By Jenny Suo
A man travelling the length of the Waikato River on a lilo is nearing the end of his 12-day journey.
Jimi Hunt has followed the river from Lake Taupo to Port Waikato, aiming to help sufferers of depression.
Mr Hunt chose a lilo because he wanted to grab attention – and now he’s been through ten of the inflatables, tackling dangerous waters like the full James Rapids.
It's not the most efficient way of travelling 425 kilometres down a river, and Mr Hunt says “chafing in the personal areas” means it isn’t the most enjoyable either.
However, he says it’s worth it for the cause – he wants to raise $20,000 for counselling organisation Lifeline.
“When I had depression, I felt like I was the only person who had it,” he says.
“Doing this trip has just made me realise that it affects most New Zealanders... that’s just been eye-opening.”
Mr Hunt says the response to his journey has been “overwhelming”, from people’s hospitality on the way to the general well-wishers and Facebook fans he’s accumulated.
For anyone keen on buying the same lilo - $7.99 from The Warehouse – there’s one feature Mr Hunt wasn’t expecting; its 18 pockets, which have been surprisingly handy during the trip.
“I didn’t really know [why the lilo had pockets] until it turned out that when I lie on it, my go pro fits in it, my phone fits in it, and you can even put oranges in it,” Mr Hunt says.
3 News