Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Fiji

So. They have email in Fiji, too.

Anyway -- handing back the car in the states went without incident. Funny what a little spit and polish can do. At Nadi airport we were greeted by a band, singing traditional Fijian welcome tunes. Not bad for 5am. We managed to work our way through customs -- they're hot on stopping agricultural imports, and this apparently includes used tents. We swore we'd just washed ours (a small lie) and that we're only leaving it at the airport left luggage anyway (the truth), and they refrained from unpacking all our gear. Which was nice. Sarah had to bin her carefully managed stash of teabags, much to her annoyance.

We picked up the 'Yasawa Flyer' at the port of Denaru after a short bus transfer. The heat was sweltering, and the humidity akin to sitting in a shower. The sea air was better, even if the sun was still beating down. At least we had some heavy-duty sun-cream. The boat stopped at some of the little islets and resorts firstly up the Mamanucas chain and onwards up the Yasawas. The party people stepped off on the former. Our stop was the last, Oarsman's Bay on the island of Nacula, a sort of post-card paradise, with endless palm-fringed, white beaches lapped by a turquoise sea. As we waded ashore, we suddenly thought of the cold winter weather currently residing over England, nay make that most of Europe.

Oarsman's is an 'upper end low budget' resort, and it fitted our bill perfectly. It only holds about 30 people and people come and go every day. We had our own beach-front room, cooled by a fan and with running hot and cold water. Food was mostly OK, with all guests eating together, and we were thankfully freed of the burden of having to choose from a menu. We did four dives with Westside Watersports on a neighbouring island. They were great to dive with, but unfortunately much of the coral is dead in these areas. Why this is is a matter of debate. Some blame the rising sea temperatures due to global warming, and some blame the locals' propensity for fishing with sticks of dynamite. Probably a combination. We also did some snorkelling around our own island, where some reef sharks came out to play. One learns lessons on these outings. Your snorkelling guide wears a t-shirt for a reason. Even if it's overcast, the sun flays the backs of the unwary snorkeller.

The days at Oarman's blur into one, and after five nights we again board the Flyer bound for Beachcomber resort in the Mamanuca chain. The diving here is reputedly most excellent, and the dive operation is well respected. Sarah's a bit uneasy about Beachcomber's reputation as a 24-h party people place, but financially it's the most viable one for us. As we disembark, we realise that we have indeed stepped through a time-warp and ended up back at university Fresher's Week. Ah well. Our room's nice, and the food's even better. The party is there for those that want it. We've decided to do our Andvanced Open Water Diver qualification, as it's only five dives, and we'd do that anyway. Some theory work completes the university illusion.

The dive operation here, Subsurface, is excellently equipped, even if the atmosphere is a tad on the laddy side. The dive masters obviously appreciate the young, nubile single women that pass through. Every day. Perks of the job, I guess. For the AOWD you have to do 5 'adventure' dives, two of which are compulsory (Navigation and Deep). We also did a wreck dive, a 'naturalist' dive (look at all the fishies!) and -- Sarah's fave -- the Night Dive (more sharks. They're the ones with green eyes). Tomorrow we're doing the Supermarket, a shark appreciation dive, and some other pretty reef. Once our Nitro levels have receeded, we board a plane for Auckland, NZ.

Friday, November 18, 2005

Bruno at the Happies


Bruno at the Happies
Originally uploaded by hvs.
The rock at the Happy boulders is a different beast altogether. Pocketed, heavily featured and yielding to a gymnastic, powerful approach only. Pictured are Bruno's fingers of steel.

Sarah and Stef


Sarah and Stef
Originally uploaded by hvs.
We soooo pretty!

Moon over the Buttermilks


Moon over the Buttermilks
Originally uploaded by hvs.
The landscape at the Buttermilks is incredibly beautiful

Sarah in the magic bristlecone pine forest

Sarah leaning against a millennia old bristlecone pine, at 10,000ft in the White Montains

Stef on Golden Boy, V4


Stef on Golden Boy, V4
Originally uploaded by hvs.
"Golden Boy" was the hardest problem I did, not in terms of grade (Fuelled By Hate, V6), but in terms of the effort it took to complete. The small pocket my right hand's in felt lined by shards of glass, ripping my fingers each time I came off. The problem has the so called porcelain patina, making it feel like polished glass, and about as easy to get the feet to stick to.

