Procrastination plus. I sat in the forest campsite realising that this was the last of my camping experiences with this trip. Might as well make most of it, so I sat and had a second round of coffee.

The crew heading up over Rees Saddle, some from up the Dart River valley, others from over Cascade Saddle yesterday, file past in a peloton.

The hut, that I haven’t yet experienced despite being here for two nights, was slowly vacating. Eventually I wandered over to speak with the hut warden, that turned into an extended discussion about matters DOC.

Somewhat after 12 noon I loaded up and started scurrying down the track. Daly Flat Hut was five hours away.

But the track overall was fairly easy. The hard part was peeling away from the people I met wandering up the valley.

One guy had been on the kakapo search in North-west Nelson back in the mid-1980s, so there was a bit to get through.

I thought it prudent to up the pace mid-afternoon, but soon just upended myself, and had a serious face plant encounter with a rock. My glasses scraped down my nose, cheek and my forehead was lacerated.

I had to take a few selfies to work out where the flow of blood was emanating from. No serious damage other than pride, and I was off again. That might not bode well for hitching.

I checked out the fabbo rock bivvy, only to find it occupied by the two Australian brothers I’d been sharing thoughts with for the last few days. Another hour passed, and it was now late in the day. Time to get moving once again.

At the end of the 6 km long grassy flat, not flat at all of course, with lots of water courses to cross, the track had some moments of the Demon Trail revisited. Bouldery watercourses, until for some reason it became magnificent, and I stretched out for the hut.

Yeah, I arrived at 8 pm, with the light quickly disappearing. Much to the surprise of the occupants.

I was going to sleep on the living room on a mattress on the floor, and that worked. Plenty of tiredness was permeating every muscle in my body.

I kinda felt on Day 28 of this Grand Excursion I was fully over it.

Did it matter?

Nope, tomorrow will be the last day.

← Day 27 | Dart Hut campsite, Night 2, with a day at Cascade Saddle Day 29 | Queenstown, where they create a new campsite for me →