No - this is nothing to do with that crap TV show. This is my last update for the trip - because I'm now home!
After a week in Scotland, I made my way down to Sheffield, and stayed a few nights with Mike, whom I'd met and climbed with in the French Alpes. We were also joined by Aidan, another friend I'd met and climbed with over there. Our first day there we headed out to Stanage Edge, probably the most famous of all the famous gritstone crags. The way to put any Brit down about these crags is to remind them that they're only 10m high - but it could be said that these crags were the birth place of rock climbing as we know it.
The climbing was brilliant. Really the rock is just a hardened, more compact, higher friction form of sandstone. Lots of friction, lots of delectable cracks (good for stuffing full of metallurgy, as well as limbs). After a night of Indian and some real ales, Aidan and I headed out to Froggat the next day. Another great day, perfect weather, and some more demanding lines than the day previous. I climbed my first HVS, then to end the day another HVS called Valkyrie. Given the length of the climb, it packed a lot of punch - an all in jamb crack starting with big hands going to good ones (non-climbers may get a little confused here - sorry), a hand traverse into the most cramped belay ever, then up and around an arete on slopers before a big sloping mantle to finish. I felt pretty chuffed - and quickly humbled by the fact that Joe Brown had made the first ascent of the route in 1949.
Next stop was Brighton, where I stayed a couple of nights with Gareth and Bec, some friends from Australia. We spent a sunny Saturday visiting a medieval castle, eating steak and ale pies, then heading to the coast to see the chalk cliffs. Truly out of this world - the sight was just stunning, rolling green hills ending in precipitous chalk cliffs, then drop 70m odd down to the sea.
A sampling of the Brighton pubs the night previous warranted a good cooked breakfast on Sunday - bring on the black pudding. I soon set about making my way to Oxford, where I crashed with some other friends from Australia, Eddie and Jo. During a week there I had a great time catching up with these good friends that I hadn't seen for over a year, seeing what I could of Oxford (a really nice 'little town' that grew on me quite quickly), and also got into London a few times, about 90mins away.
Hmmm - what can I say about London. Whoops - have I already portrayed my lack of enthusiasm? I did like London. It's got some beautiful old buildings, but its very modern as well and is by no means stuck in the past. The British Museum - completely free - was the most amazing museum I'd been in on the trip. But the sights are ridiculously expensive - I don't care WHO'S head got chopped off there, AUD$40 plus is not a fair price to pay. I have to admit though, being at the end of my trip and being there by myself probably affected my view more than anything else.
Either way, as soon as I was back in Paris, in the sun, and wandering down boulevards lined with trees (something I can't remember having seen in London) it took me all of about 2 seconds to know where I'd rather be. What a beautiful, amazing city - it's got a grand reputation and it deserves it. I spent another 2 nights there, and had a brilliant day riding around the city with Chloe from sight to sight, many of which were free on this particular weekend. Highlights included the Musee d'Orsay, riding up the Champs Elysees (a little slower than they do in Le Tour), and going up the Arc de Triomphe for a grand view of the city.
And before I knew it, I was on my way home. Via Hong Kong - where I'd decided to stop over for two nights. What a contrast! I've never spent time in any part of Asia, and after 6 months in Europe, Hong Kong was a culture shock and a half. Ugly ugly ugly - and pretty dirty too - but I soaked it all in and loved it. The first thing I noticed was all the street advertising - blocking any view between the buildings, these wire suspended signs defy gravity. A typhoon had hit the afternoon I arrived so the weather was very muggy, and windy for a time. There was respite in the multitudes of shopping centres there - but I preferred being outside as the air con everywhere was bloody freezing - my least favourite thing about Hong Kong.
The food - was brilliant. I could have spent so much longer there, and eaten so much more. There is so much variety, and it's so cheap (well - compared to Europe and Australia - maybe not to SE Asia!). My last night there I picked a place that had no English written on the menu, spent about 5 minutes trying to convey I wanted duck and rice, then eventually got it - with soup and green tea, for around AUD$3. The waiter wasn't too happy - "You cause problem! Much problem! Always problems!". One chap that probably wasn't sad to see the British pull out - but there are still plenty of expats around.
And now I'm back home. It feels really good. After having spent so much time in France, I think I really fell for the place and I get a warm fuzzy feeling every time I think about it, but nowhere near enough to make me wish I was back - I love it here. Tomorrow however, I fly up to Mount Isa for 3 weeks of work - after only 3 nights at home. I wish I could relax a bit more and wind down - I haven't even caught up with anyone but the family since being back - but the funds are running low after 9 months off work, and I need to make what I can to pay for the next trip. I'll be leaving these shores again after Christmas for a month in Antarctica then 2 in South America.
