We had a bad start to the Greenstone. We walked from our camp the night before to Greenstone hut where we arrived to a group of drunk Russian tourists sitting on the decking outside. We did our best to introduce ourselves and make small talk but in the end resigned to claiming our bunks for the night and then minding our own business.
We had a long afternoon in the sunshine since we'd only walked a short way and so wound up in bed fairly early. We read for a bit until it was a sensible time to try and sleep and then instantly regretted not sleeping sooner. Snorers in huts should be banned! We slept maybe for four hours that night.. and that's probably a generous rounding up. At four in the morning we were both bolt upright trying to fathom how any human could possibly make that much noise! Luke tried fluffing, very loudly, and I giggling, very loudly, but nothing would wake them and stop that awful noise.
The morning after, we woke grumpily, ate breakfast grumpily, and left the hut hoping the snorers didn't follow behind.
The walk from there to Carey's Hut was all along the Greenstone flats. There was little to gain in height but a lot to gain in weight since our shoes were slowly filling all day with the water from the boggy ground we hiked through all day.
When we got to Carey's Hut, we washed in the lake and prayed the night ahead would be an improvement on the last. It wasn't.
At nine o'clock that evening, a load of fire wood was dropped off to the hut and so, as man does, our American friend, Dylan built a fire. By the time we went to bed, we were sweating so much in our sleeping bags that Luke went outside and pitched the tent instead of sleeping inside! I braved the heat but I can't say it was a comfortable nights sleep!
The day after leads you beside the two Mavora lakes along a really nice, well looked after track through forest until you reach the part that just Te Araroa hikers use and it turns to utter shit. Sorry, Parents, but it was bad!
The grass was taller than both me and Luke, if tussucks weren't tripping us then we were falling into bog that we couldn't see. If we weren't trying to navigate around slips, we were trying to find our way over and under barb wire fences that had just randomly been placed in the middle of the track. It was awful! And little did we realise that we were some of the only people on the whole trail to actually walk this part. Apparently everyone else was sensible enough just to walk on the road or hitch there way to a better track.
Although it was tough and slow, Luke and I did have a really good day trying to find our way along it. Laughing at each other every time the other fell down and making fun of the trail has become half of the fun of the Te Araroa and we've learned to just take it in our stride.
We camped on the river that night and prayed the remaining three km the next day would be easier.
They weren't easier but they did go quickly and we had a full day to resupply in Te Anau for the final eight days! Just eight more days!!
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