Meet our staff: Erica Sheen

Raised in a tropical country, Philippines, Erica always had a keen interest in animals, nature, and exploring new places. When she was younger, she dreamed of turning their house into a zoo because she loved animals that much. She’s always been fascinated by the world around her and, perhaps more so, by how little she actually knows about it. That curiosity keeps her eager to learn, experience new things, and understand as much as she can. She’s the kind of person who can get excited over the smallest discoveries and will probably ask a hundred questions along the way.

Erica Sheen - Marketing and Administration Support

Tell us about your hometown?

I’m from Dumaguete City, a small coastal city in the Philippines that sits between the sea and the mountains. It’s known for being a university town, so there’s always a good mix of students, locals, travellers, and people who came for a short visit and somehow never left. It’s a pretty laid-back place, and I think that’s what I love most about it. Life moves a little slower here, people know each other, food is a big part of every gathering, and there’s always someone telling you to eat more even when you’re already full.

What do you do when you're not working or hiking?

I’m usually looking for my next excuse to go somewhere. I love travelling, trying new restaurants and cafés, listening to music, taking photos, and spending time with my family and friends. I’m also very easily convinced to go on a spontaneous road trip, although I will probably spend the entire drive deciding where we should eat. I’m also a big believer in doing absolutely nothing sometimes. Give me a comfortable bed, good music, a good show, and nowhere I need to be, and I’m perfectly happy.

What piece of gear can you not live without on the trail?

This might be a bit of a cheat, but sleep. I know it’s not exactly something you can put in your backpack, but I’ve learned the hard way that it is probably the most important thing I can bring with me. I once went hiking with about two hours of sleep thinking I could just push through it. Turns out my body had other plans, and I ended up collapsing halfway through the hike. Not my proudest hiking moment, but definitely a memorable lesson! So these days, I’ll happily sacrifice a little preparation or a few extra things in my bag for a proper night’s sleep.

How do you stay motivated on a long day on the trail?

I break it down into little milestones. I don't like thinking, “We still have six hours to go.” That sounds terrible. Instead, I think, “Let's get to that viewpoint.” Then, “Let's get to lunch.” Then, “Let's make it to the next section.” And snacks definitely help.

But I also find that the people you're hiking with make a huge difference. A long day feels much shorter when you're sharing stories, laughing, taking ridiculous photos, or collectively wondering why you agreed to walk up that particular hill.

Do you have a favourite trail snack or meal?

Puto with tsokolate and peanut butter, for sure! The infamous 10-5-5 painitan combo of Dumaguete. Puto is a steamed sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf, similar to the sticky rice in Thailand’s mango sticky rice, but ours is best paired with hot cocoa and peanut butter. On an extremely tiring day, maybe a side of pancit with lime, too. It’s definitely on the heavier side for a trail snack, but we Filipinos really do love our rice!

As a guide, what's your top tip for someone new to hiking in New Zealand?

Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. You might get rained on, your legs might hurt, the weather might change, and the climb might be longer than you expected. That’s all part of it. You don't have to love every single minute of a hike to have an amazing experience overall.

What's one place you haven't hiked yet but would love to explore?

Honestly, New Zealand. I’m from the Philippines, and I’m still hoping and praying that my first international trip will be to New Zealand.  Coming from the Philippines, I'm used to tropical landscapes, warm weather, lush greenery, beaches, and mountains that feel very alive and dense. So I’m fascinated by the idea of being somewhere with huge alpine landscapes, colder air, open valleys, and mountains that look almost unreal.

Funny enough, working with New Zealand hiking trips and constantly looking at the trails, mountains, lakes, and landscapes through videos has made me realise just how incredible the country is. So I’m really hoping that one day, I’ll go from “I’ve seen this trail on my screen a hundred times” to “I’m actually standing here.” And that would be pretty special.