Clairesj's Travel Blog - Clairesj

the finale of an awesome adventure

Clairesj — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

New Years was good fun. we went to an expensive restaurant (well compared to the trip- i paid 10 pounds for a meal!) which was called a tapas bar but didnt seem to do any tapas! i had nice spagghetti meat balls though! we then went to an Irish bar thaqt played really bad music, until just before midnight when we went outside. there was a vague countdown then the bar produced a big box of fireworks that they put in the middle of the road with a quick warning of 'fire, move back'. the fireworks were pretty good- especially at the end when they exploded outwards towards us, only a few metres away and i thought i was gonig to get hit! we then moved down the road to see some bigger fireworks at a distance.
the final day was spent meandering around the area and packing. in the evening we went and saw Avator but not 3D as that was sold out. it was still good though.
the following day i said goodbye to everyone as they left for BiRT and to the next campsite. it was sad when i started thinking if i would see some of the group again. but i have found out from old hotrockers that there is no escaping fellow hotrockers, because you will bump into them back in England or in various countries when you least expect it! there are always more climbing trips planned- amazing trad climbing in Jordon, sun-drenched sport climbing in Kalymnos or a boldering festival in Holland, and thats just for this year!
so i put on a barve face as the hotrockers left the hotel and me behind. i then gathered by stuff and went to find a taxi. the taxi took me straight to the skybus, which then took me to the airport fairly stress free. the next worry was when i had to check my bags in- would they be within the 30kg allowance i had bought? they came up as 33.5kg so i held my breath waiting for the check-in lady to notice. luckily she seemed to overlook it and i walked away with the ticket relieved.
the flight was 14 hours and had no TVs on the plane- it was one long journey! i did get the window seat and the seat next to me was free. about 5 hours in i started to feel a bit claustrophobic as it was dark in the plane and i still had so long to go. i looked around and all i couyld see were strangers faces. it was a very strange feeling- for 8 months i havent been away from other hotrockers for a couple of hours at a time, and even then, if for example i walked around Tonsai on my own, i would bump into someone at a restaurant, sitting on the beach or at the internet. suddenly i didnt know anyone. it was bizarre!
i met my parents at Stansted airport at 10pm and was immediately met by freezing cold air and so many English accents! the drive home was great- gliding along the motorway at normal speeds!
what a great trip! im still trying to get used to being back home. it definately feels a bit strange when everything is so familiar but i hasve been away long enough that it has become unfamiliar! i drove my car yesterday which was scary to start with but i quickly remembered how to drive (few!!). some clothes shopping was very exciting and much needed, as is usibng the washing machine a novelty! and the food is great! roast dinner and lasagne, pizza, all the things ive been missing!

i dont know how to conclude such a long and diverse trip. i had my favourite climbing areas- bouldering in Chattru, in the Indian Himalayas, and sport climbing in Yangshuo, in South East China, hiking around Mount Kailash in Tibet. Laos was beautiful with rolling jungle hills, Pakistan was beautiful with huge intimidating mountains and glaciers, Tibet was unique in its endless deserts with only sand to see for miles, Thailand had idilic sandy beaches and crystal blue water. then there was the dirt, filth and poverty we discovered in India, the scary altitude sickness in Tibet, and the government supression in Kashgar, China. driving in BiRT, cook duties, truck jobs, camping under the largest amount of stars i have ever seen, getting the first shower after 10 days, eating endless rice and veg. seeing mountains and sea, climbing to an altitude of 5600m, being in freezing temperatures, to rock climbing in 46 degrees C, getting stomach bugs and skin infections, having christmas on a beach, getting a tatoo. all the Hotrockers i have lived with and shared so many adventures with, from England, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, America, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.
just to name a few!!
Im going to have stories to tell for a long time!
thanks for reading my blog, i have really enjoyed writing it.

Muesli, thermometers and fireworks

Clairesj — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

after a good finish in Tonsai- i hit my toe on a rock (it was a big rock) when walking along the beach and got a painful bruise so couldnt put it in a climbing shoe for the last couple of days! its a silly injury that stops you doing quite a lot! anyway we moved on on the 27th, getting one last muesli with fresh pineapple, mango, watermelon and banana and yogurt on top for breakfast and headed for the boat back to AoNang. feeling increadably unstable we motored back to the town and went and found BiRT. a laid back drive day took us across the border into Malaysia. although i had a brief panic when i started feeling a bit feverish about an hour before we reached the border and remembered that almost every country had taken my temperature on the border to clear us of any diseases before entering their soil. luckily Malaysia was laid back enough not to bother with any of that! few!
i was sorry to leave Thailand as the people had been friendly there but also efficient!! but i discovered Malaysians are equally friendly. we stopped close to the border in a town called Bukit Keteri where we parked near a Mosque. the climbing area was a mound of limestone on the otherside of the road and we camped in between two families houses on a small patch of grass. both families were very friendly and some members spoke good English. the kids got very excited and kept trying to talk to us without us understanding! as we arrived at about 8pm, we asked restaurant next door if they could cook us some food and they rustled up some noodles. these were good and cheap so we stuck with their cooking for our evening meals making it nice and easy for the cook dutys (if a bit spicy! apparently 'no spice' means about my limit of spicyness!). the climbing itself was fairly dirty as its not climbed that often but not bad. i wasnt able to climb much becasue of the fore mentioned temperature that seems to be some kind of stomach virus which im still fighting and not feeling quite right.
we have now moved on to Kuala Lumpur today- my last drive day on BiRT today (and last night in my tent last night). i have lugged all my bags and stuff to the hotel to try and sort into some sort of order to get to the airport on saturday! it seems like a big city and of course the most modern and expensive city we have visited on the trip. Malaysia is also the first country on the trip that uses the roman alphabet for its language, which is refreshing to see. there is also a lot of English on signs everywhere and people seem to know English so far.
New Years tonight will involve going for a meal then to a bar then hopefully to see the fireworks at KLCC. then one more day tomorrow which we want to go and see the new film Avatar in 3D if its not sold out.
finally, i will soon me flying home! i am very excited as it feels like i have been away a long time. i will have to remember how to stand still for longer than a few days though!

