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41.5km, 10 hours.
It felt like the day to have a long day. There were a few hut options today one at 10km, one at 20km, one at 30km and a campsite at 40km. It had been a while since we had a big solid day so we all sort of knew where this was heading.
After a very interrupted nights sleep in the hut, thanks to someone getting up to go toilet in the middle of the night and then the smoke alarm going off at 330am. No one knew what it was or were more in a sleep daze thinking it was someone's alarm so i quickly got up and out into the main part of the hut to try turn it off. I stood up on the table and it just stopped automatically and i went back to bed. The part i realized this morning was that I was half a sleep i didn't even check if there was a fire or any smoke. I just wanted it to stop.
I didn't want to get up today and luckily because the hut was so busy it was better to just stay in bed until everyone had finished breakfast and had left. (That was only 7am). I was in such a bad mood this morning for no reason just couldn't get my things packed. Ivan was the same so we were the last to leave at 8:15am.
The first 10 kilometers were so ridiculous it was actually entertaining. Every single tree that could fall down had fallen down on the track and my first 3 hours were spent climbing over huge trunks, getting scrapes, bush bashing and getting stuck in mud and climbing under and over about a thousand trees. I quote Ivan at the half way point 'c'mon this wasn't even fun the first time'.
Finally we made it out into the clearing/open valley and what a beautiful scene. It was a valley of huge golden tussocks blowing in the howling wind and lakes dotted down through the valley.
Normally Ivan would be miles ahead by now but he stayed with me for the first hut to try put me in a good mood and it actually worked. It started getting cold, windy and spitting rain so while I'm putting my rain jacket on what does Ivan get out, his opshop business shirt from the other night to put on. The two local trout fishermen who has hiked in certainly gave him some perplexed looks. I just said 'hes French- don't ask'.
The next 12km to the next hut was through the valley so it was pretty easy going. We were all back walking on our own. It was another favourite landscape day for me and one of those days again where the right songs come on at the right time to make you stop and just take everything in.
Ahead down the valley it looked like rain so I quickly stopped for lunch before packing up and continuing. So engrossed in the wonderment of the mountains I tripped and hit the top of my foot again and in a second of severe pain and trying to save my foot from breaking any more I fell and let my knee take the hit. Split it open and grazed my leg. Looking at my good cut and the blood I didn't have the energy to care but I thought, is this going to end up being the time I need to give myself dental floss stitches...
I continued walking, bleeding, it'll dry up eventually I thought and reached the next hut. I showed Conny and David to David's reaction being 'should we stitch it up with dental tape'. I said I thought that but I think we're fine but he also said using dental tape as stitches is a terrible idea. It might be but I'd still do it if it came to it.
We decided to press on to Carey's hut which was a lovely stroll above the river and valley on an easy 4wd track. It almost feels like cheating! It follows the river and then a sharp left turn leads you to the end of Mavora Lake. It was beautiful standing on the hill looking over the lake. There were rain showers coming over the mountains too which gave it a cool feel. I arrive at the hut and who should be waving me in... Andrew our Canadian friend. We last saw him in Tekapo so it was lovely getting to see him again. He greeted me with a big hug which was really lovely. I sat at the table and I wish I was joking, devoured nearly 3/4 of my jar of peanut butter that I put peanut m&ms in, while I caught up on Andrews last 2 weeks.
I've lost the hiker hunger now and have hit a sweet phase. All I want is chocolate and peanut butter and stupidly me trying to be healthy in my Queenstown resupply, I purposely didn't buy a block of chocolate and this has been one of my greatest TA mistakes. I can't even get chocolate for five days.
We all knew at this hut we still had it in us to keep walking plus it was only 4pm. Another 10km is doable on a road so off we went. It wàs stunning walking alongside the lake except I felt like I was in a saunA. It was hot and sunny but cold squalls of showers and wind gusts would come through and then back to hot again. At one stage the mountains on my left had sun and blue sky while over the lake the mountains it was rain. I was walking the boundary.
I hit the 38km mark and I remember how I felt at this point when Conny and I did our big 45km day over Waiau pass. It was the same feeling. My body starts to feel tired but mentally I could go and go. I think 38km is my sweet point for a good long day.
Except I had to continue on. The last few kms were right on the lake shore in the soft pebbles so no easy walk to end the day. We reach the campsite to find Ivan waiting for us, excited to tell us that if we had seen lord of the rings, this exact location by the lake was where someone leaves or a ring is taken. Haven't seen it so not sure.
It's blowing a gale where we are camping and absolutely freezing. We've all set up tents in amongst a patch of trees for protection.
We all sat and cooked our dinner and it's sad to say that all 4 of us are having a food nightmare. Conny chose the most disgusting dehydrated meal and spent the evening complaining and trying to force it down like I kid not impressed with dinner. Ivan has finally admitted to being over his cold soaked couscous tuna chip wrap ('wrapalicious'), David was still hungry after his dehy meal but will run out of food so can't eat anything more and then me who decided to try a quick and easy risotto pack thinking it would be quick. When has risotto ever been quick. So i was made fun at for having to boil risotto for forever and use up all my gas. Despite now probably not going to have enough gas to last me this section my mushroom risotto was actually delicious!
My fingers are like ice as i type this on my phone out of my sleeping bag. I'm currently wearing: thermal tops and bottoms, tights over my thermals, my Macpac fleece, my down jacket, buff over my neck and head and my beanie. Thank heavens for a warm mattress and down quilt. (Spending over a grand on these two items has been my best investment! Thank you Enlightened Equipment and Thermarest!). Time to put my thermal gloves on and try sleep to the sound of a gale.
Ren x
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