First Update from Paul

Hello friends, and thank you for your support!

This first Arokä Project update comes to you from Te Anau, in Southern New Zealand! I have begun my traverse of the South Island, covering 191 km over the last 6 days in Fjordland, a World Heritage maze of heavily forested, steep-sided glacial valleys. A big thank you to South Coast Jet for 1) the thrilling boat ride and 2) dropping me off in the middle of nowhere! The first two days of the expedition were challenging to say the least, as they consisted of off-track travel in a remote area. The pack was heavy, the rain kept coming, the sandflies got me really good, the mud was plenty, the flat sections rare, and the bush a lot more dense than what I am used to. The only thing I didn't have to deal with then was the Kiwi accent, which I am still getting used to.

Eventually, the river levels decreased, and I could follow a track as the sun poked through (hasn't left since!), which made progress faster and more enjoyable. With Antarctica somewhere beyond the horizon on my right as a constant companion, I spent a day following the country's south coast through a forest akin to those of the coast of British Columbia. I then veered straight north to walk the whole length of the "Hump Ridge," where I saw people for the first time in 4 days. For the first time I reached the bush-line, which allowed me to finally get a bird's eye view of the surrounding bays, fjords, and forests. A long descent through dense undergrowth took me to the shore of Lake Hauroko, New Zealand's deepest lake.

By then crucial gear had been rendered useless, including my GPS and gaiters, and thus for safety reasons I had to exit remote Fjordland earlier than expected. Since then I have walked straight north along roads and under the blistering sun to reach the beautiful lakeside village of Te Anau, which is where I am writing from now. The Arokä Project resumes tomorrow as I will start walking towards the Southern Alps. The next section promises to be quite challenging too, especially as I expect rain for the next few days. However I am more familiar with alpine environments than with the thick bush found in Fjordland.

All in all, my body is sore but my spirits are good! Thank you for your interest in the Arokä Project and the cause it supports. We truly appreciate you spreading the word, donating and making it possible to make a little difference. I will be in touch again soon,

Paul

(Click on photos to enlarge them).

Photos from top to bottom:

1- Sign post on the outskirts of Riverton.

2- Paul in front of Waitutu Hut, the first of the many huts he will encouter on the tramp.

3- Beech tree forest on the Hump Ridge track.

4- Photo taken from the boundary track overlooking Lake Hauroko.