Adventures and Letting Go of Fear
Hello and welcome
With what feels like only a few years ago, I was living the life of a typical over-achiever. A challenging yet fulfilling role that kept me on the treadmill and glued to “the system” with very little time off.
With the 20th year anniversary in that career approaching, I realised that it wasn’t the reality I wanted to live nor the ladder I wanted to climb. I slowly stepped back and started to reconstruct my life, I took time off, started planning long weekends and even an annual holiday.
That’s how I came to find myself solo camped on the shores of a beautiful lake, watching in awe at the energy and beauty of a storm rolling across the far side.
I knew intuitively there’d be many people who would miss out on experiencing what I was experiencing - and that was the simple wonder and joy of nature all around and the resulting peace that would follow.
Mokau Landing, Lake Waikaremoana, Te Urewera National Park
As the storm ebbed and flowed over the distant Panekiri Bluff I thought of the obstacles that many find in spending time in nature, challenges like lack of access, confidence, support and knowledge.
It was in that moment on the shores of the stunning Lake Waikaremoana that I had what I now recognise as the Freewheeling Kiwi epiphany and so began a new chapter.
Skip forward to today and removing those obstacles so that everyone can equally enjoy spending time in nature remains my passion which is what inspired me to write my latest article.
Solo Woman Hiker Safety
This is a topic I thought long and hard about before deciding to add my perspective to the conversation. Understanding and safely managing risks for women setting out alone on the trail (any trail) is an enormous barrier for many of you and I know it can even prevent you from living your best life.
My article does not address the usual environmental concerns like deep rivers, getting lost or injuries as I’ve written about managing those dangers elsewhere. Instead, I focus unapologetically on the one thing that women worldwide have learnt to fear the most, and that is men.
The purpose of writing the article is not to alarm solo woman hikers (nor their Mums and Dads!). With careful planning and preparation, we can all minimise the chances of unpleasant encounters and have a safe and enjoyable hiking experience.
As I often do after publishing a blog, I made a supporting reel to let the online community know that there was a new article available and as expected the response was immediate.
There’s been plenty of online discussion both publicly on the Freewheeling Kiwi social media channels and privately by direct message as well as in the Te Araroa Facebook Group. Thousands of followers have viewed and shared my reel and within a couple of days, the article had been read many many hundreds of times with readers accessing it from across the world.
Overwhelmingly the response has been positive and in writing that blog, I know already that there’s women, (maybe even you), from across the world who now have additional tactics to enable them to enjoy hiking safely 💚
Te Araroa Solo Woman Safety
Understanding and managing risk for solo women while hiking New Zealand’s 3,000 kilometre Te Araroa.
When planning to hike Aotearoa New Zealand’s 3,000 kilometre Te Araroa trail, I had the usual safety concerns like navigating a fast flowing river, becoming lost in the bush, suffering from hypothermia or possible injuries which were all dangers that I could anticipate and plan for.
This article is not meant to scare anyone nor to discourage solo woman hikers from walking Te Araroa alone, in fact it is to bring those fears into the light and to give you the confidence to get out there and have your best adventure.
Hitchhiking in New Zealand
In the process of writing the Solo Woman Hiker Safety blog, I started to include a hitchhiking section. To give perspective, New Zealand does not have the best public transport system and there’s many times as a hiker, that we struggle with finding suitable transport.
Even if you’ve never considered hitching before, the opportunity may arise for example when:
Getting to and from trailheads - while the popular trails are well serviced by commercial transport such as shuttle and water taxi operators, most other trails aren’t
Resupplying - getting from that trailhead into town to restock or replace broken kit before returning to the mountains
Skipping a section - on a multi day or multi section hike, it’s tempting to skip the connecting roads either for safety, boredom or even time constraints
Since a friend and I first hitched as 14 year olds, I’ve hitched many kilometres the length and breadth of New Zealand as well as criss crossing and even lapping Australia. At a conservative guess, I’ve probably hitched over 30,000 kilometres which more than qualifies as experienced!
Let me know if an article on hitchhiking would be useful to you and if you’d like to see the finished product, it only needs a bit more polishing and it’ll be good to go public.
Sharon Evans, Hitchhiking on Christmas Eve, near St Arnaud, Nelson
Where Next?
As I write this, the temperatures have chilled down in New Zealand and the log fires have been burning merrily for the past week. With all the work we completed earlier in the year on the Coromandel property, we’ve a plentiful supply of dry firewood. As someone who feels the cold, one of my great pleasures in life is standing in the woodshed, simply to admire the mountain of stacked wood.
My next trip is to Australia in June, returning once more with my Mum to visit our family and friends and to revisit the location of the old family farm near Lismore in northern New South Wales.
