Climbing and camping

Hello!

Had a lovely weekend camping and climbing in the Blue Mountains. Went there back in the winter last year, its only about 1-2 hours drive from Sydney. This time it was a lot warmer, and we had perfect weather all weekend. There were 5 of us altogether in the end. We've been indoor climbing for a while - me just for a few weeks and a couple of times back in Brum, and decided it was time to get out in great outdoors. One of our group knew an instructor so he helped us with knots and supplying vitals like 'binas and ropes, harnesses and crippling shoes.

Arrived on the Saturday and went for a walk to the "Red Hand Caves", where Aboriginees about 1600 years ago left their hand prints on the walls of some small caves. Very pretty. But I was even more impressed by the kangaroos in our campsite! They were just lounging around, eating grass, fighting with each other, not worried in the slightest that we were invading their space.

Had a BBQ in the evening, and got quite overenthusiastic in throwing the wood on the fire, so it was burnt sausages and bacon all round yum. Then I learnt how to play Texas Hold 'Em poker and was doing quite well until I lost all my chips...

Then on Sunday, after a slightly chilly night where I dreamt I was flying on a sheet of ice over the ocean, we managed to get ourselves up and pack the tents early. Our instructor, Colin, was actually originally from Solihull! But he'd been living here since a child. Coz we were all relatively new to climbing, and pretty much complete beginners in outdoor climbing, he took us up the "easy" routes. Easy they were not! My fingers still have skin hanging off them and my knees look like I've been kneeling in fried beetroot juice (they're bruised and battered, ok! yes I know that was crap but I'm trying to be more literary). I think they were graded as 14, 15 and 22, whatever that means to climbers. He did concede that probably some of the routes had changed by handhold being knocked off and worn away over the years. Part of one of the routes was an overhang! I just wasn't strong enough. I also got really nervous, as Colin kept telling us about people who'd lost limbs and been dropped from great heights. Being outside seems a lot more real than climbing indoors. Especially when there are no cushions on the ground to ease your fall. Only more rock. And then there are lizards and spiders and probably scorpions and crocodiles hiding in all the nooks and crannies that you're supposed to put your hands in and cling on to with one finger. So by the end of the day the adrenalin had got to me and I was knackered.

It was a great weekend though - hopefully will get to do it again soon!

Pic of us round the barbie: Me, Allan (Oz/Hong Kong), Sebastien (Oz/France), Juanita (Oz) and Jessica (US).

Last pic is of me being helped up the "easiest" climb of the day by Colin!