Starting the Kepler

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The first day is a fairly and short easy walk so I have time in the morning to do another big sort out of my stuff. I head to the DOC visitors centre in town to pick my hut tickets and set off from town at 11.40am. I am soon at the control gates – the official start of the trek and I am off, walking the Kepler trail. The walk is in the forest (through beech trees) and fairly flat, every now and again you get great views of the river when the trees clear, and you even get to cross a very ‘movey’ suspension bridge across the river at one point. I see a few people walking out (in the opposite direction to me) finishing the treck and after a while two girls walking the same direction as me but I overtake them before long. It’s a lovely sunny day, perfect weather in the forest – not too hot and not too cold and a lovely introduction to the trek.

I get to the hut where I am staying for the first night around 3.15pm and it is A LOT nicer than I expected, proper toilets in a toilet block outside, large open plan dining area with hobs and sinks around the edge downstairs, and upstairs the open plan dorm area where the large wooden bunks are. The hut warden was milling around with a clip board and sheet on it, and I learn the procedure is go and choose your bed then write your name and hut ticket number on the sheet next to the corresponding bed number.

There is a large lake (lake Manapouri) next to the hut, and after dumping my pack and sorting out I head straight for a dip – it is cold but so refreshing after the walk, especially on my feet! After this I just milled around with everyone, sat around on the beach and read for a while, chatted to people, made my dinner. Felt like a proper ‘tramper’ (name for walkers/hikers here) when I got the pan out and cooked my pasta and vegetables on the hob. Dinner tasted very yummy and finally got to use my spork after carrying it round with me since I left the UK! It was really interesting to see the different food people were eating, some having dehydrated meals they added water to, super noodles, precooked food etc, but I was very happy with my pasta and fresh veg!

The huts are very sociable and everybody spends their time sitting round chatting and playing cards, such a lovely atmosphere and chatted to some really nice people. At 7pm we have the hut talk from the warden, Boyd. The talk is actually rather amusing, and after collecting our ticket stumps some people went out to make a fire to sit round and watch the sunset like Boyd suggested. Knowing I have a VERY big day ahead, I ask Boyd what time sunset is (I need an early night so if it is too late I will miss it). He said he wasn’t sure but after a moment said he was kayaking to shallow bay hut (a tiny back country hut across the lake where people can stay) to check if anyone was staying there, and he has a double kayak – would I like to go with him. Apparently he likes to choose someone who is travelling on their own (otherwise everyone else everyone in the group will want to go) and that looks like they can/would be able to kayak (apparently I fit this bill). Obviously I snapped up this chance, and got a lot of envious looks as we paddled around the lake. It only took 30mins or so to paddle there, check the hut (no-one in) and paddle back, but it was fantastic to get the view from the water and watch the sunset, such an amazing and unexpected treat that I really appreciated. Anyhows, whilst kayaking Boyd and I were chatting and it turns out that his partner is Beth, who is Caroline (who I am doing my voluntary work with) boss, who I have met and chatted to in the office! It’s such a small small world here!

After kayaking, I head to bed to try and get an early night – but sleeping isn’t too easy in a dorm room of 40 people. Despite the lights going off at 10pm, people come in in drips and drabs (most of them staying up a bit later as they are celebrating it being their last night of the trek), and an array of different snoring types, and people going in and out to use the toilet at all times of the night!

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