John is just walking the 80 metres back to his bike here, but you get the general drift. The question I get asked more than any other at the end of the Hikoi is "how are your feet?" It's nice that people care, but my feet have never been an issue on long walks. Good shoes and socks prevent blisters and cushion the effects of long distances on hard surfaces, but I have had other issues. When walking the Camino Santiago knees, Achilles tendons and shin splints have all at one time or another given me trouble. This time round, these have all been fine and I finished feeling as though I could just keep on going indefinitely; to Cape Reinga if needs be. Over the last couple of years I have learned 6 things that have made all the difference. Namely: 1. Footwear. On the Camino I wore walking shoes - Salomon in 2009 and Asics in 2012. A year ago I changed to full walking boots - Salomon Cosmic 2 - and the difference was instant and major. When walking more than 15 minutes...




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Spring starts to arrive about now. In some parts of the country the trees are mostly native and there isn't a greatly marked shift from winter to autumn. Down South where I live the change is very noticeable - some parts of Otago are renowned for their spectacular autumn colours. But because we have a huge mix of things growing and because the temperatures aren't as extreme as the USA the Spring shift can be spread over several months from late July to early October.
Second best camera .... or Number One?
The trip to Nelson is a lovely drive Katherine. About 10 hours on the road but of course there are some wonderful cafes and craft shops and vistas spread out along the trail at convenient intervals. I try to make the trip at least annually but this time I was reminded of what splendid people my family are and how much I like their company. Im going more often from now on