In hindsight my irrationality was equally a symptom of hyperthermia and I had no idea what my face looked like. I was also stumbling as I walked, a further symptom.
“Hiro, do we want to die here?”
“No.”
“Let’s get the fuck off this ridge then.”
“Yes, let’s go. Quickly.”
So we put our heads down and walked. The image of my parents was firmly fixed in my head and I was now refusing to fail. As we reached the point where the track split to Waterfall Hut and Barn Bluff I now accurately realised the worst had passed.
We pushed onwards, Hiro was now staying closer to me and as we the track dropped downwards quickly the wind subsided. We walked almost continually downhill, although Hiro dropped slightly behind I was able to keep sight of him the whole way down.
As I reached the bottom of the descent, a Bennett’s Wallaby was sitting feeding right next to the track. As I approached it made no effort to move away. It took no notice of me whatsoever. Just to amuse myself I stood next to it and called to Hiro. Sadly in my overly emotional state I forgot to ask Hiro to take a photograph, denying myself what would have been a truly bizarre image. Me, sun and wind burnt, probably with cuckoos flying round my head, standing next to a lunching Wallaby totally oblivious to the humanity around it.
The hut was now only a few yards away and as I approached I could feel the exhaustion that had been hiding away for the last half an hour suddenly hit me. I knew I was now safe but those last one hundred metres seemed to take forever. I have very little recollection of actually getting to the hut and going in. Apparently, I was later told by the other walkers in the hut, I put my head round the door and said, “Christ, I nearly died out there.”
Epilogue
The rest of the Overland Track, which in actual walking terms is rated as a fairly easy walk, was an absolute joy. This is as much down to the wonderful people I met on the track as the walk itself.
That day on the mountain has taught me a few things, that you should always respect nature, you can never be over prepared when doing battle with the elements, a bushwalk is only as easy as the weather wants it to be and most of all, how much I love and miss my family.
But for now I would simply like to thank, Faye and Marcus; Frank, Peter and Rosa; Heather and Will (who were forced to spend night one in Kitchen Hut before making for Waterfall Hut on day two!) and of course, Hiro, for their help, support and great company during the rest of the Overland Track.
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