Naomi Arnold about hiking Te Araroa – Wanderwach & Kaffee
My guest today is Naomi Arnold – a New Zealand journalist and writer who not only hiked Te Araroa, the country’s long-distance trail, but also wrote a wonderful book about her journey: Northbound.
In this episode, we talk about what it means to walk the length of Aotearoa, how her hike stretched across nine months, and what it was like to experience Te Araroa mostly on her own. Naomi shares her reflections on the trail, the challenges she faced, and the deep connection she developed with the landscape and people along the way.
Topics we cover include:
- How Naomi got into hiking – or “tramping,” as it’s called in New Zealand
- The difference between hiking and tramping in Aotearoa
- What it means to stretch a long hike across several months
- How her body and perspective changed along the way
- The special bond between a hiker and a trail
- The challenges for body and mind
Her book Northbound is not only a personal story of hiking Te Araroa, but also a reflection on adventure, solitude, and what it means to be a woman hiking alone in her early 40s.
Happy listening – and happy trails!
Yours truly,
Mareike
Book on Amazon Germany
Book on Unity Books, my favorite book store in Auckland
Other episodes about Te Araroa
Tim Voors über seinen Thru-Hike auf Te Araroa
Karin über ihren Thru-Hike auf Te Araroa
Jan über seinen Thru-Hike auf Te Araroa
Te Araroa-Hiker erzählen direkt vom Trail – Teil 1
Te Araroa-Hiker erzählen direkt vom Trail – Teil 2
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