Sarah on the final slap of the Iron Man Traverse

Sarah in the fading light (almost) sticking the slap at the end of the Iron Man Traverse. She unfortunately didn't have the time to complete the whole thing in one this time around, but has vowed to return.

Sarah at the top of The Hunk


Sarah at the top of The Hunk
Originally uploaded by hvs.
Sarah smiling on top of The Hunk, V2. Rather scary technical little number, and a fine achievement. One of the best, most memorable problems at the Buttermilks, in my book.

Farewell Bishop

Last day's bouldering behind us; tomorrow we're driving to LA and catching a flight to Fiji. Bruno and Jen headed off yesterday. They're spending another six weeks or so in the states, and they managed to get given a car (!) by a Scottish guy who's been here for a year, and was just about to head back to work in Glasgow. The bouldering's been fabulous, but Fiji's looking like an attractive option; tips are trashed, arms sore, feet smelly. Sarah finished on a high today, sending The Rising (V4), a formidable achievement. I was pleased yesterday to finally get Golden Boy (V4) which previously had seemed utterly impossible. That left me with 24 out of the 26 denoted classics off the guide successfully ticked. The remaining two will have to wait until next time, as I'm sure we'll be back. Many people we've met here are heading off to Hueco Tanks, in Texas. Hueco is potentially the best bouldering area in the states, but has been dogged by access issues as the rocks have been viewed as sacred by long gone Indian tribes, and cave paintings abound.

We're left with packing up and gorging ourselves with one last slap-up meal at Whiskey Creak--if only we'd known about the half-price happy hour earlier.. oh, and tomorrow before leaving, we'll have to wash our hire car. It's seen some remarkable abuse, and although we have a zero excess contract, a few dollars spent on some shine might give us less grief, at least. American cars have the road handling of a water bed.

Depending on the internet facilities in Fiji, there may well be a longish outage while we disappear under the radar until the beginning of December when we'll resurface in Auckland.

Books

This is a bit of a random post, more for my interest than anyone else's but I bought a couple of new books today (The Memoirs of a Geisha and Wild Swans) and decided I want to keep a record of what I have read on this trip. I'm a very slow reader so it won't be many. So far I have read The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith. Very good but not as good as the preceding book River God which must be read first. I'm now reading The Noble House by James Clavell, a 1400 page monster so it might be a while before another such post.

Also, I bought a new pair of climbing shoes whilst in Bishop. In 2 weeks they have delaminated and then yesterday the material ripped at the heel. They have kindly replaced them with a new pair but I had to have a different model in a fetching baby blue. Probably worked out quite well as the rubber had taken a fair battering on the rock out here.

On a final note, duct tape...is awesome. Fixes everything from down jackets to bouldering mats and is a must take on any trip.

Monday, November 14, 2005

All good things..

So the American leg is rapidly approaching its end; in a week's time the pacific ocean will be gently lapping our feet as we wander off into the sunset on a Fijian beach paradise :)

America has treated us well, and our credit cards have treated Wilson's Eastside Mountain Sports very well indeed. Shipped home my trad rack today, and invested in some more quick draws. It'll be sport climbing and bouldering only from now on. Me and Sarah also shipped home a large box with the majority of our clothing. Six weeks of on the road experience shows that you really don't need all that much. 8 pairs of socks? Haven't worn socks yet, as my sun-stencilled feet will testify. I could feature in a Chaco advert, for sure.

Bishop's been a 'way cool' place to hang out, and it's rapidly filling up with climbers and skiers -- Mammouth mountain opened for the season about a week ago, which seems a little bit weird from where we're sitting. Although nights are cold, and the peaks are snow-capped, days are still hotter than the Med in the summer.

The bouldering has gone better than expected, and I only wish I'd had another month to apply the new-found confidence and strength. We'll see if the improvements will hold once we hit the next bouldeing mecca in a few weeks, Castle Hill, New Zealand south. It's funny though, we have Owen's River Gorge next door, an excellent sport climbing location, but we haven't even been remotely tempted to check it out as the Buttermilks bouldering in particular has been so good.

