this is amazing. te araroa ("the long pathway") is a project to... uh... conceptualize a tramping path running the length of new zealand north-to-south. a few hikers have done either the whole distance or sections of it.

eric martinot has documented his te araroa trip with pretty detailed path notes, photographs and stats.

the whole thing reminds me of the round-mars footrace in kim stanley robinson's mars trilogy. it's something i'd like to do one day, assuming the tongariro northern circuit agrees with me next week...