Aotearoa Adventures

Matt Butler says he was born with an innate desire to fish, although his family wasn't outdoorsy. He started fishing in local Waikato rivers at age twelve and it took Matt three years to catch his first fish. After moving to Wanaka to pursue his passion for fly-fishing, he decided to spend his 20s doing what he loved. Matt would spend a few months each year as a fly fishing guide, then travel around the world and fish for the rest of the year. In 2020, that season of life came to an abrupt halt and Matt pivoted into starting an outdoor brand, KEA Outdoors, launching off a kickstarter campaign. He shares about his business journey and the unique investment opportunity currently open to the public.

Katy Binchy is in New Zealand on a working holiday visa and decided this is the year to try new things and enjoy being in nature. Together with a friend, they bought second hand bikes off TradeMe and went on their first bikepacking trip from Christchurch to Nelson. While in New Zealand, Katy is house-sitting in different cities so when they were moving from Christchurch to Queenstown, Katy thought to herself, "why don't I just cycle?" She set off on her first solo adventure, over ten days and it proved to have challenges, learnings and of course some beautiful views. Katy shares advice for other people that are planning bikepacking trips or want to get started.

Shanti Mathias is an Auckland-based journalist who is passionate about getting around without a car. Shanti also loves tramping and trail running, and uses public transport or a bicycle to get to her destination. She shares about a recent adventure from Auckland to Miranda, using a train, bike and ferry for the weekend trip. For Shanti, travel without a car leads to creativity and fun, poring over maps, forcing you to slow down and practice gratitude. While acknowledging the limitations and frustrations of low carbon travel, Shanti talks about why it's so important to reduce our carbon emissions and debunks some of the myths around our car-centric society. Having lived in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, she shares ideas for people wanting local trips and getaways on public transport and a bike. Next, Shanti wants to explore Northland, and one day cycle across the Himalayas from Pakistan to Nepal.

Mother of three, Deanna Gerlach says the idea to walk Te Araroa was conceived during covid lockdowns, from their suburban home in Sydney. The family sold everything in Australia, spent two weeks in hotel quarantine in New Zealand and then started walking the length of the country from Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) to Motupo-hue (Bluff). Day 1 on the trail was the family's first overnight tramp, but within three weeks they were trail-fit. Deanna reflects on the experience saying, "we loved it," but there were tough days for everyone. Flooded rivers in Canterbury meant that they had to skip large sections between Arthur's Pass and Takapō. The Gerlach family revisited these missed sections with now-teenagers and Deanna says it was quite a different experience, though once again it had it's highlights and it's struggles. She shares advice for others that want to start tramping and says, "don't run in and do what we did!" Deanna says to consider your motivations, what you want to get out of it and the importance of giving kids a sense of purpose and playing to their strengths.

Hami Tangiora lives on the West Coast and a recent annual family tradition is to catch a helicopter to remote back country huts to spend the night. While the familly do lots of hiking together with the young kids, Hami decided that they would treat themself to something special. The first trip was to Chancellor Hut above Fox Glacier for an overnight stay, where their only company was two dozen kea. The following year the family took Dominos pizza up to the remote Almer Hut above Franz Josef Glacier. Although the terrain around the hut can be a hazard for young children, the highlight was the incredible views from New Zealand's tallest peaks out to the Tasman Sea and family memories to last a lifetime.

Helena Sodergren is a multi-passionate adventurer and a scientist. From horse-riding to skiing to surfing to mountain biking, it really seems like she does it all, alongside holding a PhD in physics. Helena grew up on a farm in remote Sweden, and say this is where her sense of adventure began. She shares about a recent mission with a group of seven, spending nine days on Tasman Glacier and sitting through a big storm, an incredible experience. Helena also talks about another adventure to Bell Pass, where everything went wrong. Her advice for others who are multi-passionate is that, "you have to do what you love," and it's never too late to start something new.

