This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 86, no 7, August 2013
Moonlit Southern Crossing Friday 13 June
Friday 13 June, 2014
Recently I have come to realise that tramping is a rather questionable activity. Why do people spend their precious weekends carrying heavy packs into the middle of nowhere? What is wrong with people in tramping clubs?
To get some answers Kristy joined Jenna to walk the Southern Crossing. They set out just after 8pm from the Otaki side and headed up the hill into the Tararuas.
They seemed to reach Field Hut in no time at all. There was even toilet paper in the bathroom. Fancy.
With barely a breeze and no clouds in sight they were soon on their way to Kime Hut. Above the bushline they no longer needed head torches and walked along in the light of the full moon. Lovely. Maybe tramping wasn’t so lame.
Plus there were all the delicious treats to eat.
At Kime Kristy ate her long awaited pie … turns out cold steak and cheese pie sucks. At least she still had carrots.
Jenna and Kristy both put on more gear, with Jenna’s striped long-johns now covered up with overtrou – thankfully multi-coloured long-johns are only acceptable when tramping.
Off again, they walked on into the night, along the tops towards Alpha Hut.
Who knows how they got there but at 7am they arrived just as the sun was rising.
With renewed energy from the morning light, they kept “marchant on” and on. And on. For ages. It kept going. Seriously, why do people tramp?
Anyway, Jenna and Kristy continued along through the bush. Many trees were shaped like animals and moved about. Some even spoke.
Jenna and Kristy were looking forward to sleeping.
They walked further and were almost home but then Kristy screwed her ankle. Lucky for them, Jeff had turned up and saved the (rather long) day. Kristy scored a piggyback and a mandarin. Jenna scored a beer and suddenly everything was ok.
After all that, it is still a bit unclear why people actually enjoy this tramping thing. I guess further tramps are required to suss this one out. Who’s keen?
- Party members
- Kristy Johnstone (scribe), Jenna Thoms.