Rock Climbing and Lycra in China

If you know me well enough, then you'll understand that climbing and lycra go hand in hand. Lycra tights are just so comfy under a harness, very light to carry, look great in photographs, in fact, don't get me started. LOVE lycra tights. Anyway, my lycra tights have just had a remarkable trip to China! The whole family of tights made the trip and were proudly worn all week by the brave Ali, Miles and Giles. Lycra tights don't leave a whole lot to the imagination on guys!

What a whirlwind trip out east! I flew via Dubai to Hong Kong and after 16 hours of flight I arrived feeling as rough as the back end of a badger but very happy to see Ali again after 3 months of sporadic skype chats with dubious internet connections and even more dubious moustaches to contend with. Goodness knows how we managed!

Ali's solution to my jetlag was marching up to Lion Rock which is a very impressive buttress overlooking the city. Hong Kong felt very hot and humid but I have to say it was a relief to be escaping away from endless news reports of more rain and flooding. We had an avid audience on the climbs which was entertaining. We posed and waved and bounced down the abseil with great panache for all the iphones pointing our way.

Ali on East Flake Route, high above the city

Food while I was away was a whole extra adventure to think about and I dove headfirst into chinese food with a shared hotpot. The spice mostly blew my head off and was just a warm up for what was to come. I have discovered, however, that I am not entirely into tofu. My mouth doesn't know how to deal with bland mush. Not keen...

Ali, Miles, Giles, Eben and I then packed our bags for Yangshuo, beautiful, sharp, limestone, bolt-clipping joy. At this point I might add that this week was an amazing week for transport. So far I've bagged trains, planes and boats. Next up was the 11 hour night bus. Packed in like sardines but quite a novel way to travel. In the week that followed we experimented with bikes, tandems, local buses and scooters. I have to say that scooters were my favourite but for comedic value, Miles and Giles sharing a tandem was definitely a highlight.

I now have vast respect for anyone having ridden a tandem for any kind of long distance trip. At the back I was completely out of control and my feet mostly pedalled the air furiously trying to catch back up with my pedals which were moving at the same speed as Ali's. Ali seems to think that Miles' and Giles' relationship was tested much more than ours though!

Taken by Ali, on the exposed arete of
"Eggstreme Eggsposure"

The climbing in China is very exciting because it is such a new, wild and intriguing place to visit. China has never been the easiest country to travel in but as it becomes more accesible, the extent of the climbing potential is becoming evident. Whole new areas are yet to be discovered and even looking around Yangshuo, there is miles and miles of rock to be explored. Just catching edges of Eben's climbing talk, there are kilometer high sandstone towers, huge rock arches and new festivals in brand-new, unspoiled climbing destinations. Sadly, I wouldn't normally fly over the likes of El Chorro and Kalymnos to come to China for limestone sport climbing, but I would definitely recommend Yangshuo for anyone already out this way.

At the top of Jeremy's Gigi

Wonderful Yangshuo landscape

This landscape is unique enough to have made it onto the 20 Yuan note. It really is breathtaking and although our weather was mostly overcast, it took nothing from the grandeur of the karst towers.

Szechuan Beef, Pork Stuffed Snails and Eben

Eben was our hero this week. China turned out not to be the easiest place to be and although we would have muddled though, much to the chinese entertainment, Eben was our guide and translator. I do feel like I have to tell you about the preserved eggs though. My gag reflexes are still in overdrive. The other names for this dish are "thousand year old eggs" and "chemical eggs". The names do not endear me to this meal. The yolks have turned dark green/black and the white has gone red and jelly-like. Its served sliced up with vinegar, garlic and chili. Just thinking about it has got my face all screwed up again. Food for a horror film.

Well, what an amazing week. Really good climbing and such great fun company. Even after two trips I don't feel like I've "done" China. Its a bizarre place that I don't really understand. A communist country that feels more capitalist than anywhere else I've ever been. Somewhere I will have to come back to later on, perhaps with a bit more worldly knowledge.

Merry Christmas everyone and lets have an awesome start to 2013! My next trip is up to Scotland (Torridon) for Hogmanay. Thanks to Christmas I have a new outdoorsy wardrobe and I'm itching for the next adventure!

Movember

My overall feeling for November 2012 is not a particularly happy one. Perhaps in time, I shall look back on this month as being positive and productive, but for now it feels like my proverbial jam pot has run dry.

Halfway through October, my Dad found he had an unnaturally high PSA (Prostate-Specific Anitgen) and, after a biopsy, discovered well established cancer. If he had rung me and told me he had a prostate infection, I think I'd have shuddered and wished him a speedy recovery but the word Cancer is a shocking one. A month and a half later and Dad is cancer free but I would not wish that month and a half on anybody. I have the utmost respect for anyone with any form of life changing condition that is longer term.

Our choices were simple. Hormone treatment and radiotherapy lasting a year, or surgery. It wasn't an easy decision because the Doctors cannot give a clear idea of which is a better choice. In the end, Dad chose the bish-bash-bosh method of surgery. Hormone treatment meant he would have to go through the menopause! Surgery was a good option because the cancer was contained but it is invasive and, quite frankly, terrifying. On the day, I took him in to hospital at 7am. My choices were either to stay and twiddle my thumbs or go home and stay busy. Mum was brilliant and after swimming, she took me into town for coffees and company and we went climbing. I panicked every time I put my phone down, I couldn't concentrate, even on the climbing! Eventually we got the call at 8:30 that evening from a confused and stoned sounding Dad. He came home the next day prostate free but catheterised and very uncomfortable.

A week and a half after surgery he is no less comfortable, but the catheter is due out on monday and after that he should feel much more normal and the recovery can be far more positive. We spend our days doing endless crossword puzzles and watching mindless TV. I have to say, I am sick to the teeth of antique programmes! They seem to be all the rage... We have also dealt with car problems, a loss of a substantial amount of Dad's furniture, and the passing away of one of Dad's long-time friends. Dad has had so much support though and I cannot thank everyone enough, those who sent cards, those who have visited and those who have donated to his Movember fund. Particularly my Mum who is doing her best to keep us occupied with climbing, curries, film nights and coffees in town. Dad is still mostly bed bound but slowly moving around more and it really is all up from here.

I am writing this really because Dad was saved by his awareness. The symptoms of his cancer would not have been noticeable until it was too late. Movember is an event run every year where men grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for Prostate and Testicular Cancer. Cancer may be a shocking word but it is worth taking a moment to think about. Our experience of it was very short and comparatively uncomplicated. It has been horrid and grim but I cannot begin to imagine what it could have been like without Dad having been aware. Prostate cancer runs in the male side of our family and now my brother will have to think hard about how to deal with that. Hopefully he won't ever have to deal with it but fortunately he will be in the know. And now, anyone reading this, so will you.

Well done brave Dad!

P.s. His Movember page is still open for donations. Perhaps we can get him to a nice round £1000

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/5300673

Thanks everyone!