My 4 million steps walking Te Araroa

Thank you for joining me on my 4 million steps journey, walking the length of New Zealand (Te Araroa).

Having heard some extremely disheartening stories about some of our youth and consequently their families, mental health is a huge issue in New Zealand. I want to raise awareness on the magnificent work Youthline does for young people, who have enormous pressures through social media and society as a whole.

When I was young my father regularly took me for Sunday walks (no doubt to give mum a break, given I was the eldest of 3). Sadly, my father was tragically taken when I was still young, but he had ingrained in me the love of walking and hiking. In my early teens, at a very vulnerable stage of my life, a dear friend of my mums, encouraged me to join the local tramping club. Getting this early incite for tramping, has given me the inner strength and confidence to take on this enormous challenge. I have done various tramps and cycles over the years, but the challenge of walking 3 thousand kilometres solo from Bluff to Cape Reinga, has always been on the top of my bucket list.

It will be a very physically and mentally challenging 5-month journey to explore this beautiful country.