Joe Gaspar (POT2023)

Completed: 3 July 2023

  • Start date: 7 May 2023
  • Age When Completed: 65
  • Direction Walked: North to South
  • Others in Group:

    Jessica Gaspar

General Comments

Heck of an experience. Did not expect the amount of rain that we received. Whilst that made it harder, it certainly made all the more memorable.

Food/Supplies Comments

The old fear of missing out. Packed way too much and have so much left over at the end. Certainly don’t want to see another packet of couscous for 12 months.

Favourite Section

This time around, the three peaks in Cuthbert, Vincent & Cooke. They weren’t as daunting this time around and we’d relaxed by this point. Awesome views.

Highlights

Without a doubt, the many wonderful people we met on the journey and the stories, food and whiskey that we shared.

Personal Reactions

Our resilience was truly tested and we both found that we had a heck of lot more than we thought we had.

Wildlife

The birds were sensational. Their songs were amazing. There were kangaroos galore. Significantly, we did not encounter a snake until our second last day.

Your Best Equipment

Invested in a pair of Arma-Skin socks. I only have to think about walking and my feet start to blister. These socks cost a pretty penny but I went the distance without a blister.

Your Worst Equipment

My rain jacket. Didn’t realize they had ratings, soon found out that a rating of 10 doesn’t cut it when the rain gets heavy.

Advice for Others

Listen to your body. There were days on the track when we felt shattered, so we took the day off. The time spent recovering made the journey so much more enjoyable