Congratulations, you've made it through the week!

Just some quick thoughts about our gear, including where we changed things along the way. Apart from changing some items we didn't really add a great deal of new items. What we finished with is pretty much what we started with. We didn't go ultralight, but we tried to save weight where possible. For another $1000ish we could have reduced our base weight by maybe 2 kgish each but it's all about trade offs.  Note that we are not sponsored by anyone, and we actually paid out of pocket for everything here, so you can actually trust our comments. That being said, if anyone wants  to sponsor us for a future adventure... Pack: We both had Osprey packs. Eliza used an Aura 65 litre (L) but left her brain (detachable, top mounted day pack) at home, and Vaughan used an Aether 60L but took his brain with him. We both love these. Even though there are lighter packs out there, the "Anti-gravity" hip-hugging waist belt and support structure really do make a difference when carry...

While walking, we talked about some of the lessons we learned on the trail. Here they are, distilled for you.  Once you've made a decision, stick to it (unless it is about to march you off of a cliff...). The back-and-forth will just add an hour to your day. Don't beat yourself up about yesterday. You can't change the past, so there's no purpose in thinking "what if?". But you can always learn from your past - both good and bad decisions! Have a long term destination (Cape Reinga) and a short-term destination (tonight's campsite; the next resupply town). Don't worry so much about the in between, it'll take care of itself. Check the map whenever you're unsure. Better to check more often. You know what? Just go ahead and check that map again... Enjoy the scenery along the way! Even when there isn't much of a view. You need less stuff than you think. Except food and wat...

29 May Maunganui Bluff Campsite to Te Rerenga Wairua KM 0 Distance: 40km Elevation: ascent 654m; descent 515m Steps: 59,000 Time: 7:35am - 4:20pm And we're finished! 149 days after we took our first step from Bluff at the bottom of Te Wai Pounamu/South Island we were standing at Te Rerenga Wairua/Cape Reinga at the northern tip of Te Ika a Maui/North Island. But it was an unforgettable day for many other reasons apart from finishing* our adventure. Weather conditions overnight had been windy with a couple of short rain showers but thanks to the wind our tent was dry inside and out. A rare joy! For the first time since we have known them Aud and Pol left camp before us because they had decided to do the final 40km in a single day, whereas we planned to camp at Twilight Beach. Stopping at Twilight would give us a short and relaxing 12km walk in which we could take more time to appreciate what's around us, reflect on what lay behind us and prepare for the end. Oh, and time to eat ...

28 May Hukatere to Maunganui Bluff Campsite KM 40 Distance: 30km Elevation: ascent 5m; descent 6m Steps: 41,700 Time: 7:35am - 2:20pm Pretty special day on Ninety Mile Beach today,definitely not boring as some TA walkers hsve claimed. Thanks to the fact that we had stayed in a cabin, and had access to a kitchen with electricity, we had a very relaxed morning. For the last time on the trail we were able to get going without packing up the tent, and without having to use our little gas burner to heat up water for coffee. We were also able to refill our camelback bladders without having to filter the water. Partially thanks to these modern conveniences, we were on the beach in time to watch the sun come up over the dunes. Today looked very similar to yesterday - just walking up 90 Mile Beach, a nice wide flat hard-packed sand beach. Today the presence of pipi was much more obvious, in fact they kept squirting Eliza's legs as she walked past and over them. While we did not ...