Email: stuart.fleming@fizzlogic.co.nz
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Hey Possum – I don’t fancy the challenge you have set yourself – but good luck!! I see your trip plan dodges Ashburton but goes through Methven. Not too far away!! If there is anything I can do when you are closer let me know. I’m not sure of your rules you have set, but there is always a warm shower and a bed here – or a tap to fill your bucket with and some lawn on which to pitch your tent!
Take care – good luck.
Claire
Great to hear from you Claire – we still haven’t managed to catch up, have we… tsk tsk. Perhaps we’re both busy people? 😉
“Rules” are simple: walk from one end of the country to the other. I’m not about to be a martyr and insist every night is spent in a tent/hut. If situations arise where a mattress and pillow and meal are on offer, I’m not too proud to accept. So long as I get back to where I finished walking for the day and continue from there.
Have a fab Christmas and maybe we’ll manage to connect in Methven? When I know when I’ll be there, we could always arrange a flash-mob of Keas, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers from around the Region!
Please let me know when you are in Methven. I am sure I can arrange something, and the offer of a mattress and food is always available – whether you are walkimg the length of the country or not!!
Happy walking Possum.
Thanks Claire! I look forward to catching up with you in Methven, around February sometime all going well 🙂
O0ps – cell 021 26 25 007!!
Hi Stuart,
Just to let you know that Sena Smith our Zone Cub Leader and I (Zone Kea Leader) have sent a flyer to all our Kea and Cub leaders inviting them and their youth sections to walk with you when you come into our neck of the woods. Sena is going to try and organise people to walk with you from Orewa to Weiti (Whangaparaoa) and I am organising the the North Shore City part of the walk Long Bay – Devonport.
Can you keep us posted with your itinerary dates so that we can successfully rendezvous with you to give people at least a couple of days notice and some estimate of when it is likely be. Thanks and best wishes for your journey.
Sue Robertson
Mahurangi Zone Kea Leader
Thanks Sue! This blog and Facebook will be the best place to keep track of where I’m hoping to be / when. I won’t know until I get started how many kms I’m doing each day. Will do my best to give advance notice of arrivals… 🙂
Hi Stuart
I have booked you in for a night at our palatial Den for when you get to Devonport – let me know when that will be! We’ll knock up some dinner for you and we’ll try and arrange a special guest to come and visit 🙂
cheers
Christopher Jones
GL 1st Devonport
http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Allenby+Avenue,+Devonport,+Auckland&sll=-41.244772,172.617188&sspn=28.211,55.195313&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Allenby+Ave,+North+Shore+0624,+Auckland&t=h&z=16
Thanks Chris! Much appreciated. Looking forward to catching up with you and all the youth 🙂
First day out of the stable. Great job! We are having a hot chocolate in your honour tonight to celebrate your lack of corporate compliance. Aweeeeeeeeeeeseome. Sleep well. Take care and have a good weekend.
A hot chocolate in my honour? You are too kind 🙂
Hi Stuart
Seona from Ceroc. Finally caught up with what you are up to! No doubt you’ll get heaps of offers around when you get back down thru Chch way, but happy to join you for a day or half days walking thru here, or up round Arthurs pass or where ever..
If I’d known what you were up to I’d have given you some ‘travel uber light’ tips! We’ve done so much hillwalking and touring on the motorbikes that I am pretty good at the ‘only take whats necessary’ list!
Good on ya! All the best.
Hi Stuart
I’m not aware of Scouts in Matakana yet, but I’m sure I could sort you out with accomodation in Point Wells, a half hour walk (?!) from Matakana if you should be interested! Let me know if you are keen, otherwise I’ll do my best to get some youth along you when you get into the Manukau area!
Glen Yearbury
Chairman, 69th New Zealand Rover Scout Moot 2011
http://www.sm69thmoot.com
Thanks for that Glen – I’ll keep you posted as I draw nearer.
Hi Stuart
Thinking of you every day and hoping your trip is every bit the adventure you wish it to be. Been thinking about the book you returned and wondering what you thought of it. Rather apt I though -about a man who breaks out of the life he’s in to explore all the parts of himself.
xxx Karen
Have to admit Karen I didn’t manage to get the book finished. Should have brought some dice with me though! 😀
Hi Stuart!
