The Te Paki sand dunes, an unexpected stretch of desert environment along the furthest north coast of New Zealand, guard the ocean like a science fiction scene.
For a few dollars, travelers can rent an old, styrafoam boogie board and attempt to surf from the summits of these monstrous hills.
But even the shortest dune takes 30 minutes or more to climb. My travel companion and I needed to rest after each slide down, knowing the hike back up would be a trip of seemingly endless limit.
“Throwim way leg,” I would tell her, as we dug our toes into the sand.
“In New Guinea Pidgin, throwim way leg means to go on a journey. It describes the action of thrusting out your leg to take the first step of what can be a long march.” – Tim Flannery, Throwim Way Leg: Tree-Kangaroos, Possums, and Penis Gourds- On the Track of Unknown Mammals in Wildest New Guinea.
Whether you’re tramping up a 100 meter mountain of sand or stepping off the airplane in a foreign country, this is my good luck wish for you.
Throwim way leg- may you reach the destination, never under-appreciating the challenge of your trek.
Photo Credit: Toemail
