Yesterday morning Son and R walked around the Mt. Dear Daughter in Law indulged me and went up the Mt. with me.( she can do it easily ) It is probably 10 years since I had done that climb and found it really hard going. Several times I had to stop for a rest I am ashamed to tell. BUT I got there. It took 50 minutes up and 20 down. It was an amazingly clear blue sky and already hot by 9.30.
This shows other climbers looking out at the view. 3 cruise ships in the harbour below.
For those of you unfamiliar with Mount Maunganui ( Maori name Mauao )( 761 ft or 232 metres high )there is an old dormant volcanic cone at the end of a narrow strip of land and has ocean sea on one side ( top left in photo ) and inner harbour port on the right.
I thought I was quite a good walker, but up steep steps I struggled. Probably we should have taken the longer road track which is further but less steep just an incline all the way.( Council vehicles, ambulances etc. use it )
Fortunately my knees were okay coming down the steps and I didn't slip. Other young fit people running full tilt dowwwwwwwwnward past me was the scariest part.
There were all shapes and sizes and ages doing the climb. One dad had a babe in a backpack. Well done that man. Lots of locals do that climb every day. Some really fit folk run up.
From now on my exercising will include more climbing.
