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Rescu,e in the

Far from being a novice hiker, LauraWatersnever expectedi'a'six-day hike in NZ's

South Island would end with ajoyride in a rescue

; helicopter

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expected the traii would soon settle downand I could simply walk ir.

OUT OFTHE FRYING PANThe trail didn't improve. Not long after, Isat the top of a five-metre flank of slopingrock looking down at the next trail markerbelow - a tricky obstacle, but at least I wasgoing down lt rather than up. Just onechallenge to get past and then I can resumeon the trail, I thought. I turned to face therock and carefully lowered myself downusing the tree roots that lay against it likeabseiling ropes, stretching out my legs forsmall toe holds and keeping my right armtucked in close against my body.

Further on, a landslide had washed awaythe path. I inched my way across a sizeableslip towards the next trail marker only torealise that the lip I needed to crest at thefar side was chest high. Somehow Imanaged to haul myself over it. Half anhour later the trail broke alra; 1et again ina slick of loose grey dirt falling to theraging river far below. I skirted the steepland above it, clutchlng onto armfuls ofbush and branches to reloln the trail on theother side.

I kept expecting'normal' trail to returnbut it didn't.The area had been hit bylandslides, turning an already challengingtrail into a very dangerous one, but by thenI was alreadl [oo lar in. ReLracing m) slepswas not an option.

Five hours later, I reachedTopToarohaHut and dropped my pack .just as ahelicopter flew over the valley so 1ow Icould see the pilot's face. It had beenb:uzzirrg overhead numerous times in theprevious few days, most likely doing sometrail works for the Department ofConservation. Suddenly I had anoverwhelming urge to be in it and fly outof there. The terrain was too gnarly and Iwasr't in any fit state to tackle it, but by thetime my shock addled brain had thoughtthrough the extent of my predicament thehelicopter was gone.

Late in the day, two Kiwi hikers ioinedme, weary liom covering the same route.One of them had hiked the area yearsearlier and he painted a grim picture of theway ahead. "There are a few tough bits inthe next section - big steps you need topuI1 yourself up. And then when you reachthe river on the other side in a few daystime there's a bit of boulder scrambling. It'snot real easy to see where the trail goeseither." His face was doubtful. "I've got a

PLB," he offered.I had my own, but I'd been resisting

activating it, cognisant of the many peoplewho would be mobilised into action tosearch for me, and my family at home who

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would worry. The situation didn't seemworthy of rallylng the troops. I was okay,not in any immediate danger; I was simplystranded. Also, I lelt it would look bad onm) report card. I nould be using upvaluable'rescue polnts' on something thatto me didn't seem like a genuine disaster.

Were it any normal trail, i could simplywalk out, but tramping here was a fullbody sport. I was caught between manyrocks and hard places. If I rested for a fewdays and then attempted to continue on Iwould start to run out of food at the tailend of my planned route. Not only that,but I could get myself in more trouble andend up in a place where help couldn'treach me.

I finally decided I should not attempt towalk out. if the helicopter flew overheadagain in the following day or two, I wouldflag it down, allowing me an exit withoutunduly worrying anyone.

THE RESCUEAnd so I waited, sitting with my pack ina clearing near the hut on the edge of theriver. The imposing dark mountains thattrapped me appeared and disappeared inthe sun, fog and drizzle. I read, slept, and

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