Heather Marston had a mantra that she would never visit the same place twice...but that was before she had been to Aoraki Mount Cook. From ski trips as a child, to a study abroad program during uni and later moving to New Zealand, Heather says the curiosity for adventure was sparked early on in life. She shares about a particular trip to Mount Cook National Park in winter, where the weather looked miserable, but it turned into a magical experience in the snow. Heather shares all the different trails in and around Mount Cook village - Hooker Valley is a must-do; Mueller Hut is for a longer trip; Kea Point is best at sunset; Tasman lake is great for sunrise; Governers and Bowen bush walks are good for a rainy day; Sealy Tarns is steep but rewarding. Heather also talks about accommodation options to stay in the National Park - from the Hermitage Hotel to the DOC campsite, there are choices for everyone. Her best advice for travelling in New Zealand is to allow for flexibility and have an open mind - because you never know what you'll experience.

Host Abigail Hannah set out to do the longest hike she'd ever done - solo! Abigail breaks down the how she decided to set out on the Old Ghost Road on her own and all she did to prepare for this. Knowing and preparing her gear was a significant part of the journey to independence and Abigail breaks down her gear list (below). While Abigail absolutely thrived in the first three days of her journey, soaking in and enjoying the beautiful views, the challenges came on day 4 and 5. Abigail's strength and resilience was tested as she struggled physically and mentally, being pushed far out of her comfort zone. She shares the glimmers - moments which brought her joy on the trail, and moments of despair, where tears were the only option. Feeling a huge sense of accomplishment when she finished 85km over 5 days on the Old Ghost Road has inspired Abigail to do some more solo hikes - but perhaps after she's forgotten the pain. Her advice to anyone else wanting to start out solo is to do something smaller and build up to a big trip.

Olly Dow is 17 years old, based in Tauranga with a huge love for the outdoors. When he's not at school or on a weekend adventure, he's working at macpac or training with youth search and rescue (YSAR). He shares about the first time he went tramping without his parents - and how it was a pivotal moment that has enabled him to have many more trips with his mates. Olly shares about a recent 11 day tramp in the Kaweka ranges with a mate. One of the lessons learnt is that you can't be prepared for everything - as increased rainfall meant their river crossing was too risky and the duo had to replan the second half of their journey. We chat about the importance of good raincoat and what Olly's essentials are for a tramp. He talks about how he's convinced his friends to join him on his adventures and advice for other young people that want to get outdoors more. Olly now has his sights on an 850km multi-sport expedition crossing the width of New Zealand from the East Cape to Taranaki.

Based in Wanaka, Nick Pascoe is surrounded by opportunities for adventure. Combining his passions, Nick had the idea to ski, packraft and tramp from Mt Aspiring to the Tasman Sea, down the Waiatoto River. After convincing two mates to come along, they got started on planning their route, based off trip reports, satellite imagery and topomaps. The 7 day mission took them skiing over glaciers, packrafting across glacial lakes and bush-bashing before navigating technical white water down the Waiatoto. Their gear was easily 30+kg, due to the ski equipment, packrafts and camping gear. Nick shares his advice for planning your next multi-day expedition and says that their is so much knowledge within the community, that it's all about doing your research and finding a good mentor.

Meghan Maloney is an award-winning professional landscape photographer in New Zealand. Her work has let her travel all across New Zealand and she describes herself as an obsessive compulsive checker of weather apps, as weather is absolutely everything when it comes to landscape photography. We talk about the stories behind every photo, including driving silly distances to get sunrise shots on the East Coast and sunset shots on the West Coast from Moeraki Boulders to Lake Matheson to Roy's Peak in 24 hours. Meghan was chasing the Aurora for 7 years, before finally capturing it in 2023. Next on her photo bucketlist is to capture the hoarfrost. Although she has been in the industry for years, Meghan still makes mistakes and has many frustrating "failed attempts." She says that you learn more from making mistakes, than for things going right and that although you may only capture a beautiful photo 10% of the time, the elation you experience makes its absolutely worth it. Her advice to anyone who want to pursure photography is just to, "get out there and practice!"