happy christmas

Clairesj — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Happy Christmas everyone!
i am having a strange christmas becasue it may as well not really be christmas! santa hasnt found his way to my little bamboo hut, but there is the occational bit of tinsle around and we are having a party tonight with a barbeque.
we are here for one more day then on to Malaysia and 3 days of climbing before hitting [[Malaysia/Kuala-Lumpur]] for new year.

deep water soloing

Clairesj — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

i am now getting excited about going home in 2 weeks!! however, it has still been enjoyable here. i went deep water soloing, well i didnt actually do much- it was at low tide so everything was very high and quite hard. i wasnt about to do a 6b at 15 metres! but there were a few confident/crazy guys who were happy to get up high and fall off or jump, so this was good entertainment in itself! we stopped at an island for lunch where our boat men showed us they were actually awesome climbers. they did some bouldering on the beach in bare feet and were climbing 7c problems, if not harder. then our guys tried a hard roof problem- considering Danny can climb 7bs, he made it just out of the roof, then one of the Thai guys went and campused it- he used no feet!! it was like watching a real life climbing film! we climbed on the same rock as has the route thats in First Ascent? with David Lama doing the dyno on the 8a- it looked pretty hard!
ive had a couple of bad climbing days- they have to happen occasionally! but resting today, then climbing again for the next couple of days.
we have been watching films at the local restaurant which has made a nice change. and a bit of sitting on the beach and swimming in the sea.
i have uploaded 7 photos- i had about 20 to upload but after an hour thats all that has uploaded, so they are from back in Laos im afraid. in 2 weeks i can upload lots!

fear of falling, rusty bolts, and dying flip flops

Clairesj — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The climbing in Tonsai is perhaps what i expected- good but polished and a little overhyped. when you open up the guide book and flick through all the pages, it looks like there is so many good areas, however, you then start looking at the quality of the bolts and half the climbs you want to do are now unclimbable, or at your own risk. all the rock at Tonsai has some kind of gas within it that erodes around metal. this means that when the areas were first bolted with expansion bolts, it was within a couple of years that the bolts started falling out. they would look cosmetically fine on the outside, but inside the rock they may not be touching any rock anymore. so it is an ongoing project to replace all the bolts with glue-ins or titanium bolts as these seem not to react with the rock. it does add a certain scary factor to the climbing, although the guide book tells you when everything was bolted and with what materials.
polished, shiny holds are also a problem on easier routes, so we have been trying to go to areas further away from the easily accesible to find less climbed routes. as Pete put it- the quality of climbing is better in Chiang Mai but here you have the whole package- climbing, beach, sea, and relaxed cafes.
having said all that, i have had a couple of good climbing days. yesterday was very successful because i fell off! i was leading a 6b and half way up there were a couple of horrible slopers to move up to the next clip. i wasnt far above the last bolt, and when trying to find a better hold (that wasnt there) i lost balance and fell. Danny had given me some slack for a softer fall which meant i fell 3 or so metres. it was enough to think- why am i not stopping. the last time i had taken a fall like that was when i had hit the ground, so it scared me, but off course this time i did stop. i knew it was important to finish the climb after having a decent fall, because then the fall would be no big deal, rather than something to be afraid of. i was shaking when i came down!
i should have taken a good fall a long time ago, but hopefully this will help, and my leading confidence will keep improving.
today is a rest day and im struggling to find things to do. im useless at sitting on a beach sunbathing! we had a nice buffet breakfast this morning. it is a sad day though as not only are my flip flops on their last legs, soon to be going to a better place, but i just found a big crack in the sole of my sandals. i may soon be shoe less with only a few weeks of the trip to go.

