“You will never be the same again.” These words reverberated through my head from my work colleagues as I was given a farewell. I have come to understand that as humans we are in a constant state of change. But on that last evening, I never quite realised the rites of passage that I was about to embark on.
I swatted over maps in fine details with my manager at Franz Josef Glacier Guides. We discussed all options on the desired route, emergency procedures, communication checkpoints and how to use PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). Everything was set in place. ‘Now the only thing to it, is to do it’.
At the Karangarua River bridge, the sandflies instantly made themselves’ known as I disembarked the vehicle. Nothing else in the world can make you move faster with intention like that iconic West Coast feeling. It screams that there no time to dwell on the moment or to double check your equipment. Shut the door, locked the car and I was gung-ho. As per all journeys, I recited a karakia to give praise to the whenua, to the atua (gods) for protection and guidance on this hikoi. A calm reminder that I