Without being able to run a 5 km race, Simon Patton set the goal of walking five NZ Great Walks in just five days. Born and bred in Southland, Simon lived overseas and worked around New Zealand before moving back to Invercargill. He realised that five of New Zealand's Great Walks were located nearby in Southland and set out to run them all in just five days. It was a logistical challenge, but Simon was backed by friends and family that supported his adventure. He built up his fitness in the months leading up to the challenge and lucked out with a good weather window. Simon also raised money for bowel cancer New Zealand, and was overwhelmed with the support of friends and strangers as he smashed his fundraising goal. His best piece of advice is to stop comparing yourself to others, he says, "set your own goals and be absolutely stoked when you achieve them!"

As part of their travels around the globe, Charlotte and James opted to spend a year in New Zealand on a working holiday visa, taking advantage of flexible working arrangements and travelling as much as possible in their van. Based out of Auckland, they share their favourite spots for weekend escapes and adventures, including Rangitoto, Waiheke and the beaches and maunga in Tāmaki Makaurau. For a further escape, they loved Waihi, Raglan and Matamata. As lovers of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, Charlotte and James have enjoyed visiting different filming sites around the country. They are currently exploring the South Island in their self-contained van from Kaikoura and Fiordland to Aoraki and Abel Tasman. The couple share some of the challenges of buying and owning their van, as well as some of their surprises and differences between New Zealand and the UK.

Amber Holyoake discovered her love for surfing in Portugal and found herself hooked to the sport from then onwards. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, she loves the east coast and west coast beaches that are so easily accessible. Amber breaks down the sport for beginners, sharing some of the surfing lingo, the best way to get started, while sharing her own journey and her passion. She has noticed a growing community of women surfers and loves to help new girls get into surfing. Despite injuries and setbacks, she is eager to get back on the waves and fuel her addiction to the ocean. Amber shares some of the challenges she's faced, as well as the highs and favourite moments on the water.

Howie McFadyen grew up in Christchurch and got interested in the outdoors through his Outdoor Ed classes at school. He shares about his attempt to hike all six of the the Great Walks in the South Island and getting between them hitchhiking. Although Howie didn't manage to complete them all, he had an incredible time over 5 days, completing some of the walks in days and travelled over 800kms in strangers' cars. This journey kindled his love for hitchhiking and Howie is planning some new journeys that combine his love for hiking, skiing, mountain biking and mountaineering with hitchhiking. He debunks any myths around hitchhiking and shares advice for people that have never travelled this way before.

Your annual wrap up with Abigail Hannah, looking back at 2023 and forward at 2024.

In this episode Abigail covers:

• Introduction (00:00)
• Looking back at Aotearoa Adventures in 2023 (01:21)
• Travel plans for the summer (05:36)
• Self-employed business journey (14:20)
• Looking ahead to 2024 (17:36)

Renata Wiles shares about her first time experiencing vanlife in Northland as a family. Renata grew up in New Zealand but spent a couple years overseas before moving back home when her baby, Gaia was born. Following the Covid-19 lockdowns, they decided to give vanlife a go with their toddler, exploring Northland for the first time. Renata loved the 10-day road trip from the Tutukaka Coast, Bay of Islands, Far North and Kauri Coast. We talk about some of the must-dos on a Northland road trip, including the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Renata and her family loved their experience so much that after this trip, they rented out their house and travelled overseas to Asia for five months. To anyone worried about travelling with a toddler, Renata says, "go and try it...parenting is hard enough at home, might as well do it with a nice view."

Lauren Korstrom is an outdoor lover from Canada, who now lives in Methven, Canterbury. With Mount Somers in her back yard, Lauren has become quite passionate about the area, and the huge variety of tracks that there are from family-friendly beginner tracks to more advanced hiking. Mount Somers is also home to the popular Woolshed Creek and Pinnacles Huts for an overnight tramp. Lauren has always been a runner, but wanted a change from road running. She recently competed in her first trail running race, which combines her love for running and hiking in the Mount Somers half marathon. Every new skill or race has its challenges, but Lauren was familiar with the trails and broke up the race into manageable sections, making it easier for her mentally. Mount Somers is a must-do on your next trip to mid-Canterbury.

