The Longest Walk
Have you ever gone on a really long walk with your parents or siblings? Well this family has. And it is even longer than your normal walks. This family is called the Rapsey family and they are on a long adventure through the woods and outskirts of their town. If you keep reading, you will know some of the destinations and attractions that the Rapsey family saw.
The Rapsey family are following a long route called Te Araroa, it means “the long pathway.” It is the longest track in New Zealand, starting at Cape Reinga at the top of Te Ika-a Maui and finishes at Bluff at the bottom of Te Waipounamu. Today the family will be crossing one of the track’s most difficult places. They will cross two mountain passes in Nelson Lake Park.
Their travel method is different because they plan to walk the whole way of the track. The Rapsey family tries to beat their record of walking. The Rapsey’s walked through tiny towns and rolling hills. They finally reach Tamaki Makaurau with its tall buildings and suburbs. After that they walked through the farmland of Waikato and the ancient trees of Pureora, where Elizabeth and Johnny listened for the kokako.
Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland Farmland of Waikato, Auckland
The Ancient Trees of Pureora, Near Hamilton, about 118.8 km if you take Waipapa Rd
They passed Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro where there were emerald-coloured lakes and red rocks. Mount Ngauruhoe is an active strato volcano and is located about 45 degrees north of Taupo. Mount Tongariro is an active volcano located about 320 degrees north near Soda Springs. The Rapsey’s usually camp in their tent. Sometimes they stay in tramping huts or houses. After all the hard work, Johnny and Elizabeth play in a pine forest, or next to a creek, or in a hut. The Rapsey’s wear the same clothes and clean themselves in rivers, or the sea, and occasionally they shower in a campground.
Mount Ngauruhoe, North Island Mount Tongariro, North Island
Lake Constance/Rotopohueroa and Rotomairewhenua/The Blue lake They are camping beside Rotomairewhenua/ the Blue Lake. Which has some of the clearest freshwater in the world. The Blue Lake is seven metres deep, but it is so deep if it was seventy metres, you’d still be able to see the bottom. The water looks like air but with a greenish-blueish colour.
Higher up, plants are small, as if they are hiding from the wind. Above the moraine, there is a bigger lake. It’s called Rotopohueroa, Lake Constance. It shines like a sheet of metal and is an alpine lake. It is located in the North Island and it lies within the Nelson Lakes National Park. It is even larger than Rotomairewhenua/The Blue Lake despite the tall mountains that look like it is trapping Rotopohueroa.
Rotopohueroa/Lake Constance, North Island Rotomairewhenua/The Blue Lake, South Island
I really liked writing this essay and I really would like to write something like this again because it was really interesting for me to write, and I learned a lot from my own writing and my own country.
