Damien's mammoth walk for RDA

Damien Day is walking the length of the country to raise money for Waikato Riding for the Disabled.

The decision to walk the length of New Zealand might seem crazy, but for Damien Day it is just another tick on his 'to do' list in life.

Having already cycled the country on his custom made pushbike which has the ability to fold into a suitcase, he decided to walk the Te Araroa track, which runs the length of the country to raise funds for Waikato Riding for the Disabled (RDA).

Damien suffers from dyspraxia, a developmental disorder of the brain causing difficulty with co-ordination and in Damien's case, speech.

He credits RDA for his ability to now speak and function normally.

"I wouldn't be able to do the walk [without them]," he said.

The walk stretches approximately 3000km and will take Damien between 6-7 months. He has already walked from Cape Reinga to Hamilton, which is around 800km.

The determined 27-year-old is not one to live a quiet life and says "normality is overrated".

Damien says the walking helps his condition and without it he suffers from pain in his legs. But it hasn't be an easy journey so far, having conquered 120kph winds along 90 Mile Beach, and four hours of tramping through mud - "the kind when you pick one foot up it's stuck".

He has found himself tramping 4km up stream and swimming for his life when a river crossing turned out to be deeper than expected.

He carries with him a pack weighing between 23kg and 32kg depending on the amount of food he needs between towns, and spends his nights suspended between trees in his hammock.

Damien has been keeping a blog as he goes, using his phone as his only technological device.

Having already biked the length of the country, and now midway through his walk, Damien's next goal is to ride a horse the length of New Zealand.

To donate to Damien's cause, visit http://www.givealittle.co.nz/org/waikato or to follow his journey visit his blog, http://teararoawalkforrdawaikato.blogspot.co.nz/.