A long and dusty road

January 21st
Mavora Lakes Road to Kiwi Burn Hut
Distance: 26km + 2km off trail to hut
Elevation: flat
Steps: 38,300

Back on the trail!
But a bit of a boring day, to be honest. The vast majority of the day was along gravel road, and occasionally we would have either farm vehicles or holiday makers driving past at 80kph, so we inhaled a fair amount of particulate matter finer then 10 microns (PM10) today. 
I did see one sign that a farmer had thoughtfully put up for the cows:
Right at the end of today, we got a short walk through beech forest
wherein we both got caught by a plant (paspallum?) that likes to leave little stingers in you:
(luckily they don't itch, just hurt a little bit as you pull them out. They are curved back at the attachment point, and can really get under your skin if you let them)

And then across a little grassy field to the hut
which we are, of course, glad to see, as always!

All in all, good to be back on the trail, but our feet and legs are feeling it a bit from the long day, especially after a few days off! 

Around lunchtime we came across a gathering of five other people also doing the TA who had stopped for lunch. This was a good opportunity to glean intelligence about what the trail ahead holds for us so we joined them. We also took a bit of friendly ribbing from people coming southbound, or going northboud but who didn't stop in Te Anau, for how nice our clothes must smell - or rather, how much our clothes must not be smelly right now! Our response? Just give us a day or two, we'll be right back with the rest of you!

Tonight's dinner is eating all of the heaviest things we decided to buy and pack. Eliza, who carries all of the food, did fine with the pack weight today but always appreciates a lighter bag! 

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