While there I’ll have to ramp up my training as I’ll only be back in New Zealand a few days before boomeranging back to Australia with Andrew to hike the stunning 230 kilometre Larapinta Trail near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Every trip has it’s challenges and hiking the Larapinta will be no different. The overnight temperatures will average a cool 5 degrees celsius and there’ll be no warm fire to keep the hiking tent cosy. But that’s precisely why I need to do it, to get outside my cosy comfort zone and I’m confident hiking the Larapinta will work out exactly as it’s meant to.
I’d love to have your support on this walk, please follow along on my social media channels as I debate life’s big decisions such as whether to include the fruit and nut chocolate, a hot water bottle or the rain pants. They each weigh the same so it’s an easy swap, I know which way I’m leaning, what do you think, is it likely to rain while we’re in the Outback?
Sunrise at the Pinnacles, Coromandel Ranges
How About a Weekend Getaway?
I’m toying with the idea of putting together an October 2025 Group Trip to the Pinnacles on the Coromandel Peninsula. This will be an overnight trip and we’ll stay at the Pinnacles Hut which is the largest DOC Hut in New Zealand with room for 80.
As the hut books out very rapidly on weekends, I need an early show of hands as to who may be interested, shall I add YOUR name to the list of possibilities? Group numbers will be capped at 8, if there’s no room at the Inn, the alternative is to camp nearby and use the hut facilities.
The Pinnacles Walk is one of my favourites on the Coromandel Peninsula as it has spectacular views out to the Pacific and back over the Hauraki Gulf and Waikato. By going overnight, we’ll have two opportunities to enjoy the view from the Pinnacles, either at sunset or at sunrise, both are magnificent.
Let me know NOW if you’d like to come along, if there’s enough interest, I’ll set to organising all the details.
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Freewheeling Kiwi Group Tours
Come away with me on an Adventure of a Lifetime.
Larapinta Trail, Alice Springs, Australia
Dates: Thursday, 19 June - Monday, 30 June 2025
Price: NZD $1,975 (Deposit $395) inc GST
I’m thrilled to be returning to Alice Springs, Australia and this time to walk the iconic Larapinta Trail, a 230km long distance walking trail. This is my first time back since I was in my early 20’s and you can all guess how long ago that was.
Ranked as one of the planet’s top 20 treks, the Larapinta Trail follows the rocky spine of the West MacDonnell Ranges from Alice Springs Telegraph Station to Mount Sonder in the Northern Territory
We’ll be hiking through a breathtaking and diverse landscape filled with uniquely Australian flora and fauna. This is not your typical hike, it’s raw, authentic and packed with adventure, making it a challenging yet rewarding experience.
There’s still availability on this trip, come on, what are you waiting for?!
If you’re intrigued but unsure, let’s chat. I’d love to tell you why this adventure is so special
Here’s what awaits you in the Outback of Australia
Immerse yourself in the Tjorita / West MacDonnell National Park
Experience Australian outback camping under the stars
Learn about the fascinating local Aboriginal heritage, culture and history
Discover for yourself Simpson’s Gap, Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge and Standley Chasm
View the magnificent sunrise from the top of Mount Sonder (1,389m)
Explore the spectacular West MacDonnell Ranges with its ancient metamorphic and igneous rock and nearly 600 species of flora
And so many other surprises
Everest Base Camp Trek, Kathmandu, Nepal
Dates: Sunday, 2nd November - Saturday, 15th November 2025
Price: USD $1,599 (Deposit $320)
Come and trek with me amongst the highest mountains in the world along with a group of other trek-loving enthusiasts.
Major highlights include tracing in the steps of mountaineers to Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar, the extraordinarily beautiful views of the Himalayan Mountains, immersing yourself in the local Sherpa culture and traversing through the UNESCO listed Sagarmatha National Park.
The Everest Base Camp trek introduces hikers to the Khumbu Region, steeped in history and culture and inhabited by some of the friendliest people you’ll ever have the privilege to meet.
We took two Freewheeling Kiwi Group Tours to Everest Base Camp in 2024 and to say I’m enthusiastic about this beautiful region is to understate it!
Travel News
Book a New Zealand Great Walk
DOC has announced that bookings for the 2025/26 season for New Zealand’s Great Walks and other huts and campsites will open in May. Opening dates are staggered between 13 to 28 May to give people making multiple bookings a better chance of securing their preferred slot.
The Heaphy, Kepler and Rakiura tracks are the first Great Walks to open on 15 May (that’s today). The ever-popular Milford Track will open last on 28 May. DOC recommends people wanting to book a Great Walk have a profile set up before opening day.
