I have been in Aotearoa for over 12 months now. My main mode of getting to know this incredible place is by walking. Walking the streets, the beaches and the volcanic cores that sprinkle throughout the country. Walking helps me create a map of where I am. By exploring on foot I can take in the building blocks of a town, but also connect landmarks, iconic buildings and natural features to one another. I like to think it makes it less likely that I will get lost, but that is not always the case.
In Taࠡmaki Makaurau Auckland am lucky enough to live in a suburb by the bay. Each day, weather permitting, I get to look out to Rangitoto Island. Part of my daily routine is to walk the beaches and cliff tops in the area. I have loved to see how the tides change the landscape. Sometimes the shoreline is almost non-existent and other times the ocean leaves treasure across the wide stretch of shoreline.
Through my daily walks I have come to learn what shells and floatsam are to be found on what beach. The shells across Aotearoa astound me. I still have a child-like sense of wonder upon the discovery of a particular stand out specimen. Unfortunately this sometimes means racing to pick up a feather or