fish massage, monasteries, and beautiful beaches

Clairesj — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

the last day in Bangkok i meandered for most of it. i did get a fish massage out of curiosity! these special fish swim in a pool and you put your feet in there- they feed of dead skin and bacteria so they then come and sit on your feet and nibble your dead skin- sounds a bit weird when i write it down! it tickles especially when they go between your toes. but my feet were very soft afterwards!
we were woken up at 4.30am to leave Bangkok, some people decided to just stay up partying instead of catching a small amount of sleep! we escaped the rush hour traffic and drove 150 km north to Lopburi, a small climbing area. we camped in a Buddhist monastery which was really nice appart from the barking dogs. it was a combination of monastery dogs and stray dogs tha lked to fight over their areas. so if anyone went to the toilet in the middle of the night we would all be woken up. likewise when the gong was struck around 5am, the dogs were set off again! but to be honest, it didnt bother me too mu8ch as the campsite was nice and with a small group of 11 people, it was chilled out, especially for our cook duty. we left people in Bangkok and som people flew ahead to Tonsai.
the climbing in Lopburi was really nice- crimpy, vertical limestone. the bolts were run out- usually at least 2 metres between them- one route had a 4 metre run out in it.
3 days was enough to climb the best, then a very long drive day to Tonsai, or the mainlnd near it. from 5.30 am- 7pm, we drove with 2 toilet stops/lunch break. we stayed one night in the town with the name i cant remember, before getting the boat across to Tonsai the following morning.
the boat was a small wooden one with a huge engine mounted on the back but with a small propeller! it got us to Tonsai in half an hour and we were immediately greeted with picturesque beach and sea- golden sand, clear blue sea etc.
the first day of climbing has been good. an awesome multiptich gave us a clear view of the beaches and sea as far as we could see. i cant wait for tomorrow and more climbing!

christmas songs, smoking monks and scary haircuts!

Clairesj — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

climbing in Chaing MAi continued well, and i did a total of 40 routes there. we drove on to Bangkok in one long day. as it was the 1st December, we discovered that Rich had some christmas tunes on his ipod, so put them on in the truck and sang along to all the old classics! i cant say it felt even slightly christmassy, sitting on BiRT, watching the palm trees go past, and the sun pour in through the window! the 3 or 4 lane road with rest stops all the way made the driving pretty pleasant. Alice and i had fun watching 2 coach loads of Monks have a break at one rest stop. we were shocked to see them using an ATM, talking on their mobile, and even smoking!! monks are becoming modernised! Bangkok immediately had a feeling like london about it- 3 or 4 lane traffic, with endless traffic lights and traffic jams, with a '7 Eleven' store on every street and grand hospital and university buildings everywhere. we stopped at the main tourist street- Khao San Road, which has souvineer stalls all the way down, and hostels everywhere. we bought the local 'Pad Thai Curry' from a street stall. its tasty but not actually a curry, its not spicy, and its not rice, its more of a noodle stir fry!
we had a good night out in the city, as it was Alices,and Matts last night. i will miss Alice as she became my room mate, locker mate and climbing partner. Matt and Ed had gone ahead of hotrock for the last few weeks, and as predicted, they got into trouble- Ed got bitten on the hand by a crocodile that lived in a bar- apparently he tried to pet it between the eyes so obviously it went for him! he was lucky to get 11 stitches but has got full movement back in his hand!
yesterday a few of us went to a shopping mall across town. it was huge- 5 floors tall, with hundreds of shops and stalls and a cinema and foodcourt. i found a harddrive to copy everyones photos onto. i then found some frameless glasses for much cheaper than i could get in England. they made them with my prescription in a few hours. i also got my hair cut- which was scary! it was the quickest hair cut i have ever had, and the hairdresser brushed some of my hair, then just started cutting (or i should say hacking!). i asked for layers, and about 2 inches off. it came out a bit shorter but is actually a success!
today i decided to do all my washing (in the sink using bodywash!!) and made sure to not wash my shorts so i had something to wear. unfortunately i didnt do the same with a top, so after standing on the bed, holding up a top to the fan desperately trying to dry it out, i gave up and am currently wearing a damp top!
i have booked my flight home for 10 days before the trip actually ends, so i will be flying back from Kuala Lumpur on the 4th Jan. its exciting to have an end date for the trip. i now have one month left.

elephants, oxs and bamboo rafting

Clairesj — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

i have just ridden on an elephant! the day started with seeing the elephants and having your photo taken with them, before watching them washing in the river. i was surprisingly intimidated by them! they were so big! we then had an elephant show which was very touristy and quite cringy. the elephants did various tricks- including kicking a football into a net, painting a picture of a tree on canvus which they did well, moving logs onto a raised pile, and other things. the elephants would bow after doing any of these in time with their master. next we got an ox cart ride, which was bumpy and not very exciting! they are ugly creatures! then we got on an elephant. i sat in the basket with Yvonne; Dan and Claudia went on an elephant infront. we went along a little track through a jungle area and into the river. the elephant tipped forward down the muddy banks to get into the river, and i thought i was going to fall out! but i got used to it and it was quite good fun! i think we had a slightly rebellious elephant as it wanted to go down different tracks than the others, and at one point it raised its head in arguement so the Thai guy had to kick it behind the ears to behave!
we ate a really nice buffet, which we all got carried away with, then onto bamboo rafting down the river. this was relaxing, but the river was low so there were no rapids. we ended with a look at an orchid and butterfly farm as part of the day package, but it was disapointing as i have seen far better butterflys just sitting outside the hostel in Laos or at the crag.
back to the campsite now by taxi and 3 more days of climbing before we hit Bangkok.

boy scouts, bad leads and being locked out of my room!

