Wednesday 5 September: to Zasavska Koca na Prehodavcih

We hear early birds leaving at about 4am with the intent of seeing the sunrise from the top of Triglav. Their ascent is thwarted by snow showers we gather so perhaps the forecast is not so good after all. Thank goodness we made our ascent yesterday. The outside en suite WC which is now over flowing looks splendid bathed in morning sunlight. It is not so splendid inside. Breakfast of fried egg and white bread. Today the helicopter brings supplies to the huts and takes away the debris. We watch the impressive and skilful display. We’re on the road by 8.45 and the weather is dry with clouds and some blue sky. We make our way down and around hugging the cliffs and there are some more cables and metal pegs. I feel like a pro now. We stop for a fruit tea at Dom Dolic before another long ascent up a col. The landscape is almost lunar now with grey white limestone cliffs and boulders to negotiate underfoot. It is hard going and progress feels slow. We reach the top of a green valley going steeply down before up again to our Dom for the night. We manage to eat lunch outside and enjoy bean soup and coffee and local apple and coconut cake. We rest outside in the afternoon. The location is stunning with 360 degree panoramic views. The main dormitory is full tonight so we are in the winter room which looks less exotic than it sounds. We will not be alone tonight. Purple gentian and yellow anemones seem in abundance and we while away the hours reading and admiring the view as the crowds of fellow guests begin to gather. At 6pm they open the Winter Room which houses 24 people in 2 serried rows one on top of the other. Luckily we are both on the top row and at the end. We eat supper in the overcrowded dining room: pasta and meat with some red wine. Probably the best food we’ve had so far. We chat with a Slovenian girl who works in the campsite in Bohinj and a man from the Czech Republic. It takes us a while to get to sleep as there is quite a bit of coming and going. However I am pleasantly surprised about how well I sleep. This is a first.