Thanks for keeping us updated! Love reading your blog entries and will be reading them for the duration of your hike (good preparation for my Te Araroa trail in Oct 2011).
Must be nice being a local and having all these offers of places to stay and home-made meals to eat! Lucky you.
I hope your blisters heal fast. Enjoy and take care!!!
Kenyon 🙂
Kenyon, even being ‘a local’ doesn’t take away the kilometre after kilometre of walking between the warm bed and hot meal. Last night was my first on a mattress after 8 consecutive nights on the ground (airmattress). My body was wondering what it had done to deserve such bad treatment! Thankfully, it soon gets used to it.
Hey Stuart,
Great to see things never change. It’s inspiring to see you following your adventurous side. Will be following your every step!!!
All the best, keep smiling and will catch up when your home.
Gil
Hey you! How on earth did you find me? A little bit different from walking between Adecco and Census, huh? 😉
The walking may be different but sounds like the torture is the same. Hope your shin heals soon.
Saw your adventure plan in the Chch Press. I’m impressed!
Loving the blogs, first thing I check when I log on.
Happy trails
Gil
Hi Stuart,
Have been following your journey so far and I still think that you must have something loose in your makeup to even start this but good on you for following your dream.
I am jealous of you because I have never followed a dream as there was always an excuse why it can’t be done and if I am not careful it will be too late to fulfill one – so better start sooner rather than later.
I will keep following your progress and when you are in Manukau Zone we will meet up. There is a bed and food here if you need it – even some entertainment if you are up for it at the time.
Thanks Ed! Yup, there are times when I have to agree – the must be something loose in the head to attempt an adventure like this… but then most of the time it feels right, feels like I’m learning, feels like I’m growing, feels like I’m meeting the people I am supposed to be meeting. So who knows where all this will lead…? 🙂
Hey there you! I can recommend packing that little war wound with Paw Paw ointment or get this, you can pack it with raw honey. I know. Raw Honey. How practical is that? But super healing. Express heal with some strapping thrown over. Sweeeeeet! Take care. Talk soon.
Thanks Lara – I read recently that the reason humans can digest honey so efficiently is because bees have already digested it during the honey-making process. Curious, huh?! 🙂
Hi Stuart
I love the sound of your new adventure – everyday walking, being in that moment and no other, and having all the time in the world to just be without constraint. Fabulous! Reading your blogs has flashed me back to my Camino walk last year – I want to get my boots out, strap on the pack and be walking into a new dawn each day (sigh). Go well and go greatly,
Sue
Glad you’re enjoying the flash-backs Sue! I too am looking forward to getting back on the trail after some recuperation-time. I’ve missed the open spaces… 🙂
Hi Stuart,
Happy New Year for 2011. Have just logged on to your website and caught up with your walking since the trip to Auckland to re-cuperated from your injuries. Enjoy Jamboree. It appears you have skipped the Hibiscus Coast and North Shore part of the Te Araroa Walk at this stage. Or did you sneak it in while in Auckland.? Re: Honey for Healing wounds I can tell you that it works. It has to be Manuka Honey though. Keep on keeping on. Best wishes once again for your journey.
Sue Robertson Mahurangi Zone Kea Leader
There’s no chance getting anything past you, is there Sue?! Yup, I plan to return to Paihia after Jamboree to complete that segment to Devonport. As for honey, let me share this with you:
A man walks into a health-food store and asks the assistant for ten bees.
The assistant disappears out the back and returns, placing a jar with buzzing bees on the counter. “There you are sir!”
The man smiles, then pauses and frowns, leaning down to count the bees in the jar…. “Wait a minute! There are eleven bees in here!”
The assistant rolls his eyes and sighs, “Sir… that’s the freebie.” 😀
Hi Stuart,
Wishing you well from Paihia to Auckland!! Must feel good to be back up there and all good to go.
Happy tramping!
Cheers Kenyon – yup, it does feel good and the Paihia-to-Whangarei leg has been a real beauty!
