Left at 6.50h this morning which is 15′ before sunrise. I had 36km on the agenda for today. Unfortunately a lot of up and down between 0m and 450m. Parts on gravel roads but also quiet a lot of it in the bush on ridges and muddy saddles with an expected speed of 1km/h ?. So I wanted to make sure I don’t run out of time and daylight at the end of the day.
The start looked ok and I just hoped that this were only clouds and no rain – bad guess.


First 30′ stayed dry and then the rain never stopped again. Either it rained, I was directly in the clouds and nasty gusts or mostly both. Only little highlight – it was still very warm since the rain came from an northerly direction. But this also ment no rain gear today if I would not want to die of over heating.
Little highlights in a life of a walker during rain. Can you spot it? I went insight and had a quick coffee after the first two hours today.


Well, what can I say – it was just a nasty day. Everything was soaking wet. From the rain directly and/or from brushing the vegetation which was also wet. The path was mostly on clay ground today which combined with water was as slippery as soap on a floor. ?
And what for? Nothing, not a single view today. I fought myself through the nasty thorn bushes up and down in partly steep sections to not get a single view (which apparently are stunning in good weather).


A few highlights that made me laugh. Somebody must have missed that entry to often or markers were on sale… Funny how sometimes trail markers are so rare that it is challenging and sometimes you are blinded by the orange colour…


Water everywhere.


You can tell that my right leg had to compensate for the left one the last weeks ?


More viewes.


How I felt today. Everything was soaking wet. The entire day. My hands and feet looked like I had been in the water for hours – wrinkles.


And as a nice farewell present on the last and steep descent grass to my hips and no trail. Or maybe I didn’t spot it since I was in the clouds until I finally could see something after descending to about 100m.


Just made it to the campsite after sunset. What a day! 36km, 50 minutes break in total (25′ in the cafe, 15′ & 10′ for food) and 11h on the road! I have to admit I still liked it somehow (even though I was ready to get helicoptered out quiet a few times and wondering if that was a big joke today). It’s rewarding if you manage to get through these ugly days. You really know what you have done at night.

Good bye shirt. You will find you final rest in Pakiri. Thank you for the last 4.5 month. I will miss you… RIP ?