Thursday morning our Active New Zealand guides, Claire & Callum, turned us over to Milford Track Guided Walks folks. We left by bus for Te Anau where a group photo was taken. We stopped along the way for the best ice cream I've had in a long time, "Gold Rush" was particularly good. After the photo we left for Lake Te Anau, taking the ferry to the jetty at Glade House and an overnight stay before beginning the first leg of the Milford Track from Glade House to Pompolona Lodge.

Hiking groups leave Te Anau every day for the Track. As we posed a bus arrived with the latest group to finish. Brian, to be our lead guide and with whom I'd spend much more time than expected on day three, left them just in time to join our picture (lying down, front left.)

As they exited some hikers smiled and waved. Others grimaced as they hobbled off the bus making slicing motions with their hands across their necks. What had we gotten ourselves into?