The ranger from the last hut recommended that we hike up MacKinnon's Pan because it is so beautiful. We travel that way in the morning, but it will most likely be foggy. So we left the hut about 4. One sign said it would take an hour and another that it would take two hours. The trail is steep with switchbacks and rocks. I felt like I was flying since I didn't have my heavy pack on. It took 1 hour and 10 minutes. The mountains we incredible and it looked like there was a small bit of a glacier remaining. From there we continued to get a view of the other side. The whole side trip took about 3 hours which included time for pictures and admiring the view.
By the time I got down my feet were screaming at me wondering how I could treat them so cruelly. After spending time at the hut my whole body was screaming with aches and stiffness. I guess it has been way too long since I carried a heavy pack.
I was so sweaty that I even decided to put clean clothes on. Besides, most of the people hiking seem to have several changes of clothes. I guess I am just use to the AT, where you basically hiked and slept in the same clothes.
Overall I think we hiked about 14 miles. It will be an early night for me.
I have talked to several of the people here. Some are from Australia, an older brother and sister from New Zealand, a couple from NH, quite a few from the UK. There is a family that is here together, but 2 came from Canada, one from Ireland, and two that live in New Zealand. Now that is a family spread apart. I met one young guy, 28, who quit his job and is traveling for the year. It was interesting to compare notes. There was another couple from New Zealand. I had to ask them about their toilet. On top of their tank there are two buttons to flush. So I asked what the difference was. He told me that one button was for a major flush and one was for a minor flush. I will let you figure out what I mean.
Speaking of toilets, I never mentioned the "Eastern" toilets that I came across. They were in Hong Kong. There is no seat, it is just a toilet shaped hole that is made out of some type of metal. It has two spots on each side to place you feet. They have handles that you hold on to and you squat down. It certainly was weird, but I figured more than half of the women never sit on the seat anyways.
Other differences that I have come across are the switched flip down to turn on, the doors seem to open the opposite way and football is really soceer in England.
Well, I think I have had enough for tonight.
March 10, 2003
Finally, I am in my bunk and I have a chance to write. It has been quite a day. It started off by hearing the cries of a Kea. It is a very big bird with a very loud cry.
We were warned about them. They told us not to leave any clothing, boots, or gear out because they will either eat or take them away. The birds sound like some animal in Johnny Quest. Before we were to leave we were bombarded with people. They were the people from the guided trip. They were here to use our bathrooms. With all those people and our people I was thinking the trail would be quite busy. We were doing the MacKinnon pass that we did yesterday, only this time with our packs. It certainly made a big difference. It took about 30 minutes more. I was glad that we went yesterday because as we expected the fog and clouds covered the view.
We headed to the pass hut, stopped for a brief moment and moved on. The clouds were beginning to lift and we had some terrific views. We were going all the way down. The sun was out and burning my skin. I finally stopped for sunscreen. Laurie and I met a man from Australia who had started the AT back in 1998. He got off in VA, but plans to go back.
Once we got down to the woods the trail went right by a beautiful waterfall. The trail was actually a long set of stairs. Very well made. There was one part of the falls that I stopped to take a lunch break. The fall was coming down right in front of me. It had 3 pools. The water flow drops down to one pool then flows and drops to the next pool and so on. It was very peaceful and beautiful. I could have stayed longer, but those darn sand flies were at it again. Anyway, we had to take another side trip to another set of falls down the trail.
I got to Quentin Hut. That is were the guided people stay for the night. There was one room for us. It was small and dark. Most stayed long enough for a break to go to the Sutherland falls. The Sutherland falls is the third highest in the world. It has a total drop of about 1462 feet (if my math is correct).
We didn't walk all the way up, but walked up to one of the "leaps". That is kind of like a landing before it continues to flow down. The ranger had suggested that we walk behind the falls. She also told us that we would get wet if we did, so we might want a raincoat. I went without the raincoat because I didn't mind getting wet. It would be a good way to wash the dirt and sweat off. I went off while Laurie stayed back to enjoy the falls film where she was. At one point, where I could feel a lot of mist, I took my shirt off (now don't let your imagination run wild, I was wearing a sports bra), I stuffed my shirt in my pants, hoping to keep it dry. I had to cross a few streams. Luckily, I had my sandals on and not my boots. I got close to where the water was coming down and I was getting drenched, but it felt wonderful so I kept going and went under the falls. Couldn't see much with all the water coming down.
I walked back out and I was completly drenched and even my t-shirt that I had tucked away was soaked. So much for keeping something dry.
We walked back to the day hut and got our packs and headed down to where our shelter was, which was another hour. The trail down was nice and gentle, not like what we had earlier. I was tired and starving by the time I got to the hut. I just wanted to eat. When I went to look for my food bag and couldn't find it I realized that I left it at the day hut. I was upset because I was hungry. Laurie had extra food and I had peanut butter and cheese. I knew I wouldn't starve. I was hoping that someone from our group would pick it up. So I decided I would write notes while I was waiting. I went to look for my bag with my notebook and realized that I left that too. This was not a good thing because my money belt, which help my passport was in it. I decided that I would walk back, but as I started I said I will ask the ranger if there was a way to contact them at the shelter and see if some of our people that were still there could bring it down. So I just laid down. I started to get antsy, so I decided that I would walk back to run into people and see if they had it. I walked about 20 minutes and I ran into the people that picked it up for me. I was so happy to know that I could now eat ramen and I would be able to leave the country.
