21 Jan. Awake at 06:00, but it takes longer to pack up from a hotel room than it does from a hut! It was 08:15 before I was on the trail again, with a heavy pack of food supplies for a week.
The first 11km section along the lake side (Lake Rotoiti) was a good flat path and I arrived at Lakehead Hut for a snack at 11:30. The next 13 km section to John Tait was more rugged so took a bit longer arriving 15:30. Energy levels were low, so snacked again. The last section to Upper Travers Hut was rugged and a 500m climb. In all 32km, 700m climb in 10.5 hours.
Lots of new faces in the hut which can sleep 24. Must be about 18 in tonight. Lots of non-TA trampers. One mum and dad with two teenagers out for a week. Talking to the mum Carol, she is the Kelburn chiropractor, and they live 15 minutes walk from me in Wellington. Small world in NZ.
I followed Holger in on the last section. He is good company and has a great sense of humour. He also has a heavy pack with luxuries so goes at a similar pace. He shared a tot of his whisky supply for after dinner drinks. 😊 Chilli-con-carne with the last portion of rice.
Tomorrow we go over Travers Saddle.
The Interconnected View 
Your photo shows it is cold at the Upper Travers Hut. When ?David and I went over the Travers Pass (also from the L Rotoiti side, it had snowed there the day we got there. This was in mid January. It was fine as we tramped down L Rotoroa.
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