Started my first multi day hike with one of NZ’s great walks — the Kepler track. Ive never done a multi-day hike before so I didn’t know how it’s really going to be like. Day 1 was really tough, cos I haven’t got used to hiking with 10kgs on my back. Terrain was mostly flat, through the forest. I think it took me a total of 6 hours to the hut. Tried my first backpacking meal there too! It was a beef pasta, just add hot water. Tasted pretty good for meal like that!

Day 2 was much better, as I started to get used to the weight. A lot of flat forest terrain as well. Another 6 hours day. Couldn’t wait to reach luxmore hut! Stayed in a tent at Iris burn campsite for the night. It was beautiful! At night when I was talking to an Austrian camp mate, a bunch of Keas camp over and I thought they were just, harmless, normal birds. When I went back to my tent, my camera bag was flipped over, with all the contents scattered all over the ground… I then heard from my luxmore hut warden that yes, Keas are very playful and love to cause trouble.. geez.

Day 3 was the toughest. It was up, up and up all the way, from the forest, till luxmore hut. The first 4-5hrs was in the forest, but then it became awesome. The views at the open ridge was amazing! It was very, super tiring when I finally reached luxmore hut, just before sunset(thank goodness).

Day 4 was all downhill. So it was alright, except that my body has completely lost any kind of energy… So when I got back to Te Anau, the first thing I ordered was a huge bowl of mussel chowder, and a gigantic beef burger with a really nice organic apple- blackcurrant fizz! Legs are very much aching right now.

Will update all these in a full post later!