JOURNEY OF RECOVERY
The once-in-a-lifetime trek that is the Larapinta Trail.
THE DAY I HEAD TO HOSPITAL for major knee surgery, I set myself a challenge: to hike the Larapinta Trail within six months of being stitched up. Trekking is one of my greatest pleasures – reconnecting with nature, feeling the full force of the weather, experiencing monumental highs and (at times) monumental lows. There’s nothing quite like it. I’ve travelled the globe to get my next outdoor rush: lacing up my first hiking boots at Cradle Mountain when I was six; climbing, breathless, to Everest Base Camp many years later; exploring New Zealand’s Milford Sound multiple times. But for some reason the Larapinta, perhaps Australia’s most classic outback trail, had eluded me. At an age now where I prefer my luggage to have wheels, the idea of walking 223 kilometres from Alice Springs in the east to Mount Sonder in the west, pitching my own tent along the way, probably had something to do with my early lack of Larapinta commitment. But since travel outfitter World Expeditions eliminated all potential discomforts in 2015, I really had no post-op excuse. There are a hardy few who walk the Larapinta end-to-end, sleeping in rustic campsites that dot the 12 sections of the trail, carrying oversized backpacks laden with tents and cooking equipment. Some of the weight is lifted thanks to the fact there are drop boxes at each site, allowing you to leave food along the route pre-trek, rather than packing supplies to sustain your entire 12-plus days away. Still, it’s a challenge that many are not physically or mentally prepared for, which is why World Expeditions’ offer to take on most of the hard work is so appealing. The Australian adventure travel company pioneered trekking in this part of