Will and Cheri had gone to bed, but Mr. Moose was burning the midnight oil.  I don't sleep that much and I'm usually the last one to go to bed in the huts.  I often stay up late reading or writing in my journal, which allows me to write stories such as this one.   I usually carry candles on a track.  I know that an LED flashlight is lighter and smaller, but I find it more pleasant to read to the gentle light of a candle.  I'm usually the first one to be wake up in the morning, but I often don't get out of bed if there are other people in the hut.  The huts are usually pretty cool in the morning and I don't want to wake everyone up by eating breakfast at 6 a.m..  So I often stay in my sleeping bag, daydreaming and waiting for the rest of the world to start stirring.

I have a Swiss friend, Nicolas, that I met on my first NZ trip.  He is quite an avid tramper and has also hiked the Dusky.  He took a picture by candlelight when he was on the track and this picture is an attempt to imitate his picture.  You can see the original here, if you like.