​Day 108. Camp Stream – Lake Tekapo. 35km (hitchhiked about 15km). Total 2389km. Another night I didn’t sleep well. As Tekapo is known as the best area for star gazing I was hoping to see at least the stars but after a clear blue sky the whole day it was overcasted at night. As I…

​Day 106. Peel Forest Campsite – Trailhead – Crooked Spur Hut. 9km. Total 2324km. It’s good to sleep in for once after all the long hiking days. I feel like having all the time in the world but suddenly it’s 10.15am and I still need to pack up my stuff and walk back the few…

​Day 104. Methven – Trailhead Rakaia south – Manuka Hut. 38km. Total 2283km. Finally a great day! There was a big storm last night but no rain! The sun is out and it’s still very windy. As the ride to the Trailhead is only at 9am, I take the time for a good breakfast and…

​Day 102. Arthur’s Pass – Trailhead – Harpers River / Avoca river. 26km+10km by car. Total 2209km. The rest day was good for my knee, but I feel a bit anxious about the trail and the coming river crossings. Tim met a nice guy living at Arthur’s Pass who drives us in the morning to…

​Day 100. Lockestream Hut – Morrisons Footbridge – Arthur’s Pass. 22km. Total 2150km. A nightmare.  After some well needed sleep Shelley and I start at 7am, thinking it will take us 6-8h to the Morrisons Footbridge or some more to Upper Deception hut in case we decide to continue. It’s cold and the sky white…

​Day 96. Anne Hut – Boyle. 29km. Total 2061km. Everyone is up at 6am and it feels very rushed to have breakfast and pack up our stuff. It’s been raining at night and I was so happy about being inside the hut! We hike out into the drizzle and my feet are already wet after…

​Day 93. Upper Travers Hut – Blue Lake Hut. 15km. Total 1990km. Last night was difficult, I wasn’t tired in the beginning and read a book. Then I couldn’t sleep and was so hungry. I ended up eating a muesli bar and finally sleeping afterwards. But as today is a big day, we start at…

​Day 91. Saint Arnauds – Lakehead Hut. 10km (+20km). Total 1955km. As always, not much sleep once I am in a town. Too much information from friends and family needs to be processed in my head, all the people I met today plus the food organisation etc occupied my head at night.  It’s raining as…

​Day 89. Hunters Hut – Red Hills Hut. 18km. Total 1928km. I wake up pretty often during the night. It’s very windy but in the early morning the day promises to be beautiful again. And so we start to hike again. Uphill. Over the red rocks again. Through riverbeds with red stones. Through some mud….

​Day 87. Mount Rintoul Hut – Mid-Wairoa Hut. 15km. Total 1893km.  It was so warm at night I could even sleep with my sleeping bag open and have some more space for my legs. I also didn’t wake up once at night!  When getting dressed and preparing breakfast I can feel the cold though, it’s…

​Day 85. Browning Hut – Slaty Hut. 13km. Total 1864km.  The night was pretty busy and noisy. At 8pm when we were already in our sleeping bags, 4 people arrived, at 9pm 2 more, sleeping on the floor. Luckily also a few others like to get up early so we are again up and running…