Ashley Elliott @littlekiwitravels shares about juggling a full-time job and making time for smaller local escapes on the weekends. She methodically plans each detail of the trip, to fit in as much as possible in a small amount of time. We talk about some of the best spots in the Waikato to visit, including the Coromandel and Waitomo - from flower fields to waterfalls to hot springs. Whether you're doing a lot of activities or you're having a more relaxed getaway, Ashley says it's important to be with people that match your vibe, so you can get the most out of the trip. In New Zealand, there is so much to do in such a small area and Ashley's tips will help everyone explore a little bit further.

We live in a time where we can fly and explore the skies - something our ancestors only dreamed of. Caleb Dearlove and Josh Townshend share their love for paragliding in New Zealand. Josh is a paragliding instructor in Christchurch and Caleb recently found himself hooked on the sport. In this episode, they share the process of how anyone can get their paragliding certification to fly solo and they recommend Queenstown for your first recreational tandem flight. Caleb and Josh both share some of their close calls when landing and their favourite moments in the air.

From Franz Josef to Karamea, Neha Paranjape did a solo road trip on the rugged, remote West Coast in her little hatchback. Her adventure included a glacier heli hike, golden sunset at Okarito lagoon, bush walks in the rain and her favourite moment was the kiwi hospitality she experienced at Karamea. Neha was unsure when a local gentleman offered to take her to the Ōparara Arches, but it turned out to be an amazing experience and a day they both remember fondly. Although Neha has lived all across the world, the West Coast holds a special place in her heart and is a spot she recommends everyone adds to their itinerary!

Debbie Cartwright has always had a deep love for the outdoors. She shares about how it took her 47 years to start tramping. Debbie's first overnight hike was the Canyon Creek Track in Ahuriri Conservation Park. Her first time with a pack, almost forgetting her hiking poles and having a really windy night, Debbie shares all the ups and downs of that first time. Over the next three years, she has levelled up her hiking game with multiple tramps, snow skills and overseas trips as well. Debbie shares about the differences returning to Canyon Creek with more experience under her belt and has lots of amazing tips and advice for new hikers about gear and mindset. Next, Debbie wants to revisit some of her 'misadventures' and give them another go!

Pat Nolan grew up on the West Coast of New Zealand and describes his outdoorsy family. From a young age, he would accompany his father on deer hunting trips into the backcountry. In this episode, Pat shares about the Three Passes Route from Arthur's Pass to Hokitika with his daughter over Harman Pass, Whitehorn Pass and Browning Pass. With a sudden change in weather, they had an awfully long day out of the Styx Valley, route finding with multiple river crossings, before eventually getting out to the carpark at 11pm. Pat's favourite moments were watching his daughter's delight around each corner as she experienced the hike for the first time. We also talk about his Te Araroa expedition and the challenges Pat faced after suffering from inner ear and balance issues. Pat's resilience is evident as he focused on the positives of Te Araroa, rather than the sore knees or bruises.

Raised in London, Scott Howes was never an outdoorsy person until his late 20s. He moved to New Zealand on a working holiday visa at 30 years old, just before the eligibility cutoff for the visa. Based out of Wellington, Scott has explored every part of Aotearoa, "except for Great Barrier Island and the Chatham Islands." He shares his two favourite places, Taranaki and Fiordland. Scott also shares his favourite hidden gems in the North and South Island - Kaweka Forest Park, Arthurs Pass and Nelson Lakes National Park. After returning from an overseas holiday, Scott is looking forward to moving to the South Island and exploring more of the mountains.

Aotearoa Adventures host, Abigail Hannah, shares her big life update - quitting her 9-5. While this may look like Day 1, Abigail pulls back the curtain on the last six years that have led to this point, from failed businesses, upskilling in marketing courses and side-hustling. She shares about the self-doubt and imposter syndrome that kicked in pretty quick, while at the same time knowing she made the best decision possible. Abigail answers the big, “what’s next?” question and her plans for Feijoa Social into 2024. Abigail shares some of her learnings in business and advice for other people - and most importantly - “don’t compare your journey to someone else’s.” If you have any questions about this episode, Abigail is an open book, so don’t hesitate to reach out!

