(2000-2200) Misty Mountains

Are you prepared for Travers Saddle? 500m uphill through speargrass. Cold, chilly wind. Patches of snow where I cross at altitude 1800! Thousand selfies later: descend into misty beech forest. South Island Robin eating the sandflies around me. West Sabine Hut at altitude 700. Sabine river is white. Blue lake is blue. Beautiful beyond comparison. Push onwards to Waiau Pass because of bad weather. Lake Constance. Extremely steep climb on sharp edged loose rocks. Walk on snow at altitude 1900. Steep descend on solid rock. Can barely see the vertical poles. Join a friendly Kiwi camping at Waiau river. He already has a campfire going. Sportiest day I had so far.

Annes Hut. Walking through meadows along the Waiau river. It's like Rohan in Lord of the rings. Workers at a new hut invite me for smoko (tea break). Clouds of sandflies. Grass, grass grass, dead dragonfly. Metzli and Alex from Mexico, Camille from France and Enrico from Italy.

Magdalene Hut. Along the valley. Meadows, swamp, little streams. Officially give up to keep my shoes dry now. Wait out the rain in Boyle Flat hut, then move on. Join DOC-guys cutting firewood.

Hanmer Springs. Tree more hours until State Highway 7. Meet three Americans. All of them hiking ultralight. Melissa is super sporty. Chris is a Tripple Crowner (google it)! Tarek does ultra marathons. It's meeting rockstars for me! Hitch into town: Food, more food, resupply food, shower, chillout.

Hope Kiwi Hut. Went to see a doctor. For days I felt dizzy, exhausted, always close to getting unconscious while walking. Seems like I picked up giardia from the streams. Antibiotics and vitamin supplements shall cure it. Hitch back to trail. Home is where the trail is. Reunion. Enrico the Italian. Melissa, Chris and Tarek the Americans.

Locke Stream Hut. Fog in the morning. Hares and ducks and trouts in the little streams. The Americans are athletes. Want to catch up and reach their hut at 8pm. Big day for me. Normal day for them.

Goat Pass Hut. End up walking with the Americans now. Through the valley. Trail out of sight. River crossing, bush-wacking. Branch cuts open my bagpack. Soft rain. Up another valley. Big rocks to climb, small pebbles in the shoes. Constant river crossing. Soles open, mouth open. Where's this going to lead me?

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