Once again I ignored the natural stopping place, for one because of the smell, and two because all the people who’d overtaken me were there, and I pressed on. Now I was utterly alone and it was incredible. As you walk, more and more panoramic views open up to you. The wind was the only sound. I was walking past Mt Tongariro, past the blue lake and ever on. The walking was great, easy and – mercifully – going down! In the distance I could see the Ketetahi Hut below me, and it looked very, very close. Too close. I had done what should have been about 5 and a half hours of walking in 3. I stopped for a very early lunch, still pretty much alone. The route down to the hut was actually a lot further than it looked, as it zigzagged down stupidly, with steps that dropped a knee crunching 2 foot down each time. Yup, I was singing “she’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes …” by the time I had seemingly been round the mountain at least 4 times to reach the hut. This was the last milestone on the route, and again loads of people stopped, but I didn’t see the attraction of resting with others and fly infested toilets. Good decision, as less than ½ a mile further on was a lovely stream with sulphur plumes rising from the rocks nearby. Again I really had to stop – there were supposed to be just 2 hours left to walk, and it was 12.30pm. The shuttle wasn’t coming until 4pm. It was so serene and peaceful. Not that I don’t love the kids to bits, but being so quiet and alone for a day was pleasure in itself: seeing the most stunning scenery made it a real highlight of the whole trip for me.
Then I skirted Ketetahi springs, where steam and gas pours smellily and dramatically down the mountain with a mud stream colouring the rocks red and yellow. After crossing this and several other streams the descent really started, helped (or hindered) by many, many hundreds of steps. This route really throws it all at you, with scree for the ankles, steps for the knees … but finally I headed into a beautiful forest that seemed to go on forever. It was so pretty, and cool after the blistering sun, in the shade alongside a rushing river. I didn’t see a soul, and did have a couple of moments thinking hmmm … I REALLY hope I haven’t gone wrong. But then, suddenly, the forest opened to a car park. Wrenching my boots and socks off, using my remaining water to wash my hot, swollen tired toes, I lay on a picnic table ground and grinned. I had made it! I had a good two hours to sunbathe and listen to music, watching more and more people arrive and slumping onto the grass, all smiles.
For me, it felt like a marathon completed. I could not walk by the time I got back to camp and the rest of Team Pritchard, I stank, I was sunburnt (despite liberal coatings of factor 30!) I was exhausted. Now to proper climbers and walkers, 17k and this route would probably be a nice day out. To me, it was conquering my own personal Everest. I was so glad we did not go en masse. On the bus on the way out was a couple with their 13 year old son, and they didn’t make it down until 5.30pm, apparently. It was no place for kids, but boy was it the place for me.
Our campsite at Okahune earned mega brownie points with me by having a very deep, very hot private spa bath waiting. OK so I am walking like a penguin today, but without that I would not have been walking at all. My Hi-Tec Altitude Lites performed outstandingly: not a blister in sight. Feeling like a returning hero, I enjoyed a well-deserved glass of wine, lovely pasta courtesy of Joe, and hearing all about the adventures of the remainder of the family …
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