Tracy Collins dreamed of visiting New Zealand for 50 years. She shares the highlights and unforgettable experiences of her whirlwind trip - with five days in the North Island and nine days in the South Island. Rotorua was on Tracy's bucketlist since she was a child and saw a TV show about the geothermal wonderland. As a first-time visitor, she raves about Wai-o-Tapu, Te Puia and the Polynesian Spa. Her South Island highlights included the TranzAlpine train, hiking Hooker Valley, staying in Queenstown and Milford Sound. As someone who does not enjoy hiking, Tracy was surprised at how much she loved the Hooker Valley track. Having visited over 50 countries, it's amazing to hear Tracy Collins sing her praises of Aotearoa and she says, "I will be back in a heartbeat!"

Dunc Wilson is the first person to have cycled the entire coastline of New Zealand. He set off from Mission Bay in an Auckland summer and circumnavigated the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island over the next 8 months. Over his 10,940 km expedition, Dunc's rule was to stay as close to the coast as possible. He shares his love for the simplicity of life - just getting from A to B each day. After writing a book, The Big Loop, about his bicycle circumnavigation, Dunc is now onto his next big expedition, Waka Waewae, traversing Aotearoa in a packraft and breaking it up into a series of shorter trips. With the North Island traverse completed, he will soon set out to do the South. Dunc acknowledges that with any adventure, "things will go wrong," and his advice is to "carry zip-ties, don't panic and make sure you have water!"

[TW: Sexual Abuse] Germaine shares her transformative journey on Te Araroa trail, after contemplating this adventures for years. She opted to only walk the South Island section, as it represented everything she loved about hiking – mountains, vistas and isolation. Germaine faced physical challenges, including navigating treacherous terrain and unrelenting foot pain. Mentally, her toughest moments came when she confronted her unresolved emotions and trauma from past sexual abuse. Te Araroa offered her a sanctuary to process these feelings and the trail became a canvas for her healing journey, nature patiently waiting for her to emerge stronger and more resilient. Germaine's advice for those wanting to walk Te Araroa is simple but powerful - make the decision, commit to it, and take the first step. Her story encapsulates the messy but beautiful experience of being human, and the power of overcoming challenges big and small.

Lisa Jansen moved to Aotearoa for a study-abroad semester and stayed. She wondered what life would look like if it wasn't a family focused or career focused life and decided to travel in a van for a summer. It quickly turned into full-time vanlife as she found herself travelling Aotearoa for 4 years, despite the challenges of lockdowns during the global pandemic. During the winter, Lisa would housesit and now is a full-time housesitter, with flexible working in her marketing role. Lisa shares about one of her favourite regions in New Zealand - the untouched and rugged East Cape of the North Island. We swap stories on some of the best things to do in the East Cape region and why it is such an amazing destination. She is an author, her book Life Done Differently shares more about her inspiring journey of travel and self-discovery.

The first hike Renee Cadigan did with her two boys was Mt Brown, a four hour hike which turned into seven. Following a head injury, Renee had a challenging journey to recovery, both physically and with her mental health. When she started hiking with her boys, knew this was something they needed more of. Renee shares some of other her other favrourite walks, even when things didn't go to plan - including Mueller Hut and Lake Kaurapataka. She shares advice for families that want to hike with their kids and encourages anyone on the trail to cheer kids along and give them that extra bit of encouragement.

Your host, Abigail Hannah, shares a whirlwind week-long roadtrip from Kaikōura to Aoraki with only three days of annual leave! It was a packed trip - from whale watching in Kaikōura to exploring LOTR film sites to climbing 2,200 stairs before sunrise. This roadtrip was inspired by Abigail's cousins visiting from the UK and it was extra special to be able to share her favourite region in NZ, Aoraki, with them. The trip includes many kilometers of driving down gravel roads, and plenty of steps on the hiking trails. Listen to find out what Abigail's favourite moments were (hint: it involves more than one kea)!

