At the young age of 60 (and 5/6th) I unexpectedly find that I will soon be free of any commitments for the first time in nearly 40 years. I have for many years thought about walking the length of New Zealand. In my mind the walk has always started from Bluff, the southern most tip of the South Island and finished at Cape Reinga the northern most tip of the North Island. I have always thought that if I ever did the walk it would be up the East Coast. So funnily enough that's what I intend to do. I have no set time to complete the walk and certainly don't want to be beholden to any timetables, I want to enjoy it. I will be staying at camping grounds where they are available and hope occasionally to be invited into peoples homes. In fact I have already had a few offers. I don't image I will be walking more than 25km a day and only 5 days a week, so 125km week at most, often much less. If casual work becomes available I'll stop for a few days or weeks to replenish the coffers. Earlier this year for the 2nd time I took part in the Oxfam Trailwalker event in Taupo where teams of 4 walk 100km together as a team. While training for this event we were walking up to 80km a week while also working full time, therefore I believe I can manage 25km a day with out overdoing it. It is many years since I carried a heavy pack so that's the next test.
Aims of the Walk
- Do something I've always wanted to do
- see and do everything there is to see and do on the way
- See how cheaply I can do it
- Have fun
- Must walk the whole way
- Must start off from where I last left off
- Can catch a boat across estuaries
- where possible walk on the beach
- otherwise keep to most easterly road, track or path unless a main road
- be adaptable
- can change any of the rules for safety reasons
- can change any of the rules cause I want to
My grandchildren have always called me Poppy, hence the name of this blog. I will keep in touch with them and other family and friends via this blog. Not sure yet when the walk will start as our house is on the market and I will wait until it is sold before putting my best foot forward. If the house should sell in the next couple of months then I will start in early October.
The break up of my 2nd marriage has caused me to evaluate my life and what I want to do with it. The walk is what I have decided to do. I have resigned my job as of 23rd September and many people have asked me what I am going to be doing when I leave work, I have been surprised how many people have responded positively. Quite a few have then gone on to tell me what they would do under the same circumstances. So perhaps I am not so unusual after all.
