A slippery climb down a mountain.

25/3/09 = Descent down Mt Cook

A v.strange nights sleep. Cold when got into bed and feet freezing. Huddled under 2 borrowed blankets, my pashmina and a wire-wool blanket and even though did get warmer, definitely didn’t get warm. Woke every hour with pain of bones digging through wafer thin, plastic mattress and into wood below. Had to rotate at regular intervals, a lot like camping without an air-bed. Every time did wake up, took another look at stars before did go back to sleep = probably why I didn’t find it so bad. Followed that routine until 7am, when everyone started to get up for sunrise. Some people had got up early and we were late in comparison. Deb nudged me to alert me of this at 7:15 and v.reluctantly dragged self out of warm(ish) bed. Did not take off warm pyjamas though…that would have been too much. Simply pulled all remaining clothes over top of clothes had on, then went out into freezing cold, windy morning. Headed over to ‘the ledge’ and found a spot behind a boulder top protect us from wind. Really was windy. Had scarf over head and hood up; Deb had a blanket wrapped round her, but were both still cold. Good that had something so pretty to look at. Watched as clouds above mountains coloured a faint red and then as time passed, the red became more electric and vivid. Tops of mountains glowed and bright red and orange clouds appeared in sky. Didn’t see the sun do a proper rise, because that happened behind the mountains, but was still one of best sunrises ever seen. Had quite a magical feeling.


Moved locations mid-point to watch as sun lit up valley and town below. Again, same traffic light procedure of red, then orange, then yellow. When sky and valley had finished glowing, mountain tops lit up. Then it was over. Awesome So cold, didn’t meander for long; went straight back to hut and started to make not so tasty porridge. Just porridge oats and water, mixed into a sticky paste in a tin pan without a handle. Selling it to you? Served up 2 big portions, but it was so bad that even the raisons and sugar didn’t make it taste any better. Quite simply the worst porridge ever eaten in life…had a distinctly tinny taste! And the worst part was, that half way through, realised the biggest mistake of all = we had to eat it all. No bins in Mueller hut; what didn’t eat, had to carry back down with you. No way was carrying gross, sticky porridge in bag; had to force it in…spoon by spoon. Painful.


Drank another black tea then got changed ready for descent. Really putting it off because still so cold and windy. Chatted to an Irish girl and her French boyfriend she had met who were both travelling forever…like indefinitely. Now that’s a life choice. At 10:15, could delay no more and set off back down to solid ground. Tiny bit of sunshine visible. Followed markers along rocky ground across mountain top until it was time to climb over edge and down. Pretty dangerous climb and Deb quite worried, but took it steady as half slid, half eased way down near-vertical gravel. Took side steps like a crab to try and keep footing. Would have been easier and lot quicker to sledge down it. Managed to scramble down worst of it without falling, then came to bigger boulder section = more stable. Sun came out in full glory and mountain just half scaled down acted as a giant wind block, so was really hot. Had to remove lots of layers.


Scrambled over big boulders and groups of rocks until arrived at Sealy Tarns, where awful steps began. You would think steps would make life easier, they didn’t, they made it harder. If could avoid steps and walk round, I did. Big drops down made it really hard work on knees and thighs. Puffed and panted for over an hour - both fell a few times - then finally got to end of steps and back to Kea Point. Nearly there now. Was fairly flat from this point and managed to hobble way back along footbridges and pebble tracks. Legs definitely feeling pain. Soooo excited for good food. Said goodbye to Mt Cook and headed straight for Hermitage café. Hello my old friend!


Only had $10 in pocket, but managed to get a toasted bacon and cheese sandwich + chips. V.excited. Was lovely. Ate it all straight down. Resisted urge to buy cake afterwards - could tell was going to be another ‘all you can eat’ day - and went back to DOC office to let them know we were alive and had made it down safe. Handed in slip, then got on with asking how could visit Tasman Glacier = just 15ks away. Legs aching, but really wanted to see it because sounded amazing. V.disappointed to find that only way to get there was by car. No buses ran to it and couldn’t cycle because was a gravel path most of way there. Really disappointed. Lady at Doc office suggested hitching, but didn’t fancy that, so went back to hostel disappointed. Nobody from hostel going either, so had to give up on idea : (.


Got a much needed shower and washed all clothes. Felt lots better afterwards. Had to go back to Hermitage then to return backpacks. Really sunny day now. Bought food for dinner, then went back to hostel again. Used internet for a while, watched brilliant film Sixth Sense, then made dinner = pasta and pizza. Was really big, but again, could have eaten more…I’m a regular Tasmanian Devil at mo. Watched a bit of TV then and treated self to a chocolate bar to go with tea…although technically, am not sure it’s called a treat when you have it often?!? Did some more blogging, then went to bed at 9ish. Wrote diary for a while, then turned light off because everyone else asleep. Should be tired after poor nights sleep yesterday, but for some reason, just couldn’t switch brain off.

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