Rees/Dart Track and The End of All Things

So I haven't posted in a while. Also there are no pictures for this post because I'm at the library and don't have the image files readily available. But anyway.

The weekend of the 7th-9th I did the Rees/Dart track with Xander and our friend Neil. It was a real intense few days of hiking. The first day wasn't bad but we didn't get into the first hut (Shelter Rock Hut) until around 7:30pm, doing 6-8 book hours in 4 hours after a 4 hour drive from Dunedin to Glenorchy. We walked through the Rees valley, through a bit of forest, and into some sub alpine scrub. We met Neil at the first hut since he'd come from I think Queenstown that day. Then the second day we walked about 4 hours (4-6 book hours) to Dart Hut, crossing over the Rees saddle. We had lunch at the hut and then embarked on a 7-8 hour side trip up to Cascade Saddle. It was definitely nice not to have packs for this, but it was still subtly grueling. I think the Cascade Saddle gets up to about 1800 or 1900 meters, which is the highest I've been in New Zealand. We had a sweet view of Mt. Aspiring and the valley below. We eventually got back to the hut, ate and passed out. Then since Xander was flying out of the country in like 2 days we parted ways with Neil and backtracked the previous two days trails on our third day back out to the carpark. So I think we did 10-14 book hours in about 8 that last day to get out- and this ain't no flat ground neither. So then we drove the 4 hours back to Dunedin and needless to say passed out shortly thereafter.

That was the last big trip- my last real hiking trip of my stay here. Single tear... But since then Xander flew out (Thus starting the chapter of the story entitled "The Breaking of the Fellowship") and Rob and Rebbecca did the Rees/Dart this last weekend. I've been hanging around Dunedin for the past several days running errands, hanging out, and sort of trying to get myself packed and organized to come back. So I'll take Rob to the airport in a few minutes and then come back to the flat to do some final cleaning/organizing for my room inspection and the final flat inspection- I guess they have to make sure we didn't drunkenly punch any holes in the walls. So yeah, then tomorrow I start the Otago Central Rail trail- a 3 day trip on a mountain bike following the old rail lines. It should be real nice and relaxing- since it follows old rail lines there are basically no hills, and each of the days I'm doing is under 30 miles a day. So that'll be nice. Then I get back, have one more day in Dunedin by myself- probably play golf one last time here- and then the family comes to visit and we start our traveling. Crazy. Then... I fly home!?!?!

-Peace-