Steadfast Conviction: Huts and Such

I listen to the radio on my 15-20 minute drive to school. Every morning, the three broadcasters on one of the three local stations have a new topic of discussion, in which locals can call in and comment. The discussion topics so far have been:
- Why don't men receive engagement gifts?
- Why do only women go out walking with friends, whereas it would be a strange event for a male to ask another male friend to go for a walk.
- When is it appropriate to wear "active wear", besides the gym.
- How do you respond when your child says something about you in public that you might not want others to hear. The story behind this one was one of the announcers, Greg, took his 5 yr old daughter and her friend at a restaurant, and the children were singing the Farmer in the Dell. You all know how it goes, "the farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell, hi ho the dairy-o, the farmer in the dell." After a few verses, the daughter made one up, and it went like this, "the daddy drinks the booze, the daddy drinks the booze..." ha!

This makes for an interesting morning drive. The afternoon drives consist of this station playing late 80's-early 90's music. "I Swear" was playing as I rolled out of the driveway yesterday, bringing me back to my very first CD, All-4-One!

With a little research I discovered that New Zealand has huts you can stay in EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. They are either $5 or $15 a night per bunk, or you can buy a 6 or 12 month backcountry pass, which I did. My first hut adventure took place in Nelson Lakes at Rotoiti Lake. A quick 3.5 hr hike got me into the Coldwater Hut on the lake, just 40 mins past the Lakehead Hut. What I had imagined being a sunny, quite afternoon on the lake with a glass of wine and noodly chicken dinner turned out to be a bit different. There happened to be a large number of extremely loud, drunk late-teens milling about the dock and cabin. Two older (my age) kayakers were having a cup of tea and informed me that I probably did not want to stay here, but should probably head back to the first cabin, where they would also be heading. I promptly did. Back across the river and I was back at the Lakehead Hut. The kayakers, Miriam and Amy, followed close behind and we all made dinner with the 6 other hut guests, all well behaved, and retired to bed early. Now I have spent many a night in Alaska huts, and NZ huts are even more amazing! They all have 12-24 bunks, kitchens, bathrooms (outhouses), outdoor sinks, stoves, and stocked firewood. Beautiful!

Lakehead Hut

Some of the bunks, all having their own mattresses.

Lake Rotoiti drawing at the visitors center

After breakfast with the hut mates, and an invite to watch rugby the following weekend and an invite to a local beer club, I headed back to the carpark and Nelson. So nice to be outside, nice to be alone, and nice to meet new friends. The moon was almost super, and the stars were glorious.

Scary part of the trip? The eels. There are fresh water eels in NZ, big, black, long, slimy, with gross faces, eels. Supposedly they lurk around in the water hunting baby ducks, and grab them by their flippers to pull them into the depths of the lake for a tasty treat.