Looking at map's, google earth, blogs from other hiker's just doesn't give you the real understanding of what we were going to go through. There is steep written on paper and then there is STEEP you actually have to walk/climb up, they are two very different steeps.
Then you read about leeches and I learnt all about them as I wanted to be able to get those little suckers off fast!!!! As I didn't want them to regurgitate back into the wound so I thought I wont let them latch. And I was lucky not to, called them a few choice names. But I always said "excuse the french".
Back to the start, I was extremely sad to leave Ben behind when we left Teralba, but by mid afternoon I knew it was the best thing for him. He would have to be 100% to even think of getting out on this track.
I wondered on the 2nd day what I was doing, I even had a biggest loser moment myself. I am not ashamed to admit it as it was god dam HARD. 50 minutes in and when I reached the first scent of the top I sat and let out a few tears, if Claire wasn't there I would probably still be sitting there blabbering. This was the hardest day and I found myself telling myself "do it for Ben". I had too, I promised him I would do it for him.
When you walked you couldn't look around as you would be too busy watching your feet and in my case the kid in front of me, I always had to go behind one of the boys as I could spot the little suckers from a mile. They felt very secure with me behind them. Not only look for leeches but me as soon as I took my eyes off the ground I was sitting on it!! Do you realise how hard it is to get up off the ground with a pack on weighing roughly 20kg? Hard, Brett had to help me up a few times, while he was laughing and asking "what did you trip on?"
I was naive to think we could get through without a rest day. It was more just a case of this is how much time we can take off work so lets fit in as much as possible. So when the decision was made to take a rest day I felt like a failure, but seriously I owed it to my body, I am getting older now so I must preserve this fine specimen for the years ahead. Yes it was grateful. So with this I was able to spend my 40th Birthday in my pyjamas, if you know me you know this a rare luxury of mine.
Carrying the pack didn't phase me, the weight wasn't an issue. The only thing that did bother me was the sweat!! I was sick of having a wet shirt. I know we have harped on leeches but MAN!!! they were ridiculous!!!
The country side we passed through was so extremely different. Dence rainforest's, sclerophyll forest, beautiful eucalyptus trees, Banksia's, sandstone, moss covered rocks & stumps, crystal clear water the list goes on..... Everything we passed was stunning. My favourite place I would say is Congewai Valley, simply stunning. The place I found to be least appealing was Ourimbah Valley, it was just weeds.
I would like to thank the guy's from the Northern Beaches for saving my life, I was willing to buy a beer off them but they generously gave me one, lucky as I would have had to go bludge the money off Claire or Jackie to buy it.
I am surprised how fit I became over the two weeks, hills were still hard at the end but I didn't need to stop or ask for help from a high power.
The time I spent with Brett and Ben was priceless and I am so glad I had the chance to spend such great quality time with them.
Claire was a wealth of knowledge and she taught us heaps. I still laugh when I think of Jackie getting her hair caught in the tent zipper "noooo..... not the scissors......". Stuart was his usual coighty self, wouldn't have it any other way and Peter is a true gentleman, he brought the beer.
Would I do it again......... Yes! but only for a good cause, not for fun........
Next instalment will be the overview of the whole event....
