Nicks Big Adventure

Cold wet west coast valley was my location. Tramping on a trail to the horseshoe flats hut was tough going and I had doubts about my safety and the sun setting on my adventure before I got to the hut. I pushed on past the creeks and swampy areas with dry feet. Then I came to a place that had no safe passage with dry feet. Better to have one muddy foot than two. That was not the end of it, after 4 stream fords I was soaked up to the knee. 3 hours and forty five minutes after I started the tramp I got to the hut. It is in its original construction from 1970 but white washed. I dropped my bag off in the hut and went in search for fire wood. All I found was wet and moss covered but that had to do. I was cold, wet and I had not seen the sun for at least an hour. Wood sorted I stripped off my wet clothes and got used to my home for the evening while I broke small branches into kindling. The fire was a fickle beast and kept me busy for 2 hours keeping it lit and drying wood. I had to make another run to get wood in the dark but it was enough to see me warming till bed time. The hut lacked insulation so it was still cold and the fire was small so it was only good for light not warmth. When morning came it was still cold but all I wanted to do was jet back to the van and get warm. The fire was useless to dry my footwear and pants, but that was my lot that morning. My boots had frost inside and my gaiters were frozen stiff. Off I went, back the way I came. Some of the mud puddles had become slush and the pools of water on the track were iced over. I was cold but the faster I moved the warmer I became, even the streams were warm relief from the frost building on my boots as I walked. I stopped caring to keep my feet dry. Over the same rock and under the same branches I crossed the previous day I went. This hike only took me three and a quarter hours. Happily my van was still there unmolested. I stripped of the wet stuff and replaced it with dry warm stuff. I even got my sleeping bag out to start to dry it. I was ready to go but my van was not... It did not start, I was in a cellphone black hole, and 70 km from and town. I tried to get it to start for an hour but nothing. I packed a bag and got out my best thumb to try and flag a ride to Fox Glacier. I have given plenty of rides and I have passed plenty of hitch hikers but today nobody wanted to stop for old Nick. Two hours later and just before sun set a nice Korean dude gave me a lift to Fox. I set up an appointment with a mechanic to get and look at my van in the morning. Great more mechanics. I slept well in a motel and had a warm dinner. The next morning Ben and I drove out to the spot and he diagnosed it as a fuel pump problem in about 10 min. Back at the shop, it was found to be true. The only catch was that it will take some time to get a new one but they had another one that would work, oh and the acces to that pump is in the floorboard of the back seat. That hatch is under my bed and all of my stuff. I wanted to clean out my van but not like this! I got it all out and stored, took apart the bed structure and cleaned a bit. I had to cut the last story short so I could go back and re assemble the van because it was fixed. These guys were the best! That was my adventure filled with potholes and letdowns. I survived it with minimal frustration and lots of help from the locals. I plan on seeing the glacier tomorrow and some of the other sites around. This time when I go tramping I will do better research and leave my intentions. Learn every day. I hope all is well with y'all. Go spurs and kings! Thanks for reading and I will keep up the entries. Peace, Love and Pura Vida!     Nicholas