Clairesj — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

one drive day to the border of Cambodia, and a sigh of relief when we got across (as we got there 2 days early and BiRT was permitted to enter and leave Cambodia on pre-decided dates) but luckily the Cambodians are laid back enough to let us through and into Thailand. we slept by the road again in Thailand before continuing another full drive day to reach Chiang Mai. we are camping about 30km outside the city, in a campsite- yes it is camping but with toilets and showers! however (because there is always a 'however'!) we were told to camp away from the nice grass,on the rocky ground instead, because the next day 300 boy scouts were arriving! and we definately noticed them! they came up to a roofed area near our tents to have an assembly. the guide used a microphone and got them all cheering. this was fine until we decided to go to bed. however it was worse when they all came back at 5am and the microphone got switched on. the whole of HotRock was woken up at that point. so people were not happy this morning!
the climbing is brilliant though. i have climbed so many routes already. the temperature here is much nicer- it is sunny but not too hot, so its possible to do 6 or more routes a day. i have done some really nice 6as and 6bs, some leads and some top ropes. i was somehow convinced to lead a 6c today, and before i had a chance to look at it and think aboutit, i got on it. i sat on the rope a fewtimes, and i got scared and backed down to the last bolt a couple of times, but i got to the top! its getting frustrating because my new habbit is to get to the next bolt, or one move from the next bolt and then realise how far below me my last bolt is. i then get scared and dont think i can hold on to clip the quickdrw when i pull up slack (and therefore can fall the furthest), so i start down climbing and then usually take a little fall onto the last bolt. whereas after i have done all that i could have just clipped the quickdraw and kept climbing! but logic doesnt work when you get worked up! im going to go back to the 6c and try to do it with less or ideally no takes. there is also a 6b i want to do the same with.
i am in Chiang Mai city tonight. i came in this evening to arrange an elephant trek for tomorrow. i then went to get a Thai massage which was really good, then lost the others who have the room key- so im stuck in the waiting area of the hostel until they come back and its 1am! luckily there is free internet!

the ruins of Angkor Wat

Clairesj — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

the next stop was Siem Reap which is home to Angkor Wat. we were told theseold ruins from about the 9th century (i think) were really impressive and needed at least 2 full days to look around them all. they cover 25 km. so we set of at 6.30 in the morning to make the most of the day, and it was expensive to get in! the first temple was very impressive, intricate carvings were still in tact, showing battles that happened and depicting religious myths. we got a tuk tuk for the day, which drove us around a standard circuit, visiting about 10 ruins. some were temples, there was a royal palace, and other buildings. to be honest, without a guide we were guessing! and unfortunately by the 4th building, they started to look the same, a collection of stones. there were so many tourists there that they took any magic away from it, and the touts were aweful, continuously trying to get us to buy drinks or clothes or scarfs. however one of the last buildings was really nice, as it was further into the trees, and had a pond infront of it. some trees were growing out of the rock in amazing positions, with their roots melting around the stones. it looked quite mystical.
we had finished by 3.30 and went back to get a late lunch at a local restaurant. a bit of shopping in the night bazarre was successful. the Cambodians are friendly people with more English than the Laos. I have also been surprised with how developed the country is, and have enjoyed our brief visit. next we are looking on to Thailand!

the shocking history of Cambodia

Clairesj — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our hostel in Phnom Penh is really nice, by the river, or i should say on the river as it is built on stilts. we headed out to the killing fields, getting a tuk tuk between 6 of us and first going to the area where there were lots of mass graves uncovered. it was shocking to see so many skulls together, especially when therewere childrens skulls amoungst them. 300 people would be brought there in a day and they would all be executed then buried in one grave. they were all innocent people, killed becasue they were educated or someone in their family was.
we then went to the school which was turned into a prison camp when Pol Pot took control of Phnom Penh. there were rooms and rooms of mug shots of the prisoners, of all ages, and some photos of dead men laid on stretchers. all this was so recent, which makes it more shocking. anyone above the age of 30 in the city, lived through the period and have probably lost friends and family becasue of it. apparently there is an age gap of Cambodians in their 30s becasue the conditions were so harsh 30 years ago, and there was so much starvation that it took women a while to recover enough after the revelution to be able to have children again. it was surprising how well Phnom Penh had recovered in a relatively short time. there was no evidence of the suffering that had existed, in fact it came across as a modern and thriving city.
two hours was enough time to look at the school before it became a bit intense. it is scary how such radicals can take over a country and empty a capital city.
to lift our moods, we went back to find a western restaurant and i had the best beef burger in a long time.

corrupt border guards, granite climbing and off-putting locals!

