These photographs document some moments from my recent four day trek through the Department of Conservation run Heaphy Track. Before I left I was thinking its only six hours walking a day, how difficult can that be. Now I know that while it isn't too hard it is a feat of endurance. This endurance was not only present in the walking. I did the track with seventeen other people, twelve of which were directly related to me. Living by myself I hadn't realised how used to significant periods of solitude I had become. The Heaphy experience was one of intense contact with large numbers of opinionated people interposed with peacemakers and people of infinite calm. My group role: the grumpy one.

Think of these photos as a cross between 'The Piano', 'Lord of the Rings' and Tourism NZ with a few 'quite desperation of the walker' images chucked in.

The first day was marked by travelling from Wellington to Collingwood, via sites of historic significance for the family. The second was all uphill.   On the third, walking across the plains I strain my ankle while looking at the a view. As you can see in the images they were amazing. I walked with my mother who actively encouraged me to take photos. It increased the number of breaks we could take. The third day followed the Heaphy river out to the coast, and the fourth day ran along the coast. We were greeted at the end with cold beer, a gift from the non-walking family members. And we were all very grateful for pub food and drinks at the Karamea pub to celebrate the finish.

Melissa