Jacqui's Journey - Introduction

When I was ten years old, and at Intermediate School, I opened my English text book one day to find an excerpt from a book written by Aimee Felix Tschiffely. It was "The Tale of Two Horses" and it told the story of how he had taken two Patagonian ponies off the Argentine pampas, and ridden them 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires north as far as Washington DC. This was 1925, and it had taken him two and a half years. I was inspired and vowed that one day, I would ride the length of New Zealand.

In those days I wanted to be the quickest, the bravest, the most beautiful. My dream changed as I grew older but was always there. And over the years I picked up skills that helped me... my motor sport introduced me to map-reading, I learned to ride and developed a love for the rural life. Orienteering sharpened my bush and mapreading skills, and marriage and motherhood taught me a lot about communication.

At many stages of my life I felt that I would never achieve my dream. And when I decided to sell the home that I'd always loved, that I'd vowed I'd only leave in my coffin, the opportunity was ripe for such a challenge.

Chris, my older son was independent. James was now living in the city with his father. I tentatively told them of my plans, and they, in unison, said "Go for it!"

So I did.

Jacqui Knight,
jacqui@bitbybit.co.nz