Kia ora, this page supporting Parkinson's NZ closes on 7 April. Anyone still thinking of donating there are just a few more days to go. Huge thanks again to all who have contributed, it's been massive. Take care, Syd
How does it feel to finish? A mixture of elation at completing and wondering what to do with the bit of the day between 6.00am and 8.00pm when I used to be very active. I will figure that out!
The Southland Times published a lovely article last Wednesday (24 Feb) about my walk and the reasons for it. Here is a link to the Stuff page. Great reporter and photographer who really made the effort to get to grips with what I was doing.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/124349249/former-southlander-comes-home-for-charity
or search for "former southlander comes home for charity"
There have been a lot of very generous donations for which I am extremely grateful (and Parkinson's NZ). Thank you. The page will stay open for a few weeks yet - I am hoping to maybe get to $10k 😎
This photo is from my tracker app for this season's part of the walk, from the Richmond Alpine track to Bluff.
I was around 58 when my thumb started giving me problems. As time passed i had other symptoms; hand tremors, restless sleep, muscle weakness, cognitive decline, voice spasm, stiff achy right arm and ankle. At 60 i was diagnose of PARKINSONS DISEASE, i was on Carbidopa and Pramipexole for two years, they helped alot but not for long. As the disease progressed my symptoms worsened, with my neurologist guidance i started on natural alternative PARKINSONS DISEASE treatment from M.H.C. (Mayaka Natural Clinic), the treatment worked very effectively, my severe symptoms simply vanished, i feel better now than I have ever felt and i can feel my strength again. Visit ww w. mayakanaturalclinic. c om My neurologist was very open when looking at alternative medicines and procedures, this alternative parkinson disease treatment is a breakthrough.
Tomorrow (Monday 22 February 2021) I walk the final 17 kms into Bluff. The whole journey from Cape Reinga has taken 120 walking days spread over two seasons. Massive challenge and not entirely sure what’s next!
Thanks to all the donors, you are so generous in your support.
Some photos posted here and I will update again when I get to Stirling Point.
Thanks again
Syd 😎
Hi everyone - things have been going well since my last update. I have trekked down through Lake Tekapo to Ohau, then over the Ahuriri river to Breast Hill, Lake Hawea, Lake Wanaka, the Motatapu track to Arrowtown, to Queenstown then down the Greenstone/Mavora track to the Takitimu range and Longwoods in Southland.
A couple of days ago I arrived at Colac Bay signalling the end of the heavy duty bush tracks and arrival at the Southland coast. And yesterday 35kms from Colac Bay and all the way along Oreti beach. Tomorrow I will complete at Bluff.
Along the way friends and family members have joined me and walked part of the trail to show their support for Parkinson's NZ.
That's the reason for this 3,000km trek, to try and help people who have to live with Parkinson type conditions.
Thanks for all your generosity and ..... its not too late to donate now that I am at the finish 😎
17 January 2020 update
Hi there
Time for an update, it’s been a while. Things have gone well since the Richmond alpine traverse. Next section was down from St Arnaud and then up and over the Waiau Pass - another massive challenge of 7 days continuous tramping but job done. Then it was across to Arthur’s Pass, down to the Rakaia river, next to Rangitata river then up and over the Two Thumb track to Lake Tekapo. Currently I’m at Lake Ohau waiting out the bad weather before heading over Bresat hill to Lake Hawea.
There are quite a few new photos in the gallery but there are also links below to many photographs on Instagram and Facebook which have commentary about where I’ve been and what I’ve seen.
Really appreciate your support for Parkinson’s and for the people affected by it.
Ngā mihi
Syd
https://www.instagram.com/sydk60/
I was around 58 when my thumb started giving me problems. As time passed i had other symptoms; hand tremors, restless sleep, muscle weakness, cognitive decline, voice spasm, stiff achy right arm and ankle. At 60 i was diagnose of PARKINSONS DISEASE, i was on Carbidopa and Pramipexole for two years, they helped alot but not for long. As the disease progressed my symptoms worsened, with my neurologist guidance i started on natural alternative PARKINSONS DISEASE treatment from M.H.C. (Mayaka Natural Clinic), the treatment worked very effectively, my severe symptoms simply vanished, i feel better now than I have ever felt and i can feel my strength again. Visit ww w. mayakanaturalclinic. c om My neurologist was very open when looking at alternative medicines and procedures, this alternative parkinson disease treatment is a breakthrough.
