Day 11: Whites River Hut to Guthega Power Station and Thredbo 8/12/19

What a fantastic place to camp! It was so lovely hearing only the river throughout the night. I was toasty warm in my sleeping bag (I had my extra puffer jacket around my legs) and when the sun hit my tent in the morning it was like I’d turned on a heater in there. Such a nice way to get dressed instead of braving it through the teeth chattering cold! This morning I talked myself out of continuing the way I intended up and over The Rolling Ground to Blue Lake and Kosciuszko beyond. My app I’ve been using to check I’m on the right trail wasn’t working properly and l was concerned without it I’d get lost on the way to the marked track. So I made the heartbreaking call to follow the path to Guthega Power Station where Jub would pick me up. I’d then do the main range walking track and climb Kosciuszko from Thredbo over the next couple of days. I started off along Schlink Trail. Soon after one of the lovely boys from my campsite came running down the trail after me. I thought I must have forgotten something but no, he was just going for a run! He was the guy who’d been awake at 6am, had packed everything up, chopped fire wood – all while waiting for his mates to wake up.  Soon I turned off onto Disappointment Spur Trail – oh how apt as I was feeling really gutted with myself for not going off track over The Rolling Ground. It was a lovely trail and had l not known about the other option I’d forgone, I’d have been totally happy.Disappointment Spur Hut was a cute little thing right on the path.Along the trail there were wheel ruts with shallow pools of water. Every pool was filled with tadpoles. Super opportunistic frogs. I hope they turn into frogs before the water dries up or a management vehicle drives through them!As l walked along the gentle downhill track, I soon began to think of the benefits of my decision. Here they are in the order they dawned on me:I got to the end of Disappointment Spur Trail to find no bridge across Munyang River. The river was down a steep ravine l had to climb down with my heavy pack. It was wide and rocky but no rocks I could walk across. It was flowing pretty fast and because I’m still a beginner, I wasn’t sure about it. I climbed back up the hill and looked further upstream and down for somewhere to cross. In the end, I told myself to just get on with it, climbed back down, changed my shoes and crossed. It was totally fine. Another learning for me about which crossings are fine!The hydro power station is massive! So impressive it was built in the 60s. Jub met me there and we went for lunch in Jindabyne.We stayed the night at Jub’s sister’s lodge – oh so amazing. Best shower ever! Thank you Caroline and Mike. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Their lodge is right in Thredbo and such a lovely place. I feel so grateful to have been able to stay there for a rest. Jubble did some washing for me and we went out for a drink and pizza. I’d realised when I was having a shower that my hands felt like someone else’s! They’re super dry and don’t feel like my own. They definitely don’t look like my own either. Whose hands are these???We were home to bed early. I was exhausted! It was amazing how great l felt at the end of the day though. Having had a late start to the day (9:30 before I left camp) and only walking 8kms before finishing at lunch time and relaxing after that, by the end of the day I felt as though I’d had a rest day!