27 February 2007

A Ridge Too Far...

The Mavora Walkway

Day 3 page 4 Taipo to Boundary

You can just see the 4WD track heading left from the top of Miranda's pack

This time we give our hats a good rinse in the stream. Bliss....

From here, it's just pegging away, one foot in front of the other. We've reapplied sunblock and chapstick, and we're really just on auto at this stage.

And suddenly, there it is. But not just yet. We have to head past it for several hundred metres before we get to the suspension bridge.

At the side of the track there is a bright red cousin to the smaller brown spiky flowers we saw a day or two back.

The last bit before the bridge is tussock-bashing, straining for a glimpse of the orange DoC poles in the tall grass.

Over the bridge

Boundary Hut looks like a slightly earlier version of Taipo Hut. It's tap washer has died, and getting water is a matter of switching main hoses on and off at the tanks outside. Flushing the toilet is most easily accomplished by taking a bucket of water with you, as to fill the cistern involves leaving the hut tap to run for about ten minutes.

I get all this sorted, and get the billy on. Miranda crashes and I throw my polar fleece over her. We can get sleeping bags sorted later.

I'm a bit peckish by this time, and organise a bit of delayed lunch for myself, and then we crash until it's time to get dinner on. Carol has left with Miranda the short range radio she and Mike use. It beeps. It's Carol with a message. Do not begin dinner. Dinner is sorted.

A little after five, we hear the sound of a car engine. The cavalry have arrived.

Mike returns the favour from the other day...

It gets dealt to.

Out comes the chilly bin, and from it Carol produces pork steaks, chicken kebabs, sausages, chilled wine, more beer, bourbon and coke, fresh vegetables, real milk. In comes the 4WD gas cooker and pots and pans and Mike begins dinner.

Miranda in the meantime has had a good rest, and is up to sampling a little of everything. Whew!

Miranda and I decide to complete the track on foot over the next couple of days. Talk about tired but happy and full of good tucker. We get a good night's sleep, and in the morning, Miranda is completely right.