Card games, candles, Germans and Dutch men (Part Two)

Rue and I arrived, drenched, at the Port Williams Hut. Situated a stone's thow from the beach, it's a sweet, snug building. One room with bunks, another as the general gathering area. A small house is attatched to the building for the warden (who was there for the weekend with his wife and two teen children). Because we were already wet and we were only the second people there, Rue suggested we go on a "nature walk," in short, more mud. There were tiny signs identifying different foliage and we had a blast just being out in the rain and getting muddy.Back at the hut we changed into dry clothes and hung everything wet on the drying rack above the fireplace. There were two picnic tables and five benches in the room along with two sinks and lots of counter space. The available water is all collected rain, so it was fairly unlimited. The one tramper that had made it before us was Bas, a 23yr old man from Holland who we quickly made friends with. He taught us a card game as more trampers began to arrive. That evening every bunk, plus the spaces where there were no mattresses, was full. Three Germans, Mattias, Anna and Markus, arrived also. Markus started playing cards with Rue, Bas and I so the four of us got to spend some time having fun. The rain came down all night and we stayed near the stove, playing cards, melting candles and singing until late. There is no electricity in the huts, and only one stove, so you generally stay wherever the candles, headlamps and stove are :o)Bas and Markus hit the trails with Rue and I for the next two days. The second day of tramping was the most physically challenging for me. Although there was a lot of boardwalk that had been laid, we were, in essence, climbing up and down stairs for 5 hours. But there was no rain and North Arm hut's location was worth it. The hut itself was a better arrangement than Port Williams', and a breathtaking view of the water was 20 steps away from the front door.