Hi Stuart
Sena – Mahurangi Zone Cub Leader, here. Awsome weather up at the Bay of Islands. My family just got back to Orewa from Russel where we were camping for 2 weeks. Even caught a couple of Kawhai and a few snapper from our Kayaks!!
Do you know approx the date will be when your in Orewa? Maybe could you do a couple of talks to a couple of our local primary schools? Your invite still stands to stay at our Den and we are also wanting to get a group of Keas, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers to walk part way with you.
Keep on keeping on 🙂
Hiya Sena! I’m knocking on your doorstep! Orewa is my next port of call – primary schools and Scouts won’t have started for the year will they? More than happy to work in however I can 🙂
Hi Stuart.
No schools havent started back as yet.
We have our Zone AGM tonight at 7.30pm if we can kidnap you for that one it would be awsome. We can pick you up from Orewa Scout Den at whatever time and youre welcome to stay at our house tonight. Cheers.
Sena
Thanks Sena – I really appreciated your (and Sue’s) efforts in helping me on the trail today. It’s been great having some local knowledge on hand 🙂
Hey Stuart.
Well done on completing the “missing leg”, hope the shin is holding up well.
Doing some research on the trail, it seems you walk right past my Scout den, through my university and then by my front door. So if you would like a guide or a place to sleep when you get to Wellington we would be happy to accomodate you.
The other Possum
Cheers mate – yup, the shin is still playing ball. Goodness – you must have lots of weary walkers strolling past your door! I’ll keep you in mind when I hit the capital – there are quite a few people who would like to stretch their legs along the trail when I get there. Perhaps we can organise something ‘big’?
Haven’t seen any weary walkers yet, but they’re bound to come along.
“Big” would be good, even if it does mean I accidentally suggest to my scouts that school isn’t THAT important. Will start setting it up when we know a better idea of the timeline.
Good luck
Well done Possum – almost back to the mainland!!
It was really nice to see the ‘mainland’ hills in the distance the other day Claire. I’m looking forward to being back on familiar terrain…
Hi Stu
Awesome stuff fella, home stretch … in more ways than one, you are an inspiration.
Ka kite
Ru & Big Claire
Back at ya both! Which part of the wonderful globe do I find you this week? 😀
We exit Dubai Friday, heading to Turkey to start our walk from Istanbull to Gallopoli for Anzac Day – so very excited :0)
A-w-e-s-o-m-e! Have a fabulous time, be careful with those blisters and sing the anthem with gusto on the 25th. See you both soon, maybe! 🙂
Hi Stuart, thanks so much for your message on the Te Araroa site to us. I have enjoyed reading your blog and admire you for more or less doing the whole trail in one hit. We have just made it home after nearly a month on the Auckland-Ohakune section, and in much need of rest and recovery. We each lost a couple of kgs just in that short time! Like you, we had to miss some parts of the trail and road-walked instead. But it was fantastic and the Wanganui bit comes next in a few months. Good luck with the rest of your trek – I’d like to hear how you got on in Richmond ranges!
Hey Debby! The Richmond Ranges are amazing – but incredibly challenging. I’ve just completed three days of them, modifying the trail slightly so as to hop to Christchurch this weekend. Today I climbed Mount Richmond! Enjoy your recuperation and have fun when you reach the Wanganui 🙂
Hi Possum
April now – hope you didn’t get too much of a wet tail over the last 48 hours. Man, it rained here yesterday!!! Offer of bed/food/shower (otherwise known as lawn/dehy snack/hose) still stands – unless you have a more suitable (better!) offer. School holidays are fast approaching, and Easter. Do hope to catch you somewhere.
Claire
PS. Love reading your updates.
Wasn’t very wet Claire… but rather snowy! Just putting up some piccies now 🙂
If could you text me (0274-874-331) your mobile number, I might just need some help getting over the Rakaia River… know anyone with a jetboat?
Hi, I have just been reading most of the posts on this site. I was at the Scout forum in Chch last year and heard you there. I was just wondering if you are ever in Wakefield (Nelson) would you pop in and talk to our kids. If you are keen, email me at angela.at.scouts@gmail.com for more info.
I hope to hear from you. You are such an inspiration for following goals and dreams.
Angela