Dec 17 day 108 free camp to Princhester Creek Rd 7:15-3:00 (hitch to Te Anau) 34 km

Still drizzled but more sun than clouds today. Slept like a dead man last night–was really tired. Nevertheless, I got a decent early start on a beautiful, generally well-marked well-formed trail. When I got to the flood bridge, I saw Jan’s tent (but let him sleep). The rest of the hike was on a gravel farm road– after a bit I snagged a ride from a woman who helps coordinate hunting trips on one of the big stations up on the lake. She said she usually did not pick up hikers, but good karma comes around. She soon had a flat which I fixed for her. Got to Te Anau to resupply for the big push to Riverton. Too bad I couldn’t stay a while, a pretty cool town on a lake that caters to people going on the great walks in Fjordland. It’s funny, now each little task that I do as I have been these past 3 1/2 months I wonder if it will be the last time. I’m sure I’ll use my tent again before the end, but there are a lot of huts on the track, and then I’m in towns for the last couple days, so who knows? I’ve also been making a lot of post-trail arrangements–flights to Christchurch and then Wellington, hostel on Stewart Island, etc. Starting to get that sense of an ending, not sure I like it (though I think my feet will).