Frost

It's a land of extremes. I knew early on last night it was going to be cold because I was putting more clothes on well before dawn and rapidly running out of them.

I even put on my overtrousers and big mountain shell jacket and got back in my sleeping bag. Those 400+ grams of weight I saved?! I'd give my eye teeth to have carried it now.

I emerge at dawn, looking the Mitchellan Man Woman. On the upside the light it stunning as I watch middle earth wake. We're slow to get going, there is reluctance to appear until the sun is at least visible. Fair enough.

I amuse myself by knocking ice off my tent fly and wondering if I bend my frozen socks will they break? (I'm wearing the warm dry ones).

Once the sun appears the temperature rapidly climbs. We pay for our late start with a sweltering afternoon in the open. Anne Hut is a welcome change from tents, expect it's the Kingdom of the Bumblebee. They covered our tents hung out to dry, airing boots and gear, and us when we ventured out onto the deck.

We shared the hut with 3 young people doing the whole of the Te Ara Roa Trail. They're 3 of the best young people you could ever hope to meet. I know my life is the richer for having met them. In a few days I'll meet the parents of Rebekah, the young woman from Christchurch. I'll leave a large bag of chocolate from the factory next to work. It will fuel them for their final weeks on the trail.

Our unbelievable run of weather continues. It's tinged with sadness now, for tomorrow is our penultimate day.