25 Jan. Anne Hut is modern with fly screens on the windows so it was a good night’s sleep with plenty on ventilation. Everyone was up around 06:00 for a longish day to get to Boyle Village and another break point for rest/resupply.
I was off at 07:40. It was a day of valley walking first up the Anne River valley to Anne Saddle (only a 200m climb) then dropping into the Boyle River valley. Walking was a mix of grass flats and low level bush. Had a nice 11:00 snack stop next to the upper Boyle River and had enough wind to keep the sandflies off. Pete and Holger passed me a couple of km from Boyle Flat Hut but I caught up with them at the hut for lunch. I made it a short stop as the water tank was broken and it was sandfly hell. It was 16:30 and nearly 33km (9.5 hours) when I arrived at the Boyle River Outdoor Centre. I booked into the bunk room accommodation for the night. Hot shower and pizza. Most of the other walkers were either collecting their post restante boxes and pushing on or hitching into Hanmer Springs for rest and resupply (about an hour away).
With the last couple of long days, I have managed to complete the Nelson Lakes section in 5 days, rather than the 6 originally planned. Nice to be ahead as I may need some spare days with rain coming next week.
In the accommodation were Freya, Sophia and Jeroen. They were having a rest day and continuing on the trail tomorrow. I also met Mary Wilson from Masterton. She has been running the TA trail from the Stewart Island in the south covering about 30-50 km a day (with a pack and her supplies). She is doing it for mental health (https://m.facebook.com/marysontherun). A friend is meeting her for a day trip into Hanmer Springs, and they have kindly offered me a lift. I am planning to spend 3-4 rest days in Hanmer Springs.
The Interconnected View 
30-50km every day makes you look sane! Oh, I might not be allowed to say that, given the cause. 😉
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