Today was hard. It's nice to be back in the bush, but the only thing I managed to keep down for 24 hours was half an avocado and a rice cracker. Not the best energy for the 900m climb. I'm actually a bit glad I didn't read the trail notes as thoroughly as I should have because I set out with the positive attitude of someone thinking they are in for an easy day - only a 4.5 hour hike. Oscar might have had the right idea, opting out of doing the entire trail.
Feeling rather sorry for myself and with no TV, internet, people, food, etc to distract me from such thoughts, I began morosely considering the pointlessness of my own existence. While I knew I was being melodramatic, it took me most of the day to convince myself otherwise. I have decided that the current purpose of my life is to witness beauty. I'll work out the rest later.
I did make it to the hut eventually, despite my inclination to just give up and just pitch the tent on the nonexistent flat ground. There was a fellow at Starveall Hut who, after I responded to comments on the size of my pack for the umpteenth time and explained that my fiddle makes my pack look huge, turned out to be an irish musician. He even recognized Gray Larson's name when I described the Btown sessions, which made me feel like my hometown was on the map in some way. He also asked me to play a few sets. When I looked up from being engrossed in a tune, I had been suddenly surrounded by a dozen-odd people in the bushes filming me on their cameras phones. I feel quite awkward performing like that and would much rather be in a session or play for dancers, but they all seemed very happy and appreciative, so it's all good.
Bethany said she was really mad at them for asking me to perform while knowing I was sick and that the people telling me to turn toward them for better videoing made her super grumpy. (I didn't actually hear them.) Apparently Banjo man came in to talk to me after I had (basically immediately) fallen asleep and she glared at him till he went away. Haha, Friendship.