On the camp front, Bruno has showed some good skills with the fishing rod, and we've had fresh Rainbow Trout on the barbie several times. The rivers and lakes are teeming with them.

Friday, November 11, 2005

Video evidence

Sarah's camera can take 30-seconds movie clips. We know you're all desperate to see us playing on the rocks in full motion glory, so without further ado...

Stef starting Mr Witty, V6
Stef chickening out the top move
Sarah failing on Edge of Reason, V3
Sarah sticking that move on Edge of Reason
Sarah very pleased to finish it off--overhanging slaps, not her normal forte
Stef starting the Iron Man Traverse, V4
Stef sticking the final slap on the Iron Man

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Bristlecone Pine Forest

Another rest day and for once we didn't find ourselves sucked into the black hole of Kava coffee shop. Instead we went to the Bristlecone Pine forest which is located in the White Mountains at 10,000 feet. The bristlecone pine is the most successful tree at growing at such altitude and in such harsh conditions and in such alkaline soil. The trees themselves look dead but when you look closely they can have just a strip of bark to a small part of the tree where the pines tell you they are alive. These trees don't only look amazing but some of them are over 4,000 years old. The "Methuselah" tree is 4,767 years old and is the earth's oldest living inhabitant, it has lived more than a millennium longer than any other tree. These trees have also been used in dendrochronology which is the dating of past events (such as climatic changes) through the study of tree ring growth and has aided in the calibration of carbon dating. Anyhow, besides all these interesting facts which we learnt from a video in the very warm ranger hut we then donned our down jackets and braved the cold weather at this height and walked the Methuselah trail. Although only 4 1/2 miles at this altitude it took us the best part of 2 hours!! We stopped many times to admire the view :) There was lots of snow and in some places it was quite icey underfoot but it all made for a spectacular walk.

The Daily Bishop

It's coming together.

Yesterday I did "Fuelled By Hate" at the Sad boulders and "Serengeti" at the Happies, my first V6 and V5 respectively, and my most successful day of bouldering so far in the grade stakes. A few days before I'd come heartbreakingly close on "Mr Witty", a V5/6 at the Happies, but ran out of cojones for the top foot of air time required to top out. The crux is the first few moves. I'll be back for that one. At the Buttermilks, I was pleased to get "Naan Bread", V4. With that, I think the doable part of the Buttermilks classics tick list is done.

Sarah completed a long-standing project, "Haunch A Loogle" (V3) at the Sads in fine style. She also came very close, thus surprising herself, on another V3 up at the Checkerboard. This problem wasn't really her style, a powerful sit start and long dynamic moves up an overhanging wall. We're all getting stronger. Sadly, Bruno bust a tendon in his arm and will be out of action for a while, which put a dampener on the proceedings.

Anyway. The weather is becoming more wintery. Days are still warm in the sun, but nights are now below freezing and the mountains around us are all beautifully snow-clad. All the high road passes in and out of Bishop are closed for the season, and we only just made it across from Yosemite. Tioga Pass is now snow-bound. After more than a month in the states, it has been a surprisingly positive experience. Sure, we're only spending time in the saner parts of the US, even if Bishop is at least in spirit part mid-west. White middle class America isn't that far off white middle class Europe. Steaks are bigger. Cars are way bigger. Beef is cheaper than bread. Bread is crap unless you seek out the smaller bakeries. Everything's sweet. However, with an eye on the ingredients lists one can eat like a king for not very much. Fruit and veg are of an exceptional quality in the state of California. The people we meet are friendly, open and polite. Climbers are climbers wherever you go, of course, but non-climbers, too, approach for a chat and seem genuinely interested when they realise we're Euros. Jen's dulcet Edinburgh tones draw attention wherever we go.

We've decided to hang out in Bishop for the duration and sack the Vegas/Red Rocks trip as the place is cool and the bouldering great.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Stef and Bruno on the slackline


Stef and Bruno on the slackline
Originally uploaded by hvs.
It's actually possible to slack two at a time. Although not for very long.. This is our slackline at the Brown's Town Camping site, one mile south of Bishop. It looks like we'll be here for another ten days or so before heading for Vegas, baby. More climbing, I'm afraid, in Red Rocks in the desert outside Vegas.

Jen and Bruno have given up on their Cuba plans, so it looks like they'll be in the states for the rest of the year.