Camp west of the crossing between Radujavri and Miesakjavri
Woke up just after 6 from the sound of raindrops on the tent, didn’t even bother to look outside, just turned around and slept for another 1.5h or so. I had a strange night, slept pretty well yet woke up more times than I can say. For no good reason at all…Anyway, the rain stopped after a few showers and just after 10:30 I had everything packed nice and dry and could start today’s hike. And, for the first time this tour, I could fit everything except the tent inside my backpack. So even if it’s still pretty heavy, there’s certainly changes happening!
The hike itself went really well and I completed the 15km (just under 10miles) in about four hours, way faster than I had anticipated. Quite a few years ago I hiked the same stretch from the other direction together with a friend. We left the trail to check if it was possible to cross the water west of, it turned out it was too dangerous. Yet we never got back onto the trail and literally had to fight our way through the bushes for hours. So, I learned my lesson back then and took care to stay on the trail. That said there are a few places along the way where it’s pretty easy to lose track of the trail. One spot is on the hill when approaching the lakes, another one right after a river crossing with several streams to cross.
Just make sure You get back on the trail before continuing, there are stone markers so just look until You find one. The alternative of moving forward through the bushes without a trail to follow is pure punishment, believe me! About halfway up the valley it was clear that I would be much faster than planned and I thought about going farther, yet then decided to make camp as planned right after the crossing north of Radujavri.
Mostly because I really like the spot and at the same time give my body some well-deserved rest. Though when passing the crossing I, for the first time ever, slipped seriously on a rock and got my left ankle caught between two rocks. Leaving me not only with quite a bruise on the inside of my ankle but also with some stuff getting wet.
Worst was water splashing into my boots that were hanging around my shoulders. Thankfully there’s been a strong wind blowing all day and most of the stuff, like socks and underwear, should be dry after a few hours. The boots and insole might take longer yet it will not be an issue. The whole incident, though, is a great reminder of how easily an accident can happen, regardless of how many times one has gone through the moves and how proficient one has become. Sometimes it’s just necessary to know what to do when things go wrong. So, I found a spot, hung my clothes to dry, put the boots in the wind, made camp and got myself into the sleeping bag to warm up. Some tea and later an early dinner helped me get back to par and I look forward to spending the night here once more. Hopefully, I’ll enjoy some undisturbed sleep tonight and be ready for the days ahead!
