A story of survival, love & self discovery in New Zealand Inspirational story of adventure and bravery, of how one woman learned to dig deep and push the boundaries in order to discover what really matters in life. Miriam Lancewood is a young Dutch woman living a primitive, nomadic life in the heart of New Zealand’s mountains with her New Zealand husband Peter Raine. She lives simply in a tent or hut and survives by hunting wild animals, foraging edible plants and using minimal supplies. For the last six years she has lived this way, through all seasons, often cold, hungry and isolated in the bush. She loves her life and feels free, connected to the land and happy. This book tells her story, including the very practical aspects of such a life: her difficulties learning to hunt with a bow and arrow, struggles to create a warm environment in which to live, attempts to cross raging rivers safely and find ways through the rugged mountains and dense bush. This is interwoven with her adjustment to a very slow pace of life, her relationship with her much older husband, her thoughtful observations of the few other people they encounter in this time, and her growing awareness of a strong spiritual connection to the natural world. There’s a lot of drama out there in the wilds and Miriam knows how to spin a good yarn with tension, colour and light, making this a gripping and engaging read. Reminiscent of both adventure writing like Wild and nature writing like H is for Hawk this is perfect for those exploring the idea of living an authentic, real life. ‘My life is free, random and spontaneous. This in itself creates enormous energy and clarity in body and mind.’