By Anonymous fresher , 06 March 2025
Friday
We begin our journey with a slightly embarrasing walk along the terrace to get to kelburn with our
massive tramping packs and slick lookin fits ready to go in the bush for a few days.
We make it in the nick of time to get into our groups, and get onto the boujee bus to go to our destination. (someone should of told me there were chargers so I could have charged my phone) After a quick trip past the hutts we make it to the campsite. Somehow we heard there was a hut to sleep in so booted it to the first campsite (there were no huts). 120 people setting up flies in semi darkness wasnt enjoyable and the other campers must have thought so too because someone rather aggressively drove off to find a different place, even revving though a puddle in the process. After an evening of talking to strangers in the dark and a couple games of mafia, went to sleep in our five star flies.
Saturday:
After a night of random drops of condensation dripping on us, we got woken up to our fly being taken down (such a nice awakening). Not gonna lie breakfast was mid for taking an hour and a half to cook but it was still edible and fueled us for the tramp ahead.
After having the best sleep of our lives (definitely) we pack up and have our breakfast - some groups porridge, some groups eggs. We leave the campsite leaving no trace behind like the good trampers we are, and head on to the treacherous terrain to totara flats. Not gonna lie I found it harder than it was probably supposed to be but after climbing up roots and butt scooching down the steep, slippery slopes we finally made it! We were so ready to take off those boots and get into the river after the day's adventure. Some groups arrived around 12, some much later, but the activities for the evening seemed to be swimming, reading, playing cards, yapping and hiding from the rain that ended up making many homeless (yes the flys were very waterproof). After some wet stragglers were relocated to some more sturdy flys, the evening carried on. Dinner was made (veggie curry was so fire thank you to my group leaders who braved the weather to feed us 🙏) Then.. the fire was ablaze (after a lot of methylated spirits i heard) and then the socialising and drinking began! Surprisingly i didn't have too much to drink (the rum&raro was slappinnn though) i even went to sleep early, so i wont be able to tell you any radical stories that went down on the freshers tramp but i think everyone thoroughly enjoyed their time despite the weather not being on our side.
Sunday:
Turns out sleeping half on your pack and without a pillow isn't the best thing you can do to your back. But woke up bright and early (before the fly got taken down) for the 6 hour walk ahead. Also shout out to whoever played guess by charli xcx and billie eilish when we were packing up, made my morning🥰
For breakfast: extreme sugar rush. My brekkie consisted of probably ⅕ porridge (a bit of almond butter) and the rest being brown sugar, golden syrup and chocolate chips. Thumbs up from me😁
Apparently this day was supposed to be harder. But for some reason today wasn't actually as bad. The lengthy walk up the hills was tiring, don't get me wrong but I felt a lot more sure-footed than the first day when I could have definitely (and almost did multiple times) gone for a roll down the mountain.
Eating when tramping is the best thing in the world - the snacks were snackin and the lunch was lunchin.
I thought we were at the top of the hill but we weren't. Then we went down. And then we went up. So that was great.
Also why on both days did it rain when I was having my lunch break - the 2nd day became so cold my teeth started chattering. But it was ok i didn't get hypothermia.
On the way back past powell vibes (i think?) the views of the hills were super pretty and the low cloud and mist made it feel like we were in a movie. We got some photos at the lookout area and then kept on keeping on.
In the last 20 mins-1hr it was hard keeping the spirits up. My feet were in PAIN, the pack was HEAVY, MY LEGS, MY BACK YOUCH. (but so worth it)
Made it to the enddddddd!!!!!!!!
Awaiting us was some delish sausages (shoutout sausage man for cooking for us - much appreciated)
Highlights: made new friends yayyy, the scenery was so pretty and i now am craving to go on another tramp 👍🌲
Overall great tramp, except for when we missed the first bus 😣but gave us an excuse not to have hall food bc we missed it so got maccas instead 😋
HIGHLY RECOMMEND FRESHERS
Thank you to all the leaders, organisers, cookers, drivers everyone :)))))))
