Last weekend I finally went on my first overnight tramp to Welcome Flat Hut on the West Coast, just south of Fox Glacier. For company I had Seth and Justin - two burly men with tonnes of outdoor experience, and Anh - pictured above - my gorgeous medical-student friend. I was pretty well-prepared in terms of the expertise of people with me, but I still felt nervous about how well my unfit body would cope with a 7-hour uphill slog carrying a pack.
Really well apparently! A few hours in, I asked Seth: "I wonder when the uphill bit starts?" and he looked at me like I was stupid, and said "Lei, we've been going uphill this whole time..." The walk up to Welcome Flat Hut is really gradual and easy-going most of the way - only the last few hours are steepish uphill, and involve a lot of scrambling over rocks.
But at the end ... the most stunning 'hut' ever* and ... natural hot pools! See my feet and Mt Gorgeous above (that is it's real name).
* From my mattress I could lie on my back and look out a huge window, up at the mountain ranges encircling us. Bliiiissss.
Justin braving it out in the extra hot part.
And the cheerful stumble back down the mountain, followed by an 8 hour drive home with a space-saver tyre (ergh). At least central Otago is stupidly beautiful.
Hot pools in the rain and red wine!
Justin braving it out in the extra hot part.
And the cheerful stumble back down the mountain, followed by an 8 hour drive home with a space-saver tyre (ergh). At least central Otago is stupidly beautiful.