Clairesj — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have arrived in Cambodia! we set off from the islands in the morning and arrived at a very unofficial border! it was a tin house and a wooden barrier! the offical then charged us $2 for an exit stamp from Laos which was probably corrupt, but the Cambodians did it too on the other side of the border! it all went surprisingly smoothly and off we drove into a new country. it felt quite similar to Laos if not quite as pretty and a bit more dirty. the first night we stopped by the side of the road to camp, infront of a half built house that was relatively expensive by Cambodian standards, and had a fence around it. as we started setting tents up infront of the gates, the owner appeared, and rather than getting cross, he invited us to set our tents up inside the house (it was currently a concrete shell), then helped bring us fire wood for our cook team! it was quite a comfortable nights sleep a bit away from the road. next it was on to the climbing destination, which was in the province Kampong Cham. we camped by the road, by a poor village and right next to the rocks. the climbing area was small but a pleasant change as it was slabby, crimpy granite rather than limestone. some routes had only had anchors bolted so you had to top rope them but they were nice easy climbs. i found a 6c that i toproped, which had a boldery start, then gradually got easier as you went up. it took me quite a few goes of holding lots of different horrible crimps until i found a nice sidepull and suddenly the move felt easy. i came back to the route this morning and led it which i was pleased about.
the weather here is rediculously hot, so we ended up climbing at 6am until 10 then having breakfast and sitting around until 3 or 4 as it started to cool down. the locals surrounded us, especially the school kids, so it was noisy and a bit intense, when we were being stared at by 20 people when we were just trying to eat our lunch! we quickly ran out of routes at this crag so voted to leave the area early and come to the capital city today after a mornings climbing.
the city is not bad for a city. i went into a pharmacy today and it was actually like going into Boots! it had make-up by known brands, Olay moisturisers, hair dye, etc etc! i was not expecting to find the most Westernized shop so far on the trip in Cambodia! a small area by the river is a westerners haven with the usual hippy restaurants and bars that sell pizzas and burgers and play american music. the killing fields are on tomorrows agenda which should be interesting.

sunsets, soldiers, and a belated bonfire night

Clairesj — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

we had a beautiful bushcamp in a small village somewhere in Laos, which was very picturesque. we camped on a small part of a locals field that was about 20 mins walk from the climbing area. we were surrounded by fields and a river not too far away with water buffalo bathing in it, mountains framing the area. the stars were awesome, and so were the sunsets. the climbing however was not so hot! there was one route at 6b, a couple of scary 6cs and everything else was much harder. so i tried a 6c a few times, which was a thuggy climb with an awkward roof in it. i took the opportunity to relax and enjoy the area. there was a huge cave we found on the last day, which we think went miles into the mountain. i would have liked to swim right into it if it wasnt getting dark.
we had some nice bonfires, one we made a guy falkes as we had missed bonfire night while we were in Vientiane. Ed added some petrol and guy falkes disappeared very quickly!
we were all ready to move on after 4 days, and get back on the road. we stopped by the side of the road on the first day as it got dark and set up tents and cooked. just as a few of us started going to bed, a car pulled up and 3 guys got out telling us we shouldnt stay here- it wasnt safe. we tried to communicate with them that we were fine, but they hung around trying to persuade us to move. then another car stopped and more people were saying the same. we eventually found out that Laos is hosting the South East Asia Games soon and they were worried about bad publisity if anything happened to us. the cars went away but soon the first one came back and 2 more stopped. in the end, one man told us there were 200 soldiers around, and he sent 7 soldiers to come and stand around in the road and protect us. they had guns, and some of the unofficial men had guns- one was a machine gun. it all felt very intimidating becasue you didnt know who we could actually trust, when we were in the middle of nowhere surrounded by men with guns! i tried to sleep, then moved into the truck and slept their. it was a relief to wake up in the morning and see an awesome sunset. the soldiers left us as we woke up.
we are now in an area called 4 thousand islands, known as Si Phan Don, so yes we are currently on an island! we picked an island and got a boat across- Don Det. its small with lots of cheap guesthouses and restaurants. we sat and watched the sun set over the water last night, went to a few bars before they closed with curfew and found some other people with a bonfire on the beach. today we will do some relaxed exploring before crossing back to the mainland and on to the border to Cambodia.

beetle spirits, and capsizing!

