Day Four - New Pelion to Kia Ora

Those with an eye for patterns will have noticed I've been doing one post for the day's walking portion and one post for that night's hut. This post offers you a rare combo deal, as I only managed to take one picture of the walk...

My excuse is that it was another rainy day today, meaning the phone stayed safely tucked away in a waterproof pocket. Also, more fog meant we couldn't see shit anyway. To be fair, the rain was forecast to be a downpour and we really only got a constant misty sprinkle, which was preferable.

Today took us up up up to Pelion Pass, where we (apparently) passed through with two grand mountains either side of us - Ossa and Pelion East. I'll take their word on it. Then we descended the other side. A very simple journey, go up the hill and come back down.

Kia Ora Hut is another of the new ones, although, a family of mice with an incredible sense of humour have taken up residence in the communal area heater, rendering it inoperable. These terrors are also responsible for venturing out in the night to gnaw through as many food supplies as they possibly can. We read about their exploits repeatedly in the hut journals that walkers leave entries in. I was not to be bested by a mouse, and took the (genius) measure of wrapping my food dry bag up in my stinky shirt. Smell the oat bars through that you whiskered shits. No, I take that back, mice are sweet, but keep your ickle paws off my snacks.

I can tell you that this measure worked a treat. I should've shared it with The Girls, who were not so fortunate. Poor Hannah was treated to one of the little creatures RUNNING ACROSS HER FACE in the middle of the night, and apparently they lost a day's worth of food to the ferocious nibblers. I'm not sure what's worse, a mouse across your face or the reports in the hut journal of a girl shrieking in the middle of the night "there's a leech in my mouth there's a leech in my mouth!!!!" I think that one's a pretty clear winner actually.

Anyway, this hut was a delight. The short day's walk meant a long time sitting around daydreaming about snacks we wished we had, but it also allowed time for the weather to clear. From our spot by one of the huge windows, a mountain slowly made its way out from the clouds. Cathedral Mountain, absolutely stunning. By its grand example, the rest of the area began to clear, and high hopes began to form for another fine day tomorrow.

This hut was also the hut in which I discovered the 'hut selfie', an act I wish I'd made a daily feature. The process of trying to jump for the self timer at exactly the right moment produced results that were as entertaining as anything I could possibly hope for, being without wifi and reception.

Kind regards,
Velvet Worm xoRead more