We had booked to stay in Te Anau Downs rather than Te Anau because it was closer to where the boat left for the track in the morning, and the lodge there offered free carparking for Milford walkers. It was a nice, quiet location with a decent sized room, which was great for packing our packs in! We had hoped to have a lie-in, but because of the events of the day before we were delayed leaving Queenstown and didn’t get to Te Anau to pick up our tickets before the DOC office closed. So we had to drive back and pick them up in the morning. That gave us just enough time to make lunch, pack the car with everything we weren’t going to need, move it to the carpark, and walk down to the boat. The only hiccup came when Raewyn came to get her pack out of the car, when she felt a twinge in her back. We made the 15-minute walk down to the boat. Once on board she had some ibuprofen, but it didn’t really help. The boat ride was about 1 hr 15, which gave us plenty of time to assess our options. We had already decided the night before that we could take the boat and probably walk the 2 hrs to Clinton Hut. Then, if I couldn’t continue because of my jaw and/or knee, we could come back the next day and catch the boat back out. By the time we arrived at the wharf, it was obvious we weren’t going to be walking anywhere that day. So we just had to sit there and watch everyone else disembark, and console ourselves with the knowledge that the Milford Track will still be there next year.
View from the boat
The closest we got to the Milford Track
We took the same boat back, and the crew phoned ahead to book us an appointment at the local medical clinic. A couple who were on board coming back as well offered to give me a lift to the lodge, so I went with them and picked up the car, and went back to collect Raewyn. Then it was off to the medical centre. Who would have thought we’d see two in two days? After that it was sorting out all the necessities, such as a place to stay for the night (thankfully, the motel we had booked for 3 days in Te Anau after Milford had a room available), and picking up Raewyn’s prescription happy drugs.
Two medical centres in as many days...
So now we are having a different kind of holiday – one where we have to take each day as it comes. It seems like we are taking 1 Cor. 12:26 too literally – ‘If one part [of the body] suffers, every part suffers with it’!
For the meantime though, we have a whole week in Te Anau, to enjoy as much as we are able to, given the circumstances.
Te Anau sunset: something we
can enjoy
2 comments:
Great photos Bridget. Sorry to hear of the mishaps - hope things settle down. Oh, and look after those piano-playing hands, will you... :)
GB
Thanks - we have a week in Te Anau for things to settle... just taking it one day at a time! Glad to hear you like the photos. Speaking of which I've put a photo of my hands on the day 7 post. Doesn't feel as sore as it looks (unless I try pushing myself up off that hand)
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