I thought hiking the Milford Track would be about the views—those impossible fjords, the kind of green that looks fake in photos. But what I remember most is the sound of rain on my hood, the ache in my legs, and how heavy my pack felt after the first day. Nobody talks about the quiet: the way you start counting your own footsteps, or how the fog makes you feel like you’re the last person on earth. I kept thinking I’d have some big realization out there. Instead, I just kept moving, soaked and small, realizing that sometimes the only thing you actually bring home is the version of yourself that finished the walk. #Travel #TravelUnfiltered #HikingTruths