Hello I have returned. Sorry for my absence I have been trying to convince people that nz should not be in a partnership with nato.
So far I have made zero progress.
But I have been doing a bit of walking.
I did a multi day walk around Stewart Island which is the third island of nz down the bottom. I did what is called the North West circuit.
We encountered mud, rain, hail, wind, soft sand and sand dunes, a flooded river, sandflies, fallen trees and steep banks with root ladders and a serious food deficit due to poor planning but we also crossed lonely beaches, mountain ranges and saw kiwi and deer. Somewhere out there was quicksand too but we didn't find that.
Steward island has legendary mud some times thigh deep and it didn't disappoint but all in all we had a great time. At certain times of the year it can be one of the harder marked tracks in nz but that pain is rewarded with great views and just the enjoyment of each muddy moment.
Here are a pretty random selection of photos done from the top of Mt anglem and others from various points along the way looking back.
Check out Google maps and you will see the ranges form an edge around parts of the island so there is a lot of swamp in the interior but few people go there most of us stick to the edge.