After a week in Scotland, I made my way down to Sheffield, and stayed a few nights with Mike, whom I'd met and climbed with in the French Alpes. We were also joined by Aidan, another friend I'd met and climbed with over there. Our first day there we headed out to Stanage Edge, probably the most famous of all the famous gritstone crags. The way to put any Brit down about these crags is to remind them that they're only 10m high - but it could be said that these crags were the birth place of rock climbing as we know it.
The climbing was brilliant. Really the rock is just a hardened, more compact, higher friction form of sandstone. Lots of friction, lots of delectable cracks (good for stuffing full of metallurgy, as well as limbs). After a night of Indian and some real ales, Aidan and I headed out to Froggat the next day. Another great day, perfect weather, and some more demanding lines than the day previous. I climbed my first HVS, then to end the day another HVS called Valkyrie. Given the length of the climb, it packed a lot of punch - an all in jamb crack starting with big hands going to good ones (non-climbers may get a little confused here - sorry), a hand traverse into the most cramped belay ever, then up and around an arete on slopers before a big sloping mantle to finish. I felt pretty chuffed - and quickly humbled by the fact that Joe Brown had made the first ascent of the route in 1949.
Next stop was Brighton, where I stayed a couple of nights with Gareth and Bec, some friends from Australia. We spent a sunny Saturday visiting a medieval castle, eating steak and ale pies, then heading to the coast to see the chalk cliffs. Truly out of this world - the sight was just stunning, rolling green hills ending in precipitous chalk cliffs, then drop 70m odd down to the sea.
A sampling of the Brighton pubs the night previous warranted a good cooked breakfast on Sunday - bring on the black pudding. I soon set about making my way to Oxford, where I crashed with some other friends from Australia, Eddie and Jo. During a week there I had a great time catching up with these good friends that I hadn't seen for over a year, seeing what I could of Oxford (a really nice 'little town' that grew on me quite quickly), and also got into London a few times, about 90mins away.
Hmmm - what can I say about London. Whoops - have I already portrayed my lack of enthusiasm? I did like London. It's got some beautiful old buildings, but its very modern as well and is by no means stuck in the past. The British Museum - completely free - was the most amazing museum I'd been in on the trip. But the sights are ridiculously expensive - I don't care WHO'S head got chopped off there, AUD$40 plus is not a fair price to pay. I have to admit though, being at the end of my trip and being there by myself probably affected my view more than anything else.
Either way, as soon as I was back in Paris, in the sun, and wandering down boulevards lined with trees (something I can't remember having seen in London) it took me all of about 2 seconds to know where I'd rather be. What a beautiful, amazing city - it's got a grand reputation and it deserves it. I spent another 2 nights there, and had a brilliant day riding around the city with Chloe from sight to sight, many of which were free on this particular weekend. Highlights included the Musee d'Orsay, riding up the Champs Elysees (a little slower than they do in Le Tour), and going up the Arc de Triomphe for a grand view of the city.
And before I knew it, I was on my way home. Via Hong Kong - where I'd decided to stop over for two nights. What a contrast! I've never spent time in any part of Asia, and after 6 months in Europe, Hong Kong was a culture shock and a half. Ugly ugly ugly - and pretty dirty too - but I soaked it all in and loved it. The first thing I noticed was all the street advertising - blocking any view between the buildings, these wire suspended signs defy gravity. A typhoon had hit the afternoon I arrived so the weather was very muggy, and windy for a time. There was respite in the multitudes of shopping centres there - but I preferred being outside as the air con everywhere was bloody freezing - my least favourite thing about Hong Kong.
The food - was brilliant. I could have spent so much longer there, and eaten so much more. There is so much variety, and it's so cheap (well - compared to Europe and Australia - maybe not to SE Asia!). My last night there I picked a place that had no English written on the menu, spent about 5 minutes trying to convey I wanted duck and rice, then eventually got it - with soup and green tea, for around AUD$3. The waiter wasn't too happy - "You cause problem! Much problem! Always problems!". One chap that probably wasn't sad to see the British pull out - but there are still plenty of expats around.
And now I'm back home. It feels really good. After having spent so much time in France, I think I really fell for the place and I get a warm fuzzy feeling every time I think about it, but nowhere near enough to make me wish I was back - I love it here. Tomorrow however, I fly up to Mount Isa for 3 weeks of work - after only 3 nights at home. I wish I could relax a bit more and wind down - I haven't even caught up with anyone but the family since being back - but the funds are running low after 9 months off work, and I need to make what I can to pay for the next trip. I'll be leaving these shores again after Christmas for a month in Antarctica then 2 in South America.
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