tramping new zealand

I came to the conclusion that it had been a week since my previous rest day at Christmas Village Hut, and I like the feel of this area.

Oh, and my body, particularly my knee, needs some respite.

Time for a break, before I break.

No real hurry now Doughboy and the Southern Circuit are out of the picture.

I’ve had three solid weeks tramping since I left Tuatapere for the South Coast Track, 12 days, then had a few days off, now another 11 days. With all the weight of my food, and the full-body workout nature of the track, a lot of arm work is involved, overall exhaustion has finally set in.

Early on I wandered the length of the beach, albeit without my pack. Plenty of plastic was evident, some well up the beach and in poor condition that will be hard to collect. Many early morning deer tracks in the sand at the southern end of the beach.

The full moon was setting into the sea. Another magnificent natural spectacle.

I spent a considerable effort with firewood collection, then sawing and splitting took some time.

Read the hunters’ magazines about killing herbivores. Drank coffee. Sorted my food. Washed the windows.

Went down to the beach again, and once again returned with more lengths of firewood.

It was just one of those days.

If I’d had another battery I might have listened to the radio, but, as mentioned, somehow my AA spare batteries were omitted from my luggage.

Another walk for the complete length of the beach. More firewood and sawing it up with the sharp saw.

Just the kind of day I dreamt of as a kid. On my own deserted island.