Elle Hummingbird
- Start date: 2 May 2022
- Age When Completed: 60
- Direction Walked: South to North
- Others in Group:
At different times: Owly Hoots, Soggy Possum, Sue M, Lost Luci, The Countess, The Inspector, Turtle Girl, Blue Vader, Buttercup, plus adoptive track niece Bec ‘Roc Jock’ and adoptive track nephew Shannon ‘The Wookie’.
General Comments
Items found on the track:
1 hand knitted scarf
1 pair Ray Ban sunglasses
1 Luci light (returned to owner)
1 tent cover
1 credit card plus some membership cards (returned to owner)
1 bra insert
50m later, another bra insert (both returned to sheepish owner).
Food/Supplies Comments
13 supply boxes were dropped off before the start of the hike at Visitor Centres, at pre-booked accommodation, or left with trail angels. Each box was packed with non-perishable consumables (food/toiletries), plus maps, medications etc. Just enough consumables for the following section to minimise waste. Some boxes had new socks/change of hiking clothes, or even ‘town’ clothes. Plus prepaid Express Post bags to send any gear back home, or to send ‘town’ clothes further up the track to use again.
Favourite Section
I had two. 1. On Brockman St Pemberton, between Pine St and Barnsby St (on the opposite side) where Jaspers Restaurant is located. This place should be called ‘Jaspers Shelter’. The entire south coast section.
Highlights
Not sure which bought me more joy - seeing a death adder, or having my ‘town’ clothes arrive safely at track towns and waiting for me in prepaid postbags after being mailed along the track!
Personal Reactions
Some amazing human beings out there doing it their way. Some do it fast or double E2E (Mr Happy), some do it slower (Tropical Snail), some take 1300 photos of fungi (Roc Jock), some do it heavy (The Wookie, 28kg pack with no hip belt), some nearly drown (Wookie again with pack still on), some walk handrails on their spiritual journey (Lost Dog), and some just walk barefoot the whole way (Corey).
Wildlife
Two surprises - a death adder to get the heart racing, and an echidna to also get the heart racing. Both were a first for me.
Your Best Equipment
Pacer poles, and the gear I didn’t pack.
Your Worst Equipment
The windproof/waterproof matches that didn’t light.
Advice for Others
Travel light and look after the feet. Support the track towns by staying a night or two, and dining locally. Hike your own hike, always.