Kia ora te whanau
Well, for better or worse, this photo is the exact spot (Aniseed Road, Richmond - Hacket picnic area) where I pulled out from Te Araroa back in January 2020. 1000 kms of training later I am back and today (Wednesday 9 December) completed what is regarded as the the toughest part of TA, the Richmond Ranges alpine track. Eight days of continuous tramping arriving in St Arnaud today. Tough gig but job done and heading for Waiau Pass this Saturday (12 December) assuming weather forecast stays good. Will keep you posted.
I have an Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sydk60/
and Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/syd.king.39
where you can find photos of progress, plans etc.
and you can follow my physical progress via my Spot Gen3 tracker:
https://maps.findmespot.com/s/5MJ1/C6
The purpose of my fundraising is to support Parkinson’s NZ who in turn support Parkinson’s sufferers - in particular a Parkinsonism condition called MSA (multiple systems atrophy). My family lost our sister to MSA a few years ago and anything we can do to help people with this condition has got to be a good thing.
There are further details in earlier updates below.
I pulled out from TA back in January 2020 having made it from Cape Reinga to the Richmond Ranges, pretty exhausted .... now I am back and hoping to complete to Bluff late February or sometime in March 2021.
If you are able and willing to donate to PNZ that will be hugely appreciated.
Thanks in advance, wish me luck and take care yourselves.
Ngā mihi
Syd King
Greetings everyone. Huge thanks for your support and generous donations to this highly deserving cause of Parkinson's / MSA. These have been beyond any expectations I could have had and are hugely appreciated. The total now is just over $6,000 which is just great. Thank you, thank you.
I am proud of where I got to, and the decision to stop in the circumstances I found myself in. I've been home for around 7 weeks now, fully recovered and feeling fit and strong. Went for a blast in the Ruahines last week, 1300m up and above the bushline, just checking a few things out .... e.g. motivation and fitness, and a bit of new gear!
If I am still feeling fit and strong this time next year (February 2021) I will likely reconvene Te Araroa with a view to finishing in one go if I can manage it (will be 69 then!) or in sections if I cannot. In the meantime, apart from spending a year being a full-time husband, father and granddad again (and a bit of part-time work) I am looking at re-equipping with significantly lighter gear with a view to halving my pack base weight. It was hot, steep and demanding back in January when heading into the Richmond Ranges but I think the most significant tramping factor that stopped me was a too heavy pack. Hopefully lesson learned. Will see how I feel this time 2021.
Thanks again everyone, still a few days before closing this page if anyone wants to make a last minute donation.
Love to all, kia kaha, Syd
Here is a link to my Instagram account where you will find a video update.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7mDQd6FC4w/?igshid=3pvpjnnk5rm6
Last week on 15 January I made the difficult decision to put an end to my goal of walking the length of the 3,000-km Te Araroa trail. After resuming the South Island leg of my long walk post-Christmas, I found myself struggling to cope with an unavoidably heavy backpack (10-days food rations) and increasingly tough tramping conditions.
Some parts of the trail are very steep and technically demanding, requiring a high degree of strength and agility. I do feel fit and strong enough but, at the age of 68, I have to concede that my scrambling agility was a lot better a couple of decades ago. The net effect was that I was often too slow, arriving at my camp dog-tired after a long day of tramping in hot sun with the certain prospect of doing it all over again next day.
Under these circumstances I felt that I ran a real risk of getting into trouble as I approached the alpine environments in the South Island and that is what prompted my decision to quit. My niece Keri picked me up from the Richmonds and I am now back home in Napier with the rest of my family. I am disappointed that my long walk has ended under these circumstances, but I am proud of what I have done and my reasons for doing it.
The last 4 months have seen me walking the best part of 1,850 km (including 150 km of canoeing the Whanganui river). There have been many adventures on this marvellous trail, with plenty of time to think and contemplate what is important in life. And to learn a bit more about myself, physically and mentally. I have had an unparalleled opportunity to observe close-up New Zealand’s natural beauty and to meet all sorts of people who make up our highly varied (and endlessly interesting) society. The experience has been both enlightening and humbling.
I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family and friends. Thanks to all who have supported me one way or another and a special thanks to those who have contributed to my fundraising effort for Parkinson’s New Zealand.
Love to all,
Syd
I intend to leave the Givalittle donation page running for a few more weeks. The desire and need to support people with Parkinsonism conditions such as Multiple System Atrophy doesn’t stop just because I have. Anyone who would like to donate can still do so until the end of February 2020.
Givalittle:
https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/walking-the-te-araroa-trail-2019-raising-awareness
Hi Syd - I am impressed you have covered so much of our beautiful country on your own two feet! What amazing memories you have created. I have donated already and appreciate what you have done in raising awareness and funds for Parkinsons, as my mother had a progressive form of this and benefitted from their support. Arohanui xx
