Rock Climbing

Ok, so here is something more interesting than the dull small posts I made lately. ;-)

A few weeks ago I went rock climbing with the Philips staff club. I applied for it, and I was one of the lucky ones that got randomly selected. With me a few colleagues joined the club. Too bad one of them was not able to come, but lucky for me because I was asked if I knew some friends who would like to join in stead. Well, it was not that much trouble to invite my girlfriend Eva, and so we prepared next day to go there early. Very early, because it was the day after Patrick's birthday party at Lang Kwai Fong. Unfortunately I couldn't stay long at LKF, because I was tired enough to report my lost wallet at the Police station.

So with some borrowed cash we took a cab to King's Park. We arrived almost as the first ones, so we had a chance to change and get some climbing shoes, since Eva was not prepared to bring ones. Those shoes are really nice to climb, because they perfectly fit the shape of your feet, are more flexible and have a longer heel. So way better for climbing. With that we're able to face our challenge of the day: the 18 metre high artificial rock climbing wall...



Then, when everybody was there, the training could begin. First we start off with some stretching. Everything was nicely translated from Cantonese to English by Eva. So I knew how to move. Then it was time to get the instructions for the tools. Everybody had to find a partner. About the same weight, because one would lift the other. Luckily Eva and I did match. :-)

We got explained what was meant by the terms 'CLIMBING!' and 'TENSION!'. So we knew how to give each other a break while climbing. It works this way. Because you're connected to each other with a rope, you can use your own body mass to lift the other because of the balance effect. This will require almost no strength for the one who climbs, so he or she can take a rest.

After the instruction we we're all ready to start climbing. Eva may go first, and she did pretty well! Because she already had a day of rock climbing before, she