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16.6km 8.5 hours
It was short kilometres today but not short on elevation. I had 1644m in elevation to climb over three summits. Suprisingly my legs weren't hurting it was just so so humid. I've never sweated more on a hike before, more than any other time of the TA. Thankfully there wasn't any sun today and the rain held off so it was a warm humid overcast day. Almost a very monochrome day just grey skies and Golden brown mountains because other than yellow dandelions there wasn't much colour at all but that just made it more interesting.
I climbed up to Martha's Saddle first up in the morn in just under 2 hours. Looking down from the saddle you could see the narrow dirt track go down the ridge, disappear in the valleys and then you could see it reappear on the mountains ahead. You don't want to look but you're also intrigued and amazed at what you've got to hike.
I walked down the ridgeline with a few good drops off the side. I heard the sound of rain and I looked over and noticed part of the hill sliding down on the opposite side of the valley to where I was.
I was taking my time today moreso than any other day because I'd been told that these would be our last few days in the mountain ranges on trail and I wanted to savour it. This may sound incredibly nerdy but I'm so into looking at mountains. I'm just finding them so fascinating staring at all the ridged and valleys, looking at them and then coming up with the best route to the top in my head. I think I sat down half a dozen times today purely just to wonder looking up at them.
Walking down the ridge today and the mountains surrounding me I just felt so small. Because I was walking on my own it had more of an affect. It was just me and I loved it! I can't really accurately describe the feeling, a feeling of being so insignificant and at the mercy of nature and then it's up to you to get out of there.
I reached Highland Creek Hut and stopped for a snack - coconut rough chocolate pieces crumbled up into a peanut butter jar topped with a coconut, almond, chia seed mix. Heaven!
I had also decided not to strap my foot this morning to see how it would go. There were a few points climbing up that I felt it, so by the time I got to the hut I decided to tape it as the physio had told me.
I
was reluctant to move on from the hut mainly because I could see the track go vertically up the side of a ridge and I knew that this was only part of the first climb I had. I had 10km of this ahead of me. Eek.
Not once on this trail have I gotten to a point of not wanting to go on or to give up. This was no different, I simply changed my mindset and thought there is absolutely no rush, I can take as long as I like to get there and as it was only 10kms I literally had all afternoon to do it.
Within 5 minutes of climbing I was dripping wet with sweat. It was just pouring down off my face, ugh the humidity. I passed a few NoBo's (north bound hikers) and had a chat with them. There was a mutual hating of life between us because of their climb up also. All we could say was thankgoodness it wasn't a sunny day. I honestly think I would have melted if there wasn't cloud. I had already drank close to 4 litres of water by lunch time. I just fill up my bottles from every stream I pass. I'm pretty willy nilly now on purifying it too, I can't be bothered and take the risk. At this stage even algae growing or cloudy sediment doesn't even trigger me to purify, what is now is if I notice sheep or cows around.
I continued climbing ridgeline after ridgeline and being so blown away by being able to look back and see where I'd come from. I got to a point about 1pm where I just had to stop and eat. My shirt was off trying to dry and rain jacket on. It's amazing how cold you get so quickly when you take your pack off and are left sitting in a sweaty drenched shirt. I was so excited for lunch now being my cheese & crackers and avo wrap. Sitting on the ridge soaking in the views. Another girl heading NOBO appeared on the path just below me struggling with the uphill. She asked if I'd mind if she could stop and join me for a break. Of course! I offered Harvie a chuppa chup (my new fav thing to carry for a quick sugar hit on the uphills). Harvie happened to be from Brisbane and we discussed being able to cope with lots of things but the NZ directly vertical ascents were something else.
