Wollongong bar manager Josh Storey has completed a non-stop 204-kilometre walk to finish a four-month journey across New Zealand, raising funds for men's mental health charity Talk2MeBro. The 125-day trek covered most of the length of the South Island, ending with a gruelling final push to Bluff.
Storey, who documented his journey on Instagram, covered the remaining distance in one go, taking 329,614 steps and only stopping for food and bathroom breaks. He arrived alone in darkness, in pain but elated at achieving what he called an 'impossible physical feat'.
The second day of the walk was the hardest, he said, as he adjusted to a heavy backpack and faced a seemingly endless beach. But after two weeks, he found a rhythm and began to enjoy the experience, including the spectacular scenery and the people he met along the way.
Storey said the walk was about pushing mental health barriers and inspiring others. 'It was about getting myself more confident and understanding that I can accomplish anything, but also I was trying to inspire someone to get out of the bed for the day,' he said.
He plans to return to Wollongong and work, but is already considering a bigger challenge in a couple of years. 'My life is always chaotic so there's never a normal life for me,' he said.
