tramping new zealand

At last!! Some sunlight.

After the last two days of effort, time to take a break!!

Task for the day: Have a shave.

So drinking coffee in the sun with B. He had popped over Three Tarn Pass yesterday, managed to tweak his knee and also had a whole lot of not much on his agenda for the day.

He was able to provide info on the windfall negotiations that would be required.

And for the second time in 24 hours I was carrying the missing map for getting out via Downie Hut and Matakitaki, now that B’s knee was protesting at the thought of David Saddle and Moss Pass.

Also, I had plenty of coffee left, just opened my second packet, and he had excess fuel. That worked.

Firewood was gathered.

Stories swapped.

Oh, and my face no longer resembles the dirty Santa Claus.

Handy to stretch out on the plastic-coated mattress on a bunk. I started the day with a beanie, hoody, soft-cell jacket, etc, and now mid-afternoon, after an intense period with a blunt axe and wonky, rusted saw it’s time to rest my eyes for a while.

The temperature rise has meant my clothes have been divested to some degree.

No sandflies or wasps here. Just occasional large fly, or stray robin in one instance coming in for a look, and then being unable to get out.

Sun on my face. Plenty of wood chopped.

No boots on my feet during the day. A good clean up.

Just what was required.