My One Million-Step Journey Words and photos by Nadine Tupp Over this past semester break I set myself the challenge of exploring one of the most rugged and remote parts of New Zealand: Rakiura, or Stewart Island. To really add to the excitement, I planned to spend 20 days solo in the bush, in the middle of winter. The outdoors have always been my happy place and a space where I can take time out and reflect on life. Growing up in the country, working through my Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award, completing
a big tramp at least twice a year, volunteering and working for the Department of Conservation meant Aotearoa’s bush, beaches and alpine environments are my second home. They’re a place I’ve found myself longing for the more time I spend at university and in the city. Being in my last semester of a BSc I’ve spent far too much time inside studying and forgetting what it’s like to breathe in brisk morning air and take in sunsets from a backcountry hut. So that’s what I dedicated my break to; taking time out for me and trying to let go of a breath I’ve been holding for a long time.
