From Browning Hut to Nelson
Hiking time: 09:15a.m.-12:00p.m.
Daily/Total distance: 11.3km (6.6 off track)/157.2km (46 hitched)
Steps: 20406
Weather: blazing sun

Last night was the worst one I had yet. There were soo many mosquitoes inside the hut I didn’t really get much sleep. While I was at first still reading, I already smashed about 10 mosquitoes. As I then turned in for the night I kept hearing one next to my ear. After I got that one a new one appeared. It was as if they were waiting in line to come out. At some point I pulled my liner over me completely with just my nose sticking out. I still got up again and again to smash another mosquito.

In the morning I was nevertheless covered in quite a few new bites. Such joy. I got up at 8am and had a lazy start. The kiwi was waiting for the Dutch family to arrive while the German girl had decided to get out to Nelson as she feared the Richmond Ranges. As the kiwi lady is also leaving to Nelson today I asked here if I could maybe have her remaining toilet paper as I was fearing I would run out over the next 6 days. She gave it to me and after breakfast I set off at 9:15am.

The track went further downhill. All the while my knee was flaring up again. It had been fine the previous 2 days but today it was shouting out again. On the way to Hackett Hut I had to cross the Hackett creek a couple of times but I managed to do it with dry feet as the water level is quite low at the moment.

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After the required hour I arrived at Hackett Hut and had a short break. I got talking with a Kiwi couple staying there another night. I now had to decide to either go on, see how my knee is faring and otherwise stay at the next hut for a few days and then come back out to Nelson again if it is to painful or I walk out now and get a ride back in with the kiwi lady in 2 days time. After much consideration and talk with the two people I decided to walk out and rest for 1.5 days in Nelson. There is no reason to press on and risk a worse or even permanent injury. So I made my way towards the Carpark 2 hours away. As it is the weekend there should be a bunch of people around who will be going back to Nelson at some point.

On my way towards the car park I came across a few families as well as trail runners out and about on this beautiful day. The track is really nice although there are 1-2 washout areas where the track is really unstable.

There are also some bridges to be crossed although there are bigger than the ones on the previous days. The warning sign upon them had me laughing though.

Now that I have decided to walk out the pain in my knee has become less. Could be due the imminent rest or the easier downhill track, although the pain has before also started to come about on the even stretches.

I reached the Carpark at noon and saw two cars getting ready to leave. The first one was full with a family of five and the second didn’t go to Nelson. So I set in to wait for the next people leaving. I covered myself again in sandfly repellent as the buggers were about again. 15min later a couple with a dog came. They were on their way to Nelson and gave me a lift.

After a 30min drive they dropped me off in the centre of Nelson right next to the iSite. We had arrived just after the farmers market was over. Such a shame. I then went to look for a place to stay for the night and stumbled upon the tasman Bay backpackers. It is 700m out of the centre, but the reviews o line looked really good. I set off for the place. The reception was closed though from 1-3pm for lunch but I was invited to relax in the garden and use the WiFi until someone is back. So I did just that and had my lunch of crackers and cheese.

Once I checked in I then went to get some things settled and took a shower to wash my hiker stink off. It is also good to get all that repellent off again. Even though it is deet free, i still dont like the oily feel of it. After the shower I went to town to look for a knee bandage at the pharmacy. I spent nearly an hour there but didn’t really find anything where I felt it would give me the support needed. Then I grabbed some fish and chips and went back to the hostel.

At the hostel i settled myself with my sleeping bag in a hammock outside. I used the time to update my journal as well as get some blog posts written and throw in a load of washing to be cleaned. I also got talking to quite a few of the other guests here. Most of them are from Germany and nearly all of them are on a working holiday. The hostel has a very nice atmosphere and the people here all seem really great. At 8pl there is even free hot chocolate pudding with ice cream. Yum:)

The rest of the evening was spent talking to other guests as well as trying to reach my family back home who all decided to sleep in very late. So I didn’t get to bed until well after midnight.