Clairesj — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kayaking was awesome! to start at the beginning of the day- we woke up for a special breakfast at 8, put on by the owners of the hostel. they wanted to thank us for staying with them, and send us off in a traditional Laos style. this meant that they cooked us a rice pudding type dish with pork in it. it was delicious. we then had to gather in a circle on the floor while the man said a few words of luck to us. then cme the surprise- we were each given shots of locally made alcohol- in fact one of the bottles was full of crushed beetles on the bottom and we had seen the girl catching the beetles the day before! unfortunately there was no way of refusing as they came round giving us blessings and each family member tying a bit of white cotton around our wrists while saying a prayer. the older lady had a great chuckle and found everything hilerious. she then kept giving some of the guys more shots that htey couldnt refuse!! the alcohol was strong, and i escaped after 3 shots feeling a bit drunk! it was not a good way to meet the kayake tuk tuks!!
we drove for an hour in the tuk tuks to reach a section of the river where we put the kayakes in the water and had a very bad description of what to do down the rapids and if we capsize. we were also assured that we probably would capsize as all 11 of the last group had!! the kayakes were tourist ones that sit above the water and so are quite wobbly. they were also 2 person. i went with Dan as he is normally a raft instructor and pretents he knows what hes doing! so i wouldnt need to worry about capsizing! the first rapid was quite fast with very strange currents. i got excited and forgot to paddle! but luckily i started again, only to fnd we had gone too far right and quickly capsized! we got back on the boat without too much trouble and followed the others round the courner, almost going over again when we headed straight for a rock! 2 other kayakes capsized too. i was glad to capsize as it seemed all part of the fun! the next rapid was easier and we made it through fine. after that we stopped for a great lunch- barbequed chicken kebabs, fried rice and bagettes that the guides prepared on the river bank. then a short stretch of easy water to meet a taxi to take us the rest of the way to Vientiane. it was too short asnd i was just getting into the rapids when we finished them, but it was great fun.
Vientiane is nothing special- its a capital city. they have a lot of western food but unfortunately at western prices if not even more. we will see a temple today to do the touristy bit. we relaxed at a waterpark yesterday. next is bushcamp which i am looking forward too.

tubing paradise

Clairesj — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday was halloween so we joined the rest of the tourists in Vang Vieng by going tubing. tubing is what this town is known for. it has evolved from taking a blown up tube (like a dougnut) down the river on the current, to end up in town, to a bar crawl. all the hotrockers dressed up in the fancy dress box clothes (ie all the guys wore dresses!) then we set off to get a tuk tuk to town with a few strange looks! the first 5 bars of the tubing were right next to eachother, on the edge of the river. the first bar had a swing where you grab the bar and jump off the platform, wizzing over the water until you let go. it was a bit scary and it took me a few swings before i eventually let go and fell a good 6-10 metres into the water (it was hard to judge how high it was but it felt really high!!). it was a good day as the whole of hotrock came and tubed, apart from Jerry. it was a nice way to bond with everyone again, and great to be in a big group. we got the 3rd bar to play some hotrock tunes which got everyone singing along. we saw a few other people dressed up as super heros and a blue smurf. most of the bars had a swing, or later on they had mud pools and volleyball etc. it was great to watch people hitting the water in bad positions as they let go of the swing-constant entertainment, or the risk of being pushed off the side into the river when you were least expecting! danny hung upside down on the swing then jumped off doing a backflip! and the first casualty was when danny and Mustard jumped together then fell off really awkwardly and mustard got a nose bleed. by about 5pm we decided to float down the rest of the river to return the tubes in town, and get our deposit back before 6. the rest of the way was quite slow and it got cold really quickly. we eventually arrived at a bridge we recognised at 6.40. we soon met up with most of the hotrockers again in a bar in town that played really bad music. but it was a good end to the day.
we now have 2 more days after today before heading to Vientiane, which is the capital of Laos. im hoping to rent a kayake and go down the river rather than have a drive day sitting on BiRT. the river has a good current so it shouldnt be too hard work, but im not sure if there are any rapids!
climbing wise, i completed a 6b lead eventually, which i had backed off the other day, and tried to lead a really scary 6b+ that involved going around tufas and out of a cave, and was so awkward. so getting half way up i was quite happy with! it was one of those climbs i hated when i was climbing it but as soon as i was safely on the group again, it suddenly seemed like an awesome climb! perhaps my leading head is getting better and im remembering how much fun it can be to feel exposed and scared on a climb!

The jungle adventure: ants, river wading, bushwacking, oh and some climbing!

