We slept well and it’s great to use a drop toilet in the morning.
Davinchi set off first then I followed him  the others two were not far behind us .It was going to be a morning of climbing . Davinchi was moving and because it was up I couldn’t catch him. Higher and higher I climbed puffing as I normally do. The trail was steep narrow and slippy and just for fun it was a long way down. The others soon caught me  .break soon as I need to take my jacket off .Smokes stopped at the saddle to check his boots and I was going to take my jacket off but it was cold up here do it will be the next stop. Over the saddle there was more snow Smokes and nobodies friend seemed to power through the drifts but as my shoes had little grip I Was slow but caught up once across. The trail was also very wet due to the snow melts so I was hopping over stream after stream then I lost sight of nobody’s friend. Bugger and it was so snowy I couldn’t see the trail. Ah there it goes down there. I carefully walked down as it was so slippy. But then no footprints no sign of either of them.  Footprints I followed them into the valley till they stopped. I’m lost I get out my GPS. Bugger I’m miles off .I head diagonally where I think the trail is but I’m worse off bugger so now I’m making a mess of this and decide to go back diagonally the other way
At last the trail or bits of it but OMG it’s goes down a steep valley and it’s just snow. Too steep and dangerous to glissade down so I begin to walk very very slowly .but it’s exhausting it takes me about an hr and I’m so not and bruised by the time I am down

As I posthole a lot of times .I take a 10 minute break take off my jacket then try to find the trail again but the ground is soft mud and I’m sinking up to my ankles. Shit at last I manage to find the trail my mates are long gone and I’ll never catch them .perhaps I’ll find them at camp. But I felt good the terrain was level and so I our on extra speed not bothering to step across creek s I just ploughed on through them. The miles were whizzing by until it was time to climb and the sun was getting hot. Okay break .I sat under the shade of a tree. And relaxed. While there Rufiji came strolling past .good to see you. See you up the trail. I walked on  singing to myself and enjoying the trail as I rounded a corner…The guys were there and Da vinchi wow guys didn’t think I’d see you guys to later.
After chilling we set off but I was tired maybe my earlier pace was too fast.
But I managed to keep them in sight. The afternoon was all about fording streams .large ones deep ones we crossed by trees others we had to wade across. .Da vinchi wanted to go fishing so he went back a different root. We were trying to get to small lake. As the day wore on the Mosquitoes got worse especially when you crossed water. They just swarmed over you so much so that it seemed safer to jump in. Come on camp. After the last river crossing I had had enough of the mosquitos so charged up the next hill till I heard “Snail” phew tents…Smokes & nobodies friend. .I put up my tent wearing my bug net .but they seemed to leave me alone while I cooked