Wanderful New Zealand (eBook)

Experience long-distance hiking first-hand. This is a story about freedom and the challenges of living out of a backpack, liberated from unnecessary baggage. Walking comes natural to us. It is something we do daily without much thought. Yet what happens when it becomes our life's purpose? Are humans even made for walking that much? On a five-month long-distance hike across New Zealand's scenic landscape, Melanie Bertsch, together with her husband Henning, covered a total of 3,000 kilometres. Escape your everyday routine into the great outdoors! Join them on a journey to the other side of the world. Gain insights into the preparations as well as the highs and lows such an adventure entails - including practical, tried-and-tested tips for those who want to follow in their footsteps. Not just another trip to self-discovery but a book about becoming the person we want to be.

Melanie Bertsch was born in 1988 in Esslingen, Germany. After completing her demanding and challenging dentistry degree in Heidelberg, she and her husband Henning decided to take a sabbatical from everyday life. Together they hiked the Appalachian Trail - 2000 kilometres along the East Coast of the United States. There, the proverbial hiking bug bit them and evoked their mutual passion for long-distance hiking. In 2017, a 6-month long-distance hike followed - this time on the Te Araroa Trail across New Zealand. This book captures their adventures experienced on the journey. Today, Melanie works as a dentist and lives with her two children and Henning in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany.