MitchMarch 7
A Day of Rest & Recovery
Today was the first time in four nights that we had the chance to sleep a little later. Mitre Peak Lodge was once a hotel and it had all the comforts of that plus amazing views.
This was the first lodge where we had a washing machine and dryer and we took advantage of that, too.
Our group reunited for breakfast and then we met at the marina to board a 90-minute cruise around the Milford Sound aboard the RealNZ MV Sinbad.
The Sound was breathtaking as were the waterfalls and the mountain landscapes. We sailed into the Tasman Sea and then back to the marina.
We got off the boat and boarded our bus for Te Anau. There, the bus dropped four other hikers and us off at a hotel and we said our goodbyes to our fellow hikers.
For the rest of the day, we had time to ourselves for some R&R before joining a new group the next day for our next hike, the Routeburn.
Our feet and bodies were extremely tired and we began to wonder why we had booked another hike back-to-back. What were we thinking? We had the rest of the day to sleep and relax plus repack for the next big hike. Thankfully, we were told, it was somewhat easier and shorter, just 20 miles.
We joined our fellow hikers for dinner at a restaurant on the main street and then retired to the hotel for an early night and for more rest and recovery. Fortunately, we had another late start and didn’t need to meet the bus until 9 a.m.