The prep for Penzy Dinsdale's epic Southen Alps Traverse expedition started months in advance. She started mapping a route and included plans A, B, C and D for weather contingency. The final route took her through some of the most beautiful part of the backcountry, including Pioneer Pass, Lochnagar and Aoraki/Mt Cook to Farewell Spit. On day six, Penzy faced her biggest mental hurdle and wondered if she would go on to finish the expedition. The next day she mustered up the courage to continue, with encouraging messages from friends over the InReach, before she reassessed in Wānaka. Penzy organised for various friends, family and strangers to join her for sections of the journey, while walking the rest solo. Her favourite moments were the ones shared with others - the laughter and the inside jokes that made the trip memorable.

Kaelyn Kingi AKA @misswalkalot started walking after Covid-19. She found that she was sick of being "stuck" indoors all the time and decided that walking was something she wanted to do more. Kaelyn shares the Māori concept of te whare tapa whā and the importance of caring for your physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing. She found that walking helped her connect with all of these and she found a safe haven in the outdoors. Kaelyn talks about kaitiakitanga and the part that everyone can play in doing better when we're exploring the outdoors, from cleaning boots at kauri dieback stations to picking up rubbish on the trails. She's walked over a hundred different tracks around Aotearoa in the last year, but often finds herself returning to some of the same places where she has a spiritual connection.

Rachel Davies first visited Aotearoa at seven years old and knew it was somewhere she wanted to return. When she moved to Wellington, she started out as a kayak guide. Her next adventure took her on a three week bikepacking adventure around the South Island - the longest bikepacking trip she had done. She fell in love with the pace of biking and had several more adventures and shorter bikepacking trips, including a hectic 32 hour race around the Banks Peninsula, where crossing the finish line alone was a massive achievement. Rachel Davies is also a watercolour artist and combines her love for the outdoors with her artwork by creating short guides to educate and inform people about outdoor skills and activities, from packrafting, hiking in the backcountry, skiing and of course, bikepacking. There is still more that Rachel hasn't explored in Aotearoa and she says she will definitely be back again soon!

Bronson and Chelsea hit the road in their caravan with a toddler and 15 month old twins. They spent a year and a half exploring all that the South Island had to offer, including a "trip within a trip" to Stewart Island. We talk how they almost turned around in the first week, and other challenges along the way. Also known as Adventures with Rosy on socials, Bronson and Chelsea share why they decided to take the leap to live in a caravan and how they dealt with the opinions of other people who questioned their alternative lifestyle. They share about life's different seasons, now they are back living in Taupō and are weekend-adventurers while allowing the kids to connect with friends and family again.

After waiting a while for the right weather window, Sam Harrison hiked the Dusky Track in Fiordland with a few mates. The 84 km, eleven day backcountry route between Lake Hauroko and Lake Manapouri is for experienced and well equipped trampers. Sam opted to do an extra out-and-back detour into Dusky Sound, where they had a rest day, fishing, relaxing and fending off the sandflies. Based in Wellington, Sam spends his weekends tramping in the Tararua and Ruahine ranges closer to home. Sam shares advice for keen trampers that are ready to take things to the next level and get off the beaten track. He talks about what food to take and how to meet other trampers, because some adventures are best shared.

Jenifer Silva was an outdoor adventure guide in her 20s, but hadn't done much tramping in over a decade. Wanting to get back into tramping, she set off on a solo eight day walk in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park, walking the length of the ranges from south to north. Over the course of the journey, Jenifer stayed in both huts and tents, faced plenty of mud, rain, overgrown track, stream crossings and fallen trees. As a self-proclaimed gear geek, she shares the tent, sleeping bag, pack and other things she took with her, what she loved and lessons she learnt. With views over the east coast and North Island, the Kaimai ranges have plenty of tracks and something for every fitness and experience level.

Laura Goldsworthy started competitive mountain biking in her 20s, very "late" to the sport. While she always loved being outdoors, mountain biking wasn't really on her radar. Laura worked in a corporate job for 10 years so that she could save enough to quit and make her passion her full-time gig. She opens up about the highs and lows of downhill mountain biking - from competing alongside some of her heroes to painful injuries. Laura shares tips and advice for beginners, the best trails in Aotearoa, and some of her future aspirations. This episode is packed with stories and advice to inspire newbies and well-seasoned mountain bikers alike.

