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"It doesn't even feel like I'm wearing a pack!"
Last summer, Hannah and James hiked through the United Kingdom, without using any commercial transport, relying only on the power of their legs and the generosity of some local drivers. Hannah also bike-packed through Spain and other parts of Europe.
They came back to New Zealand wiser (a bit) and with amazing memories (a lot). They share with us the lessons they've learnt while adventuring through foreign countries.
Talk to locals about great places to go; some of our best hikes were suggested by others. Traversing the Maumturks was a dinner conversation with some locals looking at an old book. This then turned into the best and most chaotic week of the trip, with lots of character building in the mix. The locals also provided suggestions of trying things like ironbru, haggis and deep-fried pizza. I can't say that we loved all of the food, but we were always open to trying new things.
Yes, you can hitchhike in Europe! Sometimes, with hiking, you can get caught in a pickle, such as storms, blisters, or simply being tired, and hitchhiking was certainly our blessing. Through Scotland and Ireland, James and I did quite a bit of hitchhiking and were greeted by the most LOVELY people, people we now consider friends. We also found out that it’s easier to hitchhike as a couple rather than alone, though, of course, not impossible with some perseverance.The main point here is that when you need to get from A to B quickly, hitchhiking, especially in Europe, is still very much acceptable.
There are some beautiful people in the world if you are open. While hiking with James and also bike-packing alone, we met some of the kindest and generous people. There are a few standout folks who took us in, fed us, let us shower (how good!), and even stay with them. These interactions make a huge difference to both the richness of the overall experience and to personal morale. Hiking can get pretty tiring, but receiving kindness from strangers can make all of that disappear and replace it with wholesome memories.
Yes, learning a language can go a very long way. Whether it’s a greeting, ordering food or asking for directions, being seen to try with another language typically gains you a lot of respect. I found that people are more likely to help you when you’re seen to be trying. Google Translate also becomes your best tool available to you. It's truly amazing the conversations you can have with someone, even if you don’t share their language.
When things go wrong, adversity becomes your best friend. I remember a number of occasions feeling utterly defeated, isolated and with very few options. Actively acknowledging this and talking through our challenges/adversities changed them to opportunities. It often felt like life was pretty lame and hard, but viewing adversity as opportunities helped us continue moving forward and to stay positive. Ultimately, this led to some of our most fond memories.
Adversity became an integral part of our journey and helped Hannah and I solidify our own philosophies for life and how we want to live our lives. So the lesson is to embrace adversity. Hiking a foreign country can sometimes feel impossible, especially with the way we were travelling (no commercial transport and very limited funds) but we always acknowledged adversity as an opportunity for self-reflection, character development and growth.