Clairesj — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

i have finally uploaded some photos from Yangshuo, hope you like them.
Vang Vieng is still not that exciting, but i did have an awesome day yesterday!
I was gonig to go climbing to one of the normal climbing areas, until Danny came and asked me if i fancied climbing the 6c+ multipitch (Graham had pulled out), so i thought why not?! We went with Shaggy and Pete, as there are 2 routes that go up the face next to eachother, and as Pete had been here last year, he would be very useful in the bushwacking up to the beginning of the route.
it started with a walk to the river, then a short boat ride across the river to the otherside. then it was dense jungle, where a path used to be to get to the crag. Pete brought his mashette and tried to clear a path, but we struggled to find evidence of any path from the previous year. we kept going through all sorts of plants and insects- including standing on a ants nest- they had painful bits that made me jump around until i could flick the ants off! after probably about an hour of this, or maybe 2, we got to a river which was a few metres down. we had to climb down the muddy side into the river, then cross and climb up the other side. it was slippery so Danny tied a bit of string to a tree to help. then on the other side the path turned more rockyso that sharp broken rocks mad up the path, and it was a case of climbing and balancing from one to the other without falling between them. 20 mins later and we saw the rock face! it was now about 2pm so we needed to get moving if we wanted to get up the climb and out of the jungle in the day light- there was no way i was going througfh the jungle at night- we would get lost and who knows what extra and possibly worse creepy crawlies came out in the dark!
Danny quickly led up the first pitch which was really nice, if a bit steep when i was carrying a backpack with 3 litres of water in it! then i led the next. the bolts were nicely close together. the 3rd pitch traversed slightly, and we presumed this was the 6c+ pitch, even though it felt like a nice 6b. so i was up to led the next pitch. i looked around the corner at another traverse and after clipping a few bolts, decidedthis looked far too hard! so backed down to the belay and danny led it- this was actually the 6c+ pitch! 2 more wicked pitches after this and we reached the top. we passed a snake skin on a ledge on the last pitch which made me more cautious of putting my hands in pockets!
2 abseils later and we reached the ground. it was 4.30, so time to make a move on getting out of the jungle. the other 2 had gone back earlier becasue their route was unfortunately wet. we walked back to the river, then decided that it would be easier and quicker to walk up the river to get to the main river where we could easily get a boat to our hotel. we were going to climb down into the river using the rope we had left from before but it was completely covered with ants- the white rope was now black!so it was harder to climb down. we then waded up the river, which came up to our waists (still with full harness, quickdraws and chalkbag on! occationally slipping in the mud! it was brilliant. the river was about 3 metres wide and covered with trees and low branches. it went on for a good 20 minutes as we got more anxious that it might not lead to the main river! but eventually we emerged from the jungle and hauled ourselves out of the water. we found a boat to take us straight back to the hostel.
straight in the shower, was bliss! what an adventure!
unfortunately it didnt end there- i got so many stings and bites from the jungle, and one was particularly bad- i think it must be some kind of plant or bush. i cant see much on my leg but it is incredibly itchy and has stabbing pains. this contiunued through the night and today- so i didnt get much sleep!
therefore an easy day today uploading photos and watching family guy!

police, leaches and torential rain!

Clairesj — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bush camping 20 minutes to the north of Vang Vieng did not go well! We arrived and set up camp in a sort of forest area by the side of the road and cooked dinner successfully. It wasn’t until most of us had gone to bed after a camp fire that it started to go wrong! The police turned up with quite a few villagers, and talked to Graham, (who was covering as leader for Danny as Danny had to pick up a new guy whos 75 years old!) saying that we couldn’t stay here. They said it wasn’t safe for us and wanted us to move immediately. Eventually Graham reasoned with them to come to the police station the next day and talk to their boss. As I was falling aslepp it then started to pour with rain. The rain got worse and worse through the night, and some of the brightest and loudest thunder and lightening I have ever heard. I actually woke up to what I was convinced was a bomb or explosion of some kind in a nearby town, as the thunder crashed and echoed. It was not a good night sleep and I woke up in a puddle inmy tent. I soon realized my whole floor was soaked. My tent is quite a disappointment- boo MSR. I managed to hang it from a tree to try and dry it out! That morning we went climbing and got very lost- nowhere in the guidebook did it mention having to cross a river- we had to wade through it- and eventually got to the climbing area. I then had to pull off about 6 leaches from my legs and feet. Yuck! The climbing was ok- a bit dirty and not too easy- I got stuck on the crux of a 5, but could do the crux of the 6c next to it! I think the grading is a bit odd!
Luckily even though Graham fought the police hard to let us stay- they refused and we had to move to a hostel in Vang Vieng- it was a happy moment!
The hostel is nice- the owners are lovely- they have free tea and coffee, and the older lady brought us hot potatoes and pumpkin when we were sitting in the communal area.
Vang Vieng is a real gap-year tourist hot spot. The normal town abruptly turns into a row of Western cafes and bars then back to normal laos again. It’s a bit strange and tacky.
The climbing again is not brilliant- it took us ages of jungle trekking to eventually turn back and try to reach it from the other side- again getting lost- we then got a boat across to the area. Most of the rock was dripping wet, but there were some nice overhanging routes with only a few slimy holds!
Unfortunately this is the next climbing area on the trip so we will be here for about 2 weeks. I took a day off today while the others search out another crag. Every bar plays endless ‘Friends’, or ‘Family Guy’ on TV, for everyone that really wants to get into the local culture…mm!

rolling hills, reed houses and nutella!

Clairesj — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Im in Laos! and my first impression is that its great!! We had to wait an extra day on the Chinese border as usual because paperwork wasnt orgaised. then a day driving to get to Luang Prabang, and the scenery is beautiful- rolling hills covered in greenery and reed houses on the side of the road, some on precarious looking stilts. the kids are all pretty and their expressions when they saw the big red truck go past was pure amazment! the city itself is laid back and quite touristy. when we got here in the evening last night, we immediately found a cheap market buffet with potatoes, noodles, pasta, and lots of different vegetables. barbequed meat was nextdoor- and its quality meat rather than chunks of bone and fat, like in China! then there are real french bagettes everywhere, cake and fresh fruit juices. i got a juice with dragon fruit in it which was very tasty. we also wandered along the night market that had so many nice touristy bags, pictures, shoes, etc that i may be spending some money here! Laos was a french colony and you can see the french influence in buildings and food, and perhaps thats why it feels friendly here because it has Western (and therefore familiar) influence.
we are staying by the river in a little hostel. and tonight going up to a temple with a great view. we will then decide whether to stay here a day longer or carry on to the next climbing destination.

