Alone again, I set off to traverse Australia's highest country, the Snowy Mountains and the Aussie 'Haute Route' from Thredbo to Kiandra. I made a late afternoon ski up the piste and across the range, in the evening light, to Charlotte Pass, Australia's highest village. Here I had my first rest day for three weeks. From Charlotte Pass I headed off across the range in a mix of glorious sun and bucketing rain, frozen camps and draughty huts, and wombats scratching the snow for a meagre feed. I was so tired one night, I cared little that the resident hut rat was feasting on my boots.