Wow! Great three week trip to South Africa with Ceri, Tom, Kate, Emma F and Michelle.We had much fun, sends a plenty, great conditions and excellent steaks! I'd been looking forward to this trip and had managed to train consistently, albeit with a slight wobble at the end of term. All was as hoped for and more, after our last trip to Rocklands in 2008. I was however, slightly worried that this time it would be rammed with homs and travelling beasts but we managed to avoid any scenes, often climbing at major areas with only us and a couple of other teams.
With the benefit of being on a longer trip I opted for a bit of cruising around in the first week, trying to chill 'a bit' and check out some areas.But during the last two weeks I hammered it...which is never easy, trying to not get too tired, save skin and make progress on projects.I'm always slightly torn...try a couple of hard projects and risk getting little done or drop a grade or two and nail stuff quickly (in the end I opted for the latter, I'll maybe try some 8b+s next year!!!).
We generally tried to climb two on, one off, with early starts and then walking back looking at the stars...mint. Although the pressure was on sometimes by being on a big trip, we all climbed well and dispatched some projects. Tom did a pack of 7b+,7c and 7c+ classics (Caroline 7c+, Cedar Spine ss 7c, Sunset Arete 7c etc) and Kate blitzed some 7a/7a+s and got close to nailing a 7b. Ceri got her 'war face on' and did some 7a's and a 7a+, she also managed to rid herself of an old nemesis by eventually cruising the classic 'The Roof is on Fire'.
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