Team A

Stewart Island – Land of the Glowing Skies

In Maori legend, Stewart Island or ‘Rakiura’ is the anchor stone for Maui’s canoe (the South Island). From this canoe, Maui caught and raised the great fish (the North Island), and therefore is a most significant and indispensable part of our country.

No epic journey from Cape Reinga to Bluff would be complete without a visit to New Zealand’s southernmost Island. So today, three lucky World Harmony Run team members had the opportunity to cross the infamous Foveaux Strait to the Land of the Glowing Skies.

At first, the ferry ride was like an exciting adventure ride, children and adults alike shrieking gleefully as the ferry tossed and jostled on the humungous 2 metre waves that thrashed the side of the boat as it hurtled across the choppy Strait.

However, the 'buzz' gradually subdued into a sickening hush as the kind and cheerful staff whipped around the cabin swapping new sickbags for old and offering cool damp cloths and words of comfort. The hour-long ferry ride, which can only be described as 'hellish', finally came to an end. The team had arrived in Stewart Island, albeit shadows of their former selves.

First stop was a café to recuperate with a cup of ginger tea and a chat with the friendly owner. Stewart Island – which has a population of about 400 – is just awaking from its winter-long hibernation and is starting to see the trickle of incoming tourists which will eventually flood the island during the summer. Many shops and businesses are beginning to open up just like the native plants which are in blossom all around on this lush island.

Like many small communities, Stewart Island manifests harmony more profoundly than bigger cities. In the words of one local, “everyone helps each other out.” But there are some outstanding people who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve the community.

One of these is Margaret Hopkins, who the Team visited first to offer the World Harmony Run Torch-Bearer award. Margaret has been serving on just about every council and committee for the thirty years that she has been an Islander and is constantly offering her time, energy and expertise for the betterment of the community.

After a touching ceremony Margaret pointed us in the direction of our next Torch-Bearer recipient, Bruce Ford.

In his many years on the Island, Bruce has been involved in numerous community projects and is a council member. His latest 'baby', as he calls it, is saving the school pool from the same fate as most school swimming pools around New Zealand – destruction. Bruce has raised sufficient funds and support to restore the pool so that the children can learn to swim – a valuable skill when you live on an island.

Bruce and Sue were extremely grateful for the encouragement they received from the World Harmony Run. Just two days ago their boat and livelihood ‘The Seabuzz’ sank inexplicably, so our visit today was somewhat 'a shot in the arm'.

After gifts and photos, Bruce offered to take us on a tour around the Island, which we readily accepted.

On the hour-long guided tour we travelled all 20 km of road and visited numerous bays, beaches and lookout points. Stewart Island is probably the only place in New Zealand where you will see road signs warning drivers of Kiwis.

The locals boast that they often wake to the morning squawk of this timid and highly endangered national icon. The island is densely covered in native forest and all-where is heard native birdsong, the lapping of waves in the quiet bays or the roaring ocean on more rugged coastlines. A veritable treasure chest of indigenous and endangered flora and fauna, Stewart Island is a reminder of what pre-European New Zealand must have been like.

The three World Harmony runners literally had their breath taken away by the natural beauty, serenity and purity that enveloped them on their short stay.

Our extremely grateful team reluctantly waved goodbye to Bruce and Sue. With their hearts full, we ventured towards the ‘Foveaux Express’ encouraged by numerous accounts of the boat ride being much smoother sailing than the way over. True to word, we made our way safely and uneventfully back over the Strait, aided in part by every anti-seasick measure known to man.

With gratitude, joy and stories eager to be shared, our team happily continued on the journey to Dunedin…

– Kate Carvalho

Team B

Today’s running route for our team took us through typical rolling sheep country.

After running, we continued driving through the Catlins: a wilderness territory of New Zealand’s South Island.

The landscape here features a fossil forest – driftwood littered on the wet sand, imposing scrub and the darkened forest floor. The land has no interest in its own attractiveness, but beauty is there in the unspeakable harmony of the muddied waters and roughcast land.

We visited a local craft shop, ran around on the beach and patted the goat at a local organic café. We liked the trees, and the beaches are cool. See you again Catlins.

– Susan Marshall

Team C

If we were at the mercy of the rain and wind gods during our epic run from Te Anau to Invercargill the previous day, then today we definitely had the blessings of the sun god. Our run from Invercargill to Dunedin could not have been more different from the one 24 hours before. Bright blue skies and a merry sun greeted us as we said goodbye to our hosts at The Coachmans Motor Lodge and prepared for another long day on the road.

Just 3 days to go before the team reaches its destination in Christchurch and spirits are high. The feeling of achievement and excitement from traversing over 3500 kms of this glorious country and meeting so many wonderful people is not lost on any member of the team. There seems to be a lot more recognition from everyday people on the run who now seem to be supporting the runners all the more with their honks and waves on the road.

Simon approached us as we paid a flying visit to McLennan Falls...

Michael Bashford had heard about the Run from his friend who had emailed him details about the journey...

Typical New Zealand sights greeted us for the first section of our journey this morning. The views felt like they were right out of a picture book. Rolling hills for as far as the eye could see, dotted by the classic New Zealand icon, the sheep.

En route our navigator located a possible stop for the team, one that could potentially invigorate the runners and offer us another fun experience for the day. He spotted the name of a waterfall called 'Niagara Falls' on our route map. We decided to check out this place, for the word ‘Niagara Falls’ brings about only one thought to mind.

After the adventure – or more like misadventure – at the falls, it was back to business as usual for the team. Our run today took us to some even more scenic parts of the country than ever before, starting from the famous forested area simply called, 'The Catlins'.

Acres and acres of vast forestland that eventually leads to the ocean. Speaking of ocean, we also stopped at Florence Hill lookout where we were treated to a panoramic view of the deep blue ocean with green hills and white sheep in the foreground – real visual indulgence.

Finally as the day drew to an end, so did our allocated mileage.

Wearily we drove into our accommodation for the night with one thought on our minds – FOOD! Luckily Barbara, who lives in Dunedin, was kind enough to cook a fabulous dinner for the whole team complete with lasagne and pasta, along with hot potato chips and 3 different salads. This was washed down with some orange juice and polished off with delicious cake. Thank you Barbara.

Timaru, here we come!

– Muslim Badami

Team D

Today we left Coachman’s Inn at Invercargill and began our running almost 90 kilometres out of town. We were held up by dairy cows wandering the road.

They seemed used to plodding along the highway, parting every now and then for a passing car.

Starting our running in Owaka, Tom found some novel ways to cross dangerous bridges, jumping through blackberry bushes and cutting through paddocks to continue the journey.

Tim tackled a monster of a hill before we glimpsed the ocean first at Taieri Mouth. Light offshore winds fanned the ocean, creating a glassy surface of smooth liquid. We reached Dunedin and the call of the ocean got the better of us and we jumped in. However, the mysterious mist covering the bay with a cloudy blanket, belied the coldness of the ocean.

Our swim only lasted a minute before we investigated the local jetty.

– Grahak Cunningham

Team Members:
Muslim Badami (India), Erika Pongracz, Gabor Horvath (both Hungary), Lubos Svec (Czech Republic), Anubha Baird, Nina Diaz, Grahak Cunningham, Nigel Webber, Prachar Stegemann, Simahin Pierce (Australia), Rupashri Brown, Suradhuni Anderson, Tania Williams, Kate Carvalho, Susan Marshall, Tom McGuire, Tim Cranfield, Andrew Davies (all New Zealand)

Gallery: See more images!