Off the beaten track in Aoraki National Park is Mount Wakefield, between Hooker Valley and Tasman Valley. Jinal Govind shares his experience tackling the unmarked track with a bunch of mates, navigating the challenging terrain, routefinding with TopoMaps, and spending the night in bivvys under the stars. We talk about Jinal's outdoor adventures, stepping outside his comfort zone and overcoming fear. Self-employed as a wedding photographer, Jinal sometimes finds it difficult to find a balance between work and play, but he is always grateful for moments in nature and sharing those with like-minded people. He also co-hosts adventure photography workshops across New Zealand to share his passion of photography and the outdoors with other creative individuals.

Morgan Healey always wanted to do a vanlife trip, but didn't have a van and found that holding her back. Then she was inspired when she saw someone else do a road trip out of their station wagon and booked ferry tickets that same night. It was her first time driving on her own, her first visit to the south island and her first solo trip. Morgan's adventure had it's fair share of mishaps, and she shares all the hilarious stories and moments. Since then, she found herself booking another spontaneous ferry and moving her whole life, including her dog Diego, down to Wānaka. For anyone else that wants to freedom camp out of their car, Morgan shares tips and tricks for finding campsites, road trips with a dog and exploring the South Island.

The Te Araroa Trail stretches from Cape Reinga to Bluff and each summer, enthusiastic hikers like Zoe take on the thru-hiking challenge. She walked 3,026 km over 138 days and shares her favourite moments and the challenges she faced. As a kiwi-born, returning to Aotearoa from a stint overseas, Zoe loved connecting with people along the way and rediscovering what makes New Zealand so special. We talk about the logistics of planning a hike like this, the best things to pack and where to stay. One of her lessons was the value of time, Zoe has never been as present as she was on-trail and finds it challenging to find that same sense of connection in day-to-day life. The thru-hike was made even more meaningful as she raised donations for two charities.

Robert Bruce founded Got to Get Out, a social enterprise adventure group based out of Auckland. After being made redundant from his own company, he had an epiphany while hiking in Nepal and realised the importance of the outdoors for social and mental wellbeing. We talk about the shift from corporate hustle to running over 800 events, including hiking, rock climbing, skiing, canyoning, biking and running. Rob has been on almost every event, serving over 14,000 attendees in the last eight years of Got to Get Out. He shares some of the growing pains and challenges experienced, what's coming up next, the importance of whanaungatanga and aroha and his journey to sobriety. Through Got to Get Out, the outdoors is more accessible for people of all experience levels and is an incredible way to build community and meet like minded people.

Chris Long had a unique upbringing, living remotely on the West Coast of the South Island, a two day walk from the nearest road. Chris shares the best parts of his childhood, learning to live off the land, fishing and hunting everyday, and the unique perspective it's given him about the importance of looking after the planet. He shares about the challenges of moving from Gorge River to Wānaka for high school, as someone who "wasn't used to socialising." Chris's love for the outdoors and sense of adventure has continued into his adult years and shaped his career. We fast-forward to his most recent expedition as a boat guide in Antarctica, the rough seas the encountered and some of the incredibly memorable experiences, like watching the sea turn to ice.

Cody and Callie Chase met surfing and adventure in the outdoors has continued to be a constant in their lives, with Callie continuing to surf up to full term pregnancy. With a love for being in nature, Cody and Callie enjoy rock climbing, surfing, rock climbing, skydiving, wind foiling, snowboarding and sailing. Callie shares tips for beginners wanting to learn to surf, including breathwork, strength and learning to read the water. Cody shares his journey to becoming a certified skydiver and about slowing down time when you're in freefall. With a baby on the way, the Chases are eager to share their love for outdoor adventures with their baby girl, and to teach her how to do dangerous things safely. They talk about the way that outdoor pursuits can lead to personal growth and being kinder to yourself, while your problems and worries seem to slip away.