Sunrise Hike

We had a new flatmate move in a few days ago and it has been a sort of 3 day drinking bender here at the house. So last night to mix it up a bit I went to a university party for drinks. 2 dollar beers!

It was some sort of BBQ for geography students, if you call a skinny sausage in a thin piece of bread with ketchup a BBQ. Sorry, tomato sauce here in Oz. They play a game similar to Flip-Cup here called motor boat which is pretty fun. You line up like flip cup, racing a team, but the difference is that after you chug a full beer before you pass on to the next teamate you put your cup upside down on your head. The idea being that if you have drunk your whole drink you shouldn't get beer on your head. This sort of works, but not really. Long story short I am pretty sure the geography department thinks Im a geography student now.

I met up with Venita and Naemi there who told me that they were going to go for a hike with a bushwalking group somewhere at 4am the next day. Had I known this before drinking I probably wouldn't have gone, but it's amazing what beer and girls will get you to do. So after the party Naemi and I went to another bar which is in a house. Its weird, the bar is in the kitchen and you can sit in the living room and bedrooms and stuff. There I met a whole bunch of Canadians living down here and learned that Skinks can store their sperm for up to 8 months. Who'd have known right?

By this time Naemi and I figured we should head home if we were going to go hiking so we split up. While having a wee at a public toilet some harry potter looking guy claiming to be a philosopher spent about half an hour trying to convince me that I should join this guerilla dance movement which he just thought up and claimed that all other art is boring. I wish I had a video of him "pushing the cosmos" for you all to see. After that debacle I went home, had one last beer with the flatmates and nodded off around midnight.

This is beautiful Mt. Wellington at 4am. I should back up, I didn't know we were going up Mt. wellington, otherwise I would have probably drinked and smoked A LOT less the night before. I think I was expecting a lovely tromp through a wooden glen which somehow involved a sunrise, not climbing a 1200 meter mountain known for its unpredictable weather. The fact that I was able to show up despite only 3 hours of sleep was a good sign at least.

This is a bad photo, but take note of the pitch blackness, the rocky ground and the headlamps. I didn't have a headlamp. I had an Ipod. Stop me if you think this is a bad idea.

This is Hobart ONLY half way up Mt. Wellington. There is nothing I want more at this point then 8 hours of sleep.

A bit further up, a bit more light showing. By now I smell of beer because I am sweating it all out.

The end is near! And holy cow is it windy up at the top, probably one of the top 3 windiest places I have ever been to. When you jump the wind pushes you back like 2 feet.

Some epic wind shots. They've got this pyramid dealy/weather vane to hold onto at the summit so you dont blow down the hill.

Despite a faint haze of clouds on the horizon blocking the sun we have a pretty sunrise, something I haven't seen in... ever. who gets up this early?

Naemi, Venita and sunrise.

Some of the wind burnt crew taking shelter.

Very bizarre rock formations at another peak.

There he is, Mr. Golden Sun.

This gives you a good idea on how high up we walked.

Mother nature conquered again!

you can see my house from here

And back at the car park, where we can actually see the mountain this time. Well that was the trip, followed by pancake breakfast and for fun a 45 minute walk home.

Despite being pretty dusty this moring it was an awesome trip and Im glad I did it. Back in Kamloops, had someone at 9pm at a party suggest I go hike up a mountain in 7 hours I would have laughed at them.

It was only made better by the awesome people of the Bushwalking Club who made a groggy day a whole lot of fun, which is why I am officially a member now, so more hikes to come! Hopefully not so early next time, with a bit more notice and less drinking on my part.

And to mom if you're reading this: I haven't been ignoring you, just been busy, but I will Skype you soon.