Worried it would take us ages to cover the last 11kms to Cynthia Bay (the day before took 3hrs to cover 5kms), we set out early. To our surprise, the track was largely flat and void of rocks and roots with a few exceptions). I had a scare and rolled my ankle but was thankfully able to continue.
Time flew by as most "last days" do and before we knew it, we were passing day walkers on our way to the visitor's center They would pass us with big eyes and smiles in amazement, asking, "Did you just finish the Overland Track? How was it?" and with encouraging shouts of "You're almost there!".
We arrived as a muddy reflection of our old selves, greeted with hugs by our friends who took the ferry the day before. We signed out of the track log book, a little sad, and joined our crew for lunch and drinks in the lodge pub. For 5 hours we sat around the table telling stories and laughing about our adventures (and misadventures), grateful for an experience that now seemed years ago. Time moves in strange ways.
 |
| My first meal outside of the woods: fish and chips with a side salad. |
 |
| Jeremy's first meal: a trout burger with fries. |
 |
| One of the stories we heard around the table was of this woman and her friend who started with our group but disappeared after the first day. Turns out her shoes came completely apart on her way up Cradle Mountain so they ended up sleeping at Kitchen Hut (the emergency shelter). Determined to keep going, they bandaged up her shoes with a first aid kit and she kept going, finishing the whole track. These shoes should be dipped in bronze and displayed on a mantle--what a "feat"! |
Boarding our bus we said goodbye to Lake St Clair, Cradle Mountain and the Overland Track, but I'm already thinking about how and when I'll come back.
No comments:
Post a Comment