Jan 31 morning

Rain! Hívuítoví damn Yourself, why today? The one day we're going to walk outside for hours with no other options, You rain! Nyargh. ... We left the car at the B&B. One of the owners drove us the kilometer to the dock. He said it usually clears up by 8 or 9...

The water taxi across was quick and fun and bouncy.

(Chunlin's photo above)

Cold & wet, here we are. Luxmore Hut. Clothes drying by the wood stove, water on the gas stove. I'm sitting with a corner view of the rain howling up the open hillside at the hut. Big place. Poorly heated. Chunlin stood by the fireplace as the water heated. Now she's joined me, sipping the hot water with a spoon. ... Only twenty people here -- all but us stayed here last night, I believe, and are just too afraid to go out into the gale. The hill up wasn't too bad, what with the rain to keep us moving. Only 2:25 to get up the hill. 5 miles, 3000' gain.

Sitting by the stove. Chunlin shows off her experience with coal stoves. Much larger than here, growing up, she says. The rain is quieter now. People are leaving, heading for their next destination. Maybe it'll clear up before the day is out. Plenty of daylight left.