While we were in the relative tropics of 1 degree.....

My husband, older son and later (when the weather was better) my parents in law were in -8 degrees C!!! And loving it.   Routeburn Track in the winter. Yes I have done it like this before and it is amazing. Well done to them.

My little trouper!!!

Climbing mountains

Being united on Key Summit. Thrilled to bits

Very cold at the start

Walking up together for the first bit

One of the huge bonuses of going on an Autumn holiday was completely unforeseen. I walked heaps and the most amazing gift of the whole holiday for me was being able to walk for much longer periods of time, with a mountain top experience.

I climbed Key Summit. I did it in quicker time than the DOC sign though not as quickly as I used to. When I got to the top I just could not stop smiling. The boys and Aaron were so surprised and it was fantastic to be on the top of a mountain as a family.

The weather was clear but cold. The cold really really helped me. My heart is so poked that I cannot walk and get hot or puff. I have not been able to go uphil for a long time. But because it was cold my blood vessels stayed restricted which helped to alleviate some symptoms.

I started the walk intended to just do the first 10-15 minutes with the guys until I had to start puffing. So then I stopped and they went on. I was heading to the car to do some knitting. But I was feeling OK and not puffing or anything after the break, so I went to the next corner, then the next, then I stopped, then went to the next. All of this was very slowly plodding like a tortoise. Then I saw the view, then got excited and thought I would make the Key Summit turn off and wait for the boys.

I hit the turn off to find a highly upgraded track from what it used to be, I still was not puffing so I kept going.  I now want to live back down there. I loved it. I loved being able to be out in the bush and walking again. I loved that mountain top experience. I thought I would never have it again. I still smile when I think about it.

The boys at the turnoff to Key Summit

Getting cold again walking down

All of us at the top

They ran to me when they saw me arriving at Key Summit