Te Araroa (day 50) - Hope Halfway Hut to Cameron's Hut / mile 1333

Not much to report today. Good weather, track was running mostly along the river. Halfway through the day there was a hot spring everyone was stopping by. It was really nice but also it made you quite dirty so a bath in the river afterwards was necessary.

The hot water relaxed my muscles so much that I found it difficult to carry on for the remainder of the day.There was a lot of people, mostly couples walking both ways today, majority stopped at Hurunui No. 3 Hut just an hour walk before Cameron's Hut where i stayed tonight. Here's pictures of yet another hut called Hope Kiwi Lodge from today:

A hanging bridge along the way consisted only of one wire for the feet and two wires to hold on to, Doc really outdone themselves in this one. You could always walk the river underneath if you didn't feel up for the challenge. Philippe Petit would be proud.

In Cameron's Hut I met Miriam from Wellington, she was going back home hiking the South Island Northbound. Miriam took the only usable bed in the cabin so I was forced to set up the tent outside - but that was the plan anyway. My tendency to have better sleep this way continues. Think I just find it more cozy and familiar than ever changing layouts of the cabins but I do see a merit in staying in them during bad weather.

Tomorrow is the first of big river crossings that are weather dependent. It won't be raining for the next two days so they shouldn't be much of an issue. I might end up picking up the pace to the second crossing as the weather might be changing in three days time.