Meet our Staff: Eva Starostka

Get the low down on the Hiking New Zealand and Active Earth Adventures team. Today we asked Eva Starostka what she gets up to when she is not working and/or hiking.

Eva Starostka - Marketing and Administration Assistant

Home town?

Hmmmm….long story, here’s the short version.

I was born in a little town in the Silesia Province of Poland. After exploring the territory for 9 months, my parents decided to move to Germany. I can only remember the beautiful but super flat area of Emsland (the region on the Ems River in Western Lower Saxony) where I spent most of my childhood.

For my studies, International Tourism Management, I decided to move to the Netherlands and studied in the historic city of Leeuwarden. I essentially moved from one incredibly flat region to another – great for cycling if the wind doesn’t push you backwards.

After three years of study about the business behind adventure, I needed an adventure of my own! My university has a campus in South Africa so I decided to study there for six months. Finally, a place with mountains, wild animals, beaches and a totally different culture. After living in a game reserve surrounded by the BIG 5 (elephants, rhinos, buffalo, lions and leopards) and exploring the mountains in my ‘backyard’ I knew my internship had to be special.

I wasn’t thinking Rangiora, New Zealand would become my home town when I started my internship at Hiking New Zealand in early 2014. There is just too much to explore in this glorious country I now call home.

HOME is where your HEART is!

What do you do when you are not working or hiking?

When I am not working or hiking I’m probably in the gym trying to lift some weights, push some cars, flip tires and carry barrels around. It sounds like I am a machine - I am not!

I also love to organise adventures with my friends, go running, climbing (just started) or just relaxing at the beach (my new backyard). 

Favourite coffee haunt?

Since I am not really a coffee drinker (I prefer tea) and probably the worst coffee maker in the office – I don’t really mind where I get my coffee from. The main point is that it wakes me up, so why not have a coffee somewhere on the top of the mountain before heading down?

Favourite hiking trip?

Peak Bagger: Nelson Lakes National Park and Kahurangi National Park

Have you done it? 

No I haven’t, but hope I will very shortly. I did the Coast & Canyons custom trip, which had a 2-day hike in the Kahurangi National Park. We climbed up Gordon’s Pyramid (1489m) and I really enjoyed every single second of the hike.

Why choose this trip?

I do like the fact that the Peak Bagger is a bit more challenging (than our other kiwi-style hiking trips) and that it is mainly in the mountains. I have always planned to go to Nelson Lakes National Park but somehow it never worked out. And honestly, who isn’t curious about exploring another Lord of the Rings location.

Have fun no matter what happens…hiking into Green Lake hut on the Secret South custom tour.

Anything special about your favourite trip?

The whole trip in my eyes is special! It will take you to really remote places (off the beaten track) with the promise of unforgettable views. The physical challenge appeals to me and that sense of achievement when you reach the summit and you forget the effort it took to get there.