Have you ever wondered what the journey is like to get to the start of a long-distance trail when you live on the other side of the world? Wonder no more and let me guide you through my most recent journey.
Hours 0-2: I leave my house and walk 1.5 km to the bus stop. I spend the next 90 minutes touring South Auckland before being dropped off at the international airport.
Hours 2-4: The obligatory wait for the large metal tube that will take me northeast towards my final destination. They spent 15 minutes going through immigration and security and 75 minutes sitting mindlessly and wandering aimlessly through the forced mall.
Hours 4-22: I spent a lovely 18 hours with hundreds of people crammed into a small space with a handful of bathrooms.
Hours 22-25: Another mall (this time in the Middle East) I got stuck in while waiting for another large metal tube to continue my way to the aforementioned northeast.
Hours 25-33: A second human sandwich adventure for 8 more fun-filled hours.
Hours 33-34: A train journey from Geneva, Switzerland, to Annemasse, France. Some quick nonsense about connecting my eSim and meeting the Interweb and all its useful information.
Hours 34-37: Another train and a bus to get to Publier, where I can get some useful things like euros, food and a couple of trekking poles to support my tent for the next 75 days. It is at this point that fatigue begins to take its toll and I realize that my plan to start walking today is not one of the best.
Trail angel to the rescue
Fortunately, in my planning before embarking on this trail, I stumbled upon the Hexatrek Trail Angel Map. And that’s how I was able to text Via, a trail angel located in Evian-les-Bains, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Via responded to my request to pitch a tent in their garden immediately and the relief I felt at not having to start my journey was immense.
I caught the bus and arrived just as Via was walking out the door. In typical, extraordinary trail angel fashion, Via instructed me to make myself at home, enjoy a shower, and relax. With that she walked out the door to windsurf on the lake (what a life!) and I settled into her house.
What is a Hexishtrek?
For those of you who have followed my previous travels, you will be familiar with my thoughts on the purity of following an imaginary line drawn on a map over trails that have existed for many years before said imaginary line was added.
So my love affair with using these lines as, at best, a rough guide continues. In 2022, a French hiker came back from doing the PCT and scratched his chin and said, why not draw a 3,000km line across 47 existing interconnected trails and call it Hexatrek?
The trail largely descends (if you head south as most do) along the eastern border of France before turning right. In this way, it allows the hiker to explore the Alps and the Pyrenees. I’ve always enjoyed a hill or two, so this looked great. The trail is divided into six sections to broaden its appeal to those who don’t want to hike 3,000 km.
I decided to avoid section one because it seemed attractive and boring. Since I haven’t walked it, this is a potentially flawed view, as it can actually be cool and charming.
I get on to section two. Because it is mountainous. I start on the shore of Lake Geneva and slowly climb towards the Alps.
This is where it gets weird. I won’t really follow the Hexatrek very well even at this early stage. I’ll use it as an anchor to continue heading south. The problem is that I get distracted easily. And there are so many interesting side quests to do.
Basically, if I were Frodo, there’s no chance I would have ever dropped the ring. And that’s how I’ll do Hexishtrek.
relaxing night
I organize my backpack and the food I bought in Via’s backyard. I set up the tent and shower while my couscous and TVP work their magic in the cold soaking jar.
Feeling a million dollars, I dig into dinner and take a moment to thank the universe for such a fantastic start to my adventure. Then I go out with my new best friend, Pepite. Pepite is Via’s dog. Pepite doesn’t care that I’m in her garden and just wants to play and be petted. I’m very happy to be able to do it.
Via returned from her lake adventures around 9 pm and we spent the next hour chatting about life. I’m finally ready to claim the sleep I’ll be able to achieve after two days of traveling, let’s see what the jetlag has in store for me tonight.
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