NZ Hike Day 7: Welcome to the Welcome Flat!

As we neared the 4pm park we came upon the sign you see to your left. After hiking for 7 hours it was a simply delicious sign that we could not but help laugh at. We were almost there. Hotpools awaited us as well as a hut with fresh water and mattresses.

A quick word on the hut we were going to. The Welcome Flat hut sits in between the no frills-roof-over-your-head hut and the Great-Walk-Oooh-We-Have-Electricity-and-Flushing-toilets huts. It probably leans more toward the Great Walk huts in that it is maintained by the DOC and is a good size. It does have long drop toilets and no electricity. BTW - it's unnatural how easily your body reverts to following the available daylight when artificial light sources are no longer available. Be it at a hut or camping, everyone was in bed and sound asleep by 9-10pm.