ducks and broken waterpipes

Clairesj — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After 2 drive days we arrived in the centre of Kunming having got lost for 2 hours until almost 3am in the morning. We checked into a hostel and enjoyed a comfy nights sleep before driving about 2 hours out of the city to a village and all the climbing. we found a beach area near the river and road and set up tents here, racing to get the flat spots! It had the usual Chinese litter, but after I had pitched my tent I lent into the porch of it and suddenly saw a needle and syringe sticking out of the sand a few inches from my knee. It was a little scary.
The first day climbing we walked up a track to the right of our campsite, (you could see the crag above the campground), and searched for a dirt track to walk left to reach the climbing. 3 hours later and we guessed we may be on top of the crag because we couldn’t see it anywhere! Deciding to give up after eating lunch at a really nice spot with awesome views, we finally found an obvious path further down that led to the crag. I actually enjoyed the unexpected hike. The scenery is lush green hills, with some farmed land cut into the sides of the hills, and the river running through the valley. It reminds me of Italy if there were olive trees! I managed 2 climbs that day, one a good 6a lead.
The climbing is more underdeveloped here, although there is a guide book. We found some routes were loose with flakes falling off, and when trying a pumpy 5 for ages and eventually giving up as it seemed ridiculously hard, we stepped back and looked at the rock and saw the remains of where a massive tufa must have been once. We weren’t as bad as we thought we were! I also did a really nice 5 pitch multipitch route with Betina. The first 2 pitches were each 40 metres so feltvery long, and also fairly hard, followed by shorter easier pitches. At one point I pulled off a big hold and fell off- luckily on second! I started tapping the holds after that to check they weren’t hollow!the way down was a walk off and covered with spiders webs the whole way down. There are some big spiders and colourful ones too. The walk to camp we passed a spider that was almost 2 inches big and its body was green and yellow zig zags with red and black. It was actually quite pretty from a distance!
I got cook duty on 2 days of climbing- which was a big pain. But our second dinner was a big success. Spencer (whos actually from Maidenhead!) and I went to the market searching for chicken. When after doing embarrassing impersonassions of chickens, we were shown the live chickens, I then tried to demonstrate a dead chicken and even drew a bad picture! Instead the helpful Chinese lady showed us to some cooked ducks. Why not, we thought! So after buying 5 ducks for equivalent to 10 pounds, the butcher then got his butchers knife and cut all down the neck, body and legs. He then got the head and was going to slice down the centre of the head and beak before we stopped him and signaled that we didn’t need the head! It was a very successful meal with hoisin sauce and fresh noodles.
on the way to the hostel, we drove up a side road to park and got to a metal pipe that crossed the road that was a bit low, so danny lifted it up over the roof of BiRT and we drove as it clunked along the roof. as it came off the end of the roof it collapsed in the middle and started a flood all over the road! we had broken the mains water! some o fthe locals got a bit upset and the police were called. everyone walked to the hostel as it was just around the corner while pete, danny and jimmy delt with the police! im not sure what the outcome is yet! hotrock cant help but get into trouble!!
We are now on the truck to Kunming for the night before an early start towards the Laos border tomorrow. We have said goodbye to more people, a lot who were only briefly HotRockers and have 3 more people join yesterday. Im excited to leave China as im ready to leave and Laos sounds like a great place with great people. Im also looking forward to a week off climbing as I feel tired from the non-stop climbing of the last 5 or 6 weeks. Then I will be refreshed and ready to tackle Laos limestone and its soft grading- yes!

i cracked a 6b+ !

Clairesj — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What a successful day! I led the 6b+ today (that i mentioned in my last blog, getting half way up it). i did take on the rope at a few quickdraws but i got up it. i did the crux first time when i just committed to the move and was very releived to find a hidden crimp hold next to the next bolt! the route was 27 metres and pretty strenuous so im probably quite far from leading it clean. shame i cant try it again in a week! then in the afternoon we did the 5 pitch multipitch, with 6 of us. we got there just after a chinese pair had started on the first pitch. they didnt really know what they were doing and took ages. the climbing was nice and easy apart from the last pitch that felt exposed a you moved over a vertical drop. we all met on the last belay point after i had sorted out the chinese guys prussik so it actually worked! they also only had one rope when you needed 2 ropes for a 50 m free hanging absail! so we untyed their rope for them! eventually we got to abseil but it got dark as we did so. the abseil was awesome. really wicked views of all the limestone karsts in the distance, the sky red behind them, and the river with bamboo rafts going up and down. next we walked through a cave to the other side of the karst and abseiled from there to the ground. it was now pitch dark and again i had forgotten my headtorch so a good cycle back to camp! its matts birthday today so the multipitch was a big thing for him, especially as he is scared of heights and looked very pale on a free-hanging belay point!
one day left of climbing and i have 2 projects for tomorrow. lets hope my confidence lasts! perhaps i am finally making a bit of progress!!