“Bewildered” is available in bookshops throughout Australia and New Zealand, or order a signed and personalised copy direct, via eBay. Orders from outside of Australia/NZ can be made through Book Depository.
What would move you to ditch your life and take off into the wild for five months? For Laura Waters, it took the implosion of a toxic relationship and a crippling bout of anxiety. Armed with maps, a compass and her life in a bag on her back, she set out to walk the untamed landscapes of the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand, 3000 kilometres of raw, wild, mountainous trail winding from the top of the North Island to the frosty tip of the South Island. But when her walking partner dropped out on the second day, she was faced with a choice: abandon the journey, or face her fears and continue on alone? She chose to walk on.
For five months, Laura battled not only treacherous terrain and elements, but also the demons of self-doubt and anxiety. As the kilometres fell behind her, nature did its work, stripping away her identity and guiding her towards a new way of being. At the end of Te Araroa, it was the hard-earned insights into the power of nature, emotional wellbeing and fulfilling relationships – with others as well as with herself – that were Laura’s greatest accomplishments. She emerged ‘rewilded’, and it transformed her life.
REVIEWS
ABC News & Radio National. Read and listen…
Geographical UK. “Both in a physical and psychological sense, she is vulnerable, yet willingly so, and that sense of agency provides a growing sense of confidence and empowerment that she captures in remarkably vivid language…” Read the full review
Lotsofreshair: “…an achingly honest, personal account of the transformative power of spending time walking in wild places.” more..
Travel Bug Within: “A no holds barred hiking story…It will resonate with anyone who questions where they’re currently at in life.” more…
Travel Boating Lifestyle: “Bewildered is not just for hikers, it is for humans who relish life as it should be lived: deliciously raw and unplugged.” more…
Eric Philips (polar explorer): “I like books that in the same page make me choke up and laugh out loud. Bewildered does that.”
Books + Publishing: “Nature enthusiasts and long-distance hikers alike will thoroughly enjoy Bewildered”
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