St arnaud

Yesterday I hitchhiked for the first time 25 years, nervously. I stood by a gateway on SH63 outside Renwick in my red raincoat, with the lime yellow rain cover over the pack and smiled an open, honest, bland, mature, I-won't-give-you-any-grief smile for about half an hour. Though it felt longer. A lovely big Toyota Hi-lux suddenly pulled in and joy of joys, the seed merchant driver was going all the way to St Arnaud. I was here by coffee time. 

My food box was waiting for me at the Alpine Lodge, in perfect condition. 

I went to the DOC office for topo maps and help with obtaining permission to walk Rainbow Road. I sent off the requisite email and left a voicemail message with Rainbow Station but haven't had a reply. I want to use their farm road to access the route to Maling Pass rather than follow Te Araroa over Waiau Pass. Then I'll rejoin TA on St James Walkway. Today I went back to nag the kindly information officers who advised me just to go ahead. 

Once I repacked the food I wandered down to the lake (Rotoiti) where the water taxi was about to leave for the south end to fetch back three daytrippers. 

For $30 I could join in so I did. Lake Rotoiti is 8km long, about 80m deep and, said Hamish the master, 17°C today. 

Te Araroa goes along this forested hillside, 

and my own walk tomorrow will be on the far side of it. 

The tiny but high peak at the head of the lake is Kehu. 

We collected the trampers, 

and returned to St Arnaud, where rain looks imminent. 

All three of the weather forecasts I use (metservice, metvuw, yr.no) agree there will be rain in 4 and 7 days time. I have planned for two sit-it-out hut days and aim to reach Boyle Village on Christmas Eve. I have a bus ticket to Christchurch from Hanmer late that afternoon, if it all works.