Knowing I still had another mountain to climb, I packed up again and headed down the steep descent which felt so cruel because I could see the track over the hill at eye level so I knew this descent meant an immediate ascent once I reached the beech tree line. Filling up in the stream once again and downing another litre of water I proceeded the final up hill climb. This time it seemed so much easier or just mentally when you know you're now over half way things seem easier. I was also enjoying the climb, enjoying being absolutely wrecked but still with energy to go on. I was a little elated to reach the final marker pole at the highest point. I put music on for the last 3km down hill and just sang. I felt so free. It was me hiking down along a ridge with 360 degree views around and only me. I could see the hut in the distance but I knew it was one of those times where the hut looks like it's just there but it takes forever to get there. Instead I just took my time and valued every minute, and would stop more often to just look down at the valleys and smile at what I was looking at.
A steep descent got me to a farm track and would you believe the one day where there was no river crossings or places to end up with with feet, the track dipped down into a creek. Of course I had to get shoes wet 500m from the hut.
I got to the hut after 8 hours and was lucky to get the last bed in the hut. We're now crossing over with the NoBo's so huts are a lot more busier.
When I walked into the hut, I saw a familiar face with the biggest grin smiling at me. Zabina! The German lady, Tim saved on Waiau Pass. She was so excited to see me and said when she saw Conny she wondered where I would be. I hadn't seen Zabina since I left her once we got over Waiau Pass. I had a good chat to her and about her time on the trail and I also remembered being told that she had helped sew Tims pants with dental floss a day after Waiau Pass, except she accidentally sewed the pants inside out and so apparently you could see all the dental floss stitching and he had a long dental floss tail. According to Zabina, that was better seeing that then Tim's white bum.
It was the most I'd heard Zabina speak and she spoke about how she doesn't like hiking on her own or having to end up camping on her own so she has been sticking to where the huts are so there are people around to talk to. Then she said there is one bed next to her I can have with a smile. Again I'm continually learning about myself and being taught lessons on the trail about the impact (positive and negative) you can have on someone by one simple encounter. I also should have learnt by now that me thinking I'll never see someone again and using that as an excuse for whether I talk to someone or not, is such a cop out because I always run into people all around the world.
It was really nice in the hut chatting over dinner with Laura, Conny, David & Ivan after having a day without them. I can only describe the last few weeks as being like we are on a never ending school camp and having so much fun. Coincidentally David and Conny also said it's like being on a school ski trip. I'd forgot in passing I'd offered both Ivan and David a 5 minute shoulder massage as a way of making up for being mean at some point. Of course tonight is when Ivan wants it prefacing it with a 'im a little sweaty'.
We're all trying to learn different goodnight sayings in Austrian German and French to say to each other. It's getting more complex by the day.
Gud Nite und Sclaft Gud (good night & sleep good)
Bonne noite (good night) and tonight I added Bonne noite petit agneau (good night little lamb) and said it to Ivan. The french guy sleeping alongside us also lost it in fits of laughter not believing at what he had just heard. There was a few I love you's said in there too amongst everyone. We are also having revenge fights between us and trying to sneak the worst photos of each other and send them in the group chat. Man I am going to be so sad to say goodbye to these kids. It's like a circus every single evening.
What I also discovered by accident that filled in a good hour of discussion tonight was that the Austrians and Germans all sleep with their own doona back home. Even when you're with a partner or married. They each have their own doona in a shared bed. Laura, Ivan and I minds were blown! Yet they couldn't understand why we would use a bottom and a top sheet.
We're all lying in bed now 6 in a row. I've got Zabina snoring and continuously tossing on my right, Laura sound asleep on my left, the french guy with his eye mask on snoring, the Maurice on the end snoring as loud as anything. Then the three who are sleeping on their air mattresses inside on the ground are making all sorts of noises. Ivan sits up to catch my attention to silently signal his frustration with all the snorers and sounds and we both lose it and try not to laugh. The weird thing is, it's been 43 nights since I've been in a room alone or just sleep in a bed by myself and yet not once have I missed it. Perhaps because Ive just never thought about it or maybe because this is just life now... I must say though when I have to sleep in my tent it is absolute heaven.
Ren X
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