A year on the road

October 4, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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Two years ago I decided not to earn more money, but to spend my saved money to discover the world. A year ago, I put this idea into action. Since then, I’ve had countless adventures, visited seven countries on two continents, and walked over 4,000 kilometers.

The Tararuas

December 29, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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How interesting it is to observe in which environment the mud we all love manifests itself. Where it makes the ascent to the Tararuas difficult, we find enchanted forests, with trees that seem to have died, clothed in a mantle of moss. In the shadow of the clouds towering over us, we get the impression that behind every corner a forest gnome could jump out, making us his prisoners and turning us into soup.

The end of the North Island – Halfway there

December 21, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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Now I myself have already walked more than half of the total 3000 kilometers, and that in just 2 months. What seemed like an infinitely long distance a few months ago, is now quite normal, my everyday life. Maybe even too normal, so that I can’t even imagine having a normal everyday life anymore, having to get up at a certain time to go to work and do errands. Who would want to do that voluntarily every day?

Fallen into the water

December 9, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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The unsettled rainy weather keeps us from running the trail as it is intended. Rain keeps us from crossing rivers and paddling down, and strong winds from crossing higher passages in the mountains. Because of the circumstances, I tried to make the best of the situation and run sections that were not problematic, rather than just letting time pass by waiting.

One third of Te Araroa – 1000 km

November 25, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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It’s a little surreal to have already hiked a third, 1000 km, of the hike. We have mastered 90 Mile Beach with its seemingly endless miles of monotony. We waited knee-deep through mud to get over mountains and to other shores. We often had the water up to our knees, hips and even up to our necks, which came not only from above but also quite often from below. Looking back, we walked endless miles along roads and dirt tracks to get to the next breathtaking section.

From city to city

November 14, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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I can smell myself, the way one smells when one has spent a few days in the bush. A smell that, when I’m alone, I don’t seem to notice at all. Yet here I am, in the midst of washed and parfumed people, civilized people who all go about a daily routine that does not allow them to look like me.

Auckland – almost 600 km

November 8, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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We had a beautiful summer day to get a few miles on the beach behind us. The weather was glorious and the feet did well. Somehow the slim 15 kilometers along the beach dragged on. The tide was at its maximum towards the end.

90 Mile Beach

October 18, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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Nine hundred miles seems to be an exaggeration due to a measurement error. As I understand it, horses, or rather the endurance of them, were used in the past to measure distances. An average horse probably made it to 30 miles per day. The one used to measure this beach in the north of New Zealand did more like 30 km a day.

Day 16 – Dream life – Sun

March 6, 2022
by Jens Hevike
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0 km Sun gives me strength and energy. I feel good when it shines down on me sufficiently. I see myself living in a place (or places) where I can catch sun all year round if possible In summer I can well imagine to stay in Germany. The temperature there

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