Heavy rain – Maybe I should have got out on Thursday – Didn’t really matter it wasn’t cold and there were only a one big stream to cross. The Israeli guy before me did a huge leap from one side to a boulder in the middle. He just made it. He then grabbed a big rock to make an extra stepping stone. It dropped into the stream with a big splash, but was washed away by the current. I just forded the stream getting soaking wet boots, but I wasn’t going to risk slipping and falling in. Back in Queenstown I had dinner at The Cow: salad, pizza and beer.

We canceled our climb of Ruapehu this weekend. The weather was not good. Snow, rain, gales and a freezing level about 2500 metres. Hopefully it will be OK for my Rees-Dart tramp in the South Island next week.

I’ve been looking at these purtty track books, my sister left at my flat, which are inspiring.

I now have a new long term goal: to tramp the Dusky. I’ve thought about this before, but was disinclined by the stories of the clouds of sandflies, mud, and rain, plus having planes flying across the track everyday will destroy the feeling of remoteness. But having looked at the pictures I’m hooked again.

It’s a hard 8 day track (though I heard some whole families do it) which I’ll have to work up to, but maybe next year. I’d also like to return to Stewart Island and include the side trip up Mt Anglem/Hananui this time. The most difficult thing with these plans is finding someone to look after my cat.