New Zealand Passport Renewal
If you’re planning to go overseas, you’ll need a current passport and you can apply, renew or replace your New Zealand Passport online. If you’ll also need a Visa for the country you’re visiting, allow plenty of time for the passport process so that you’ve still time for the visa application.
Freewheeling Kiwi Blog Posts
I love New Zealand’s Great Walks, they’re a fabulous way to experience some of our most scenic places with the camaraderie and sense of security that comes with having other hikers around. Here one to further tempt you into making plans for the coming Great Walks Season.
Tongariro Northern Circuit
As I cautiously edged my way down the Dragon's Tail, the heat intensified, volcanic steam and poisonous gases escaping wherever they could from the surrounding rubble. Reaching the valley floor, sunlight beat down mercilessly and not satisfied, it then bounced back up from the glaringly white sand.
Assuming it was compressed, I tugged harder on my hydration tube which remained stubbornly dry. Running out of water in the midst of a desert on a hot summer’s day was clearly not my intention but it was my reality.
Coromandel
For those of you curious about what we’re up to on the Coromandel property, I’ve written an article that dives deep into what off-grid living means at Shambhala.
Off Grid Living at Shambhala
For many in the developed world, striving for material wealth, status and possessions is given precedence above all else. What if instead, we recognised the importance of relationships, community contribution and service, self development, and physical and mental health? Purposely living a simple life asks that we reconsider our priorities.
Too many of us are attached to the idea that monetary wealth equals self worth and that money should be pursued above all else.
For my part, I measure my worth against intangible values such as contentment, satisfaction and self-sufficiency. Simple or minimalist living allows me to focus on the values that I treasure and to see beyond the corporate-led overconsumption prevalent in our society.
Ready For More Stories
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If you’re finding value in these newsletters and the information that I’ve been sharing, please forward this along to any adventure loving friends whom you think might find them inspiring.
Gear Corner
While I’m preparing for the Larapinta Trail in Australia, I wanted to call your attention to some of my favourite hiking gear that I’ll be taking with me.
Moab Speed 2 Leather Mid Waterproof Hiking Shoe
The Larapinta Trail is a rocky trail and while I’d normally be happy wearing my usual trail shoes, there’s a couple of tiny details to be considered. The first is spinifex and the second is snakes!
Spinifex grasses come in all types however in the MacDonnell Ranges where the Larapinta Trail is, they’ll be the spikey, ouchy type and the same goes for snakes. I’ll be sporting the gorgeous new rose coloured Moab Leather Boot as the mid height will give me more protection. I may even take gaiters though am still undecided on that option.
The Freewheeling Kiwi Community get 15% off - use my code FREEWHEELINGKIWI15
I’ve been testing them out on some of the local trails including the Waikato’s spectacular Wairere Falls
Moab Speed 2 Leather Mid Waterproof
Creepers Toe Socks
I just love my Creepers merino toe socks and have been hiking in them ever since having issues with blisters some years ago. No, of course they’re not guaranteed to stop all blisters but having each toe snug in it’s very only little cocoon prevents the friction that builds when there’s direct contact between your tootsie toes.
I hiked the entire 3000 km Te Araroa in my Creepers and wouldn’t have changed anything about them. The sock techs recommend that you replace your socks at the same time you replace your trail shoes, about every 800 - 1000 km dependant on the terrain. But, when I received my beautiful pink Creepers half way through the journey, I was determined to make them last so I’d not have to go back to wearing my perfectly functional black ones.
That pink pair carried me from Palmerston North to Bluff, a distance of 1500 km and actually over half the trail, to this day, I still have that famous pink pair. Does anyone else get attached to gear like me? As I’m not a sock tech don’t do as I did, go get yourself some new socks today!
An email from the Founder of Creepers, Shaun landed in my inbox this morning and they’re about to release a couple of new colours including the Creepers Green. I have to admit, that fresh green look might be just the colour to sway me from my old pink faithfuls!
The Freewheeling Kiwi community get 10% off - use my code FREEWHEELINGKIWI
Radix Nutrition
Food glorious food!
The full 230 km Larapinta Trail will take us 12 days to complete, that’s 11 dinners, 12 lunches and 11 breakfasts to be organised and Radix Nutrition have once again come on board to support us with our nutrition needs.
From experience we know that their freeze dried meals work best for fuelling our bodies and even now, Andrew talks about how strong he felt when we were eating Radix for breakfast, lunch and dinner during some of the more challenging sections of New Zealand’s 30000 km Te Araroa.
They’ve developed some new recipes including breakfasts which I’m excited to try out.
The Freewheeling Kiwi Community get 15% off - use my code FREEWHEELINGKIWI15
Radix Nutrition
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