Down the Home Stretch?

February 17/11 . DAY #126 . 4 KM .

Our dinner spot after a major river crossing

Today was one for the books. Kind of. We were on a mission to get to Arthur's Pass so that would could pick up our Back Country Cuisine and then hitch to Greymouth in order to get groceries and find Alex a physio for her foot.

Whatever has happened to Alex's foot has appeared to be getting worse as time has gone on. It's worrying as I don't like the idea that we don't know what's gone on to make it go that way. Tomorrow is Alex's appointment and I'm worried of the outcome. I reckon it may be a repeat of Ahipara. Ordered to rest until the swelling goes down.

As it is though, instead of walking in to Arthur's Pass, we hitched there due to Alex's foot causing too much pain for her to be walking at all. From there we then hitched to Greymouth. We managed to score an awesome place at one of the local hostels, Neptune's, where there's free internet and cheap laundry. It's been great here, but I'm still holding my breath for tomorrow. We'll see...


So Greymouth it is. This is now our fifth day here and it's still unclear as to when we'll be heading onwards. It's difficult to know that we are starting to see the end (Bluff) in sight and yet there is nothing making us get there any sooner. We've estimated that we have about 6 weeks more of tramping to go, but that's 6 weeks of tramping and we're not exactly doing that at the minute.

The swelling of Alex's foot has gone down considerably since arriving here, though the strict diet of RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) is wrecking havoc on Alex's drive to do something. Anything. 

The physio Alex went to a few days back stated that it could be an injury to do with one of her tendons. Or not. It could be a stress fracture. Or not. It could be anything, really - but Alex would need an X-Ray to find out. As that procedure includes a hefty price tag, we opted to wait out the swelling in hopes that the pain would go down as well with time.

As difficult as it's been having yet another injury to wait out, being here in Greymouth has helped considerably. As the largest city on the west coast of New Zealand's south island and was the home to many of the local miners who died a few months ago in the tragic mine explosion before Christmas. The longer we stay here, the more like home this place feels.


February 19/11 . DAY #128 . REST DAY #33 .

On route to Arthur's Pass I discover we've made it to Bluff

So - here we are. Our 3rd day in Greymouth and I'm surprised at how relaxed I feel for the fact that we technically shouldn't be here. We are here only so Alex's foot can heal and each day we are here we run the risk of depleting what little funds we have to get us down to Bluff. We've sent food onwards already so at some point we DO have to head onwards. 

Yesterday I came to the realization that throughout this journey of Te Araroa, Alex's main challenge has been dealing with complicated injuries while my main challenge has been dealing with the possibility of not having enough money to finish the journey. If should could just pay me to heal her injuries, we'd be laughing, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

And so w stay here at the Neptune's hostel. Free stay for a few hours work. Free internet. Free pastries (awesome pies!) delivered from a local bakery each day. Not to mention the normal comforts of a hot shower, tea and TV. We couldn't have picked a better place to stick around. I only hope that everything else works out when it comes to moving onwards. It's all part of the adventure.


And yet, the longer I am here, the more restless I become...


February 20/11 . DAY #129 . REST DAY #34 .

It's hard. THIS is hard. Hard to be completely stopped in one place and not let myself go crazy with thoughts, dreams and ideas of what I'd do "if only." The longer I am here in Greymouth, the more inspired I get for what I hope to do when finished trekking. The clothes I'd wear. The job I'd get. The food I'd stock in my fridge. So many ideas fill my mind, I feel I may explode.

I don't even know if I'll have enough money to get down to Bluff - let alone spend endless days in Greymouth. I see all these things around me that inspire me and it makes me want more - want so much more. Everything - even. It's not greedy. Just inspired. Right now I feel like someone pointed a remote control at my life and pressed the pause button. Maybe Alex and I have come here to learn something. Maybe it all means something. Maybe it doesn't. I haven't a clue other than to know that everything is at a standstill. Though I feel incredibly comfortable and relaxed here, I am hoping something happens soon. My fingers are crossed that Alex's food heals up and we can head on our way. Time will tell...

Alex working to get us a ride

It's comforting to know that Alex's foot no longer looks like an inflated surgical glove. The bones and muscles are beginning to have more definition. But we still have to wait as not all the swelling has gone and when she walks for any length of time it gets worse. Heaven knows what would happen should she try walking with a 20kg pack on.

One day at a time is all we keep saying. Bluff is in sight and yet we still have a ways to go. The adventure isn't over yet and though I'm excited to get going again, it's been nice to explore an area of New Zealand not on Te Araroa's map in thorough detail.

Life isn't about the destination, but the journey it takes to get there.     

** NOTE: This is the end of this segment of blogs for now. From this point on, it will be a while for me to be able to update our progress again due to the remote nature of the south island. Look forward to blogs updates in the future as they WILL come eventually!