The Top is bushy, compact and very dense which reminds me of a rug. Curvy and curly crinkly like sheep’s wool not sheared. Fuzzy and scratchy like a gorilla’s back. Very jaggy and vicious like a jaguar which feels the most craggy of all. 

The Rapsey family is a family of four which includes a father, mother, sister and brother. They hiked the longest route in New Zealand which is called Te Araroa or “the longest pathway.” Out of around 5 million people only 550 have crossed “Te Araroa”

Te Araroa is about 1,600 kilometres long which would take 120 days on average. The Trail starts at Cape Reinga and ends at Bluff. The average daily kilometres were twenty kilometres but then it started to rise to 30km.

They passed by many places which included, the Nelson Lakes, Waikato farmlands, the ancient trees of Pureora, Mount Ngauruhoe, Mount Tongariro, Whanganui River, Sabine Valley, Lake Constance, Rakiura and much more. 

The Rapseys’ finally arrived at Bluff after five months and minus one day. They were proud, very tired but they had a good time.

Peter’s Perspective of the Experience 

As I look back I see troops throwing something. I see smoke and explosions and the chemical smell of bombs. 

I can hear gunfire, loud explosions, crying people and terrified shrieking children. I scream help when a troop member spots us. We start running. I can hear my loud heavy heart beat. I start to pant and breathe heavily. I struggle to keep on running.

I trip on a dead corpse. A small amount of blood splatters on my face. I wipe it off with my bruised hands. I get up and catch up to my dad as fast I can run. His arm is fractured from being struck by a falling door. 

I can see people with gas masks. My neighbourhood is in chaos. We can see jets colliding into each-other. The jets soar in the sky coming towards us. We escape and find a place to sleep. As I close my eyes I see mayhem. What I’m going through is more unwelcome than my worst nightmare.