
I had reserved these two books from the local library and they arrived at the same time with my name on them. I have finished “North Bound” and I am now reading about our brains and how to live well in the world that feels very overwhelming at times right now.
I am not a tramper or hiker so I would not have walked the Te Araroa trail even when I was much younger and had knees and ankles that were not creaky. I love walking in the bush in Aotearoa but generally it is a walk there to soak up the smells, the bird song, the beautiful trees and ferns.
I am full of admiration for Naomi Arnold’s “four seasons of solitude” on the trail as she walked the trail on her own. She endured so much pain, times that required endurance in many different situations and also relished times of great joy and wonder. The trail traverses urban environments, mountains, rivers, our unique dense bush and plains all of which bought unique experiences or problems to solve. Her near miss in a violent thunder storm will stay with me, likewise her joy and delight at hearing Whio ( Endangered Blue Duck) whistling on a remote river.
She met a wide variety of fellow trail walkers but also people off trail and generosity was the predominant feature they offered to her.
I was also struck by how many trail walkers had come from different parts of the world to walk the length of Aotearoa. It certainly has a place in our tourist attractions.
I enjoy memoirs and this was a very different one but a very enjoyable one.
I will report in on Jodi Wilson’s book when I have finished reading it.










