, camping, transport and food).
Enjoy the exhilaration of the success of your trek. Eric
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Hi Eric, I spent much more money than planned initially… But I still need to work out how much exactly. Will let you know once I am done (not sure I really want to know ;-))….
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Hello,
What happens after Araroa?
Can you tell me which notepad application you use,
Thank you, Eric
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Already enjoying my life in South America 😉 My Sony phone came with a simple notepad app included. M
Sorry I don’t have a name of that app but most phones should have one pre-installed…
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Congratulations,
If I never intervene on your blog, it was with joy and assiduity that I followed your adventures. What joy to see your perseverance, your enthusiasm.
I will leave in October 2017 for I hope the same experience and adventures as you.
In this regard, I also plan to hold a blog, can you tell me how much it cost you in GSM package. Was it easy to ave network for send your reports.
Another great bravo, Eric (Belgium)
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ok tks, Eric
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Congratulations Bettina I have enjoyed your blog so much as I followed your journey through NZ. Thank you for sharing your photos and journey. All the best for your next adventure 😀
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Thank you very much Lou!
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Congratulations! It has been very inspiring to follow your journey. Hope to achieve something like that for myself too!
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Thank you for sharing your adventures! Congratulations! Looks like you had a great time out there and such a nice weather on the last day. Enjoy your next trip to South America and wish me good luck on the Appalachian Trail (4 weeks left to start) 🙂
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Hey Agnès, thank you! Only 4 weeks left before your big trip. You must be getting excited now. I wish you good weather, lots of determination, great company and loads of wonderful moments! Take good care of you, Bettina
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Congratulations on completing your epic adventure! I was 3 months in NZ and met many of your fellow TA trampers (your 4 Canadians, Jellybean, and Carbo to name a few) but sadly we never met. We chose a wet (at least in the south island) year to go. I enjoyed reading of your travels and wish you many safe and happy miles.
All the best.
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Hi Carlos, a pity we didn’t meet! Thank you for your wishes. All the best for you as well, hope you enjoyed the TA!
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Congrats! Awesome achievement!
Well done.
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I didn’t see this post! Congrats again and I’m very, very impressed. You look dirty, healthy and awesome on your pictures! 🙂
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