1 week Ago By Hibiscus Matters
Michelle Kerr, of Red Beach, has completed her trek up the South Island, knocking off the 1300 kilometre walk in 63 days, and in the process raising $8000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBCNZ). “I was walking for myself, for my mother who died of multiple myeloma when I was a child, and for other Kiwis diagnosed with blood cancers and their families,” Michelle said after completing the South Island section of the Te Araroa trail ). Among the highlights of the adventure was Stag Saddle, north of Lake Tekapo and the highest point on Te Araroa.
“My struggles through the valleys pale when I’m standing on the summits,” she wrote in her travel journal that day. “I love being out here!” Waiau Pass, northwest of Hanmer Springs, was “a much talked-about, daunting section that holds a little anxiety in the days leading up to it. But when the day arrives, it’s just another day putting one foot in front of the other, climbing over a large mountain to get to the next hut.
” The final day saw Michelle complete the last six kilometres, ending at Ship Cove in the Marlborough Sounds. “As I flew back home to Auckland, I thought about what the future holds for us all. I hope the money raised while I was walking helps other families to be able to heal and see their dreams become a reality too.
” You can read more of Michelle’s journal entries on her Facebook page, “Mishy’s Long Walk – Te Araroa”. She will also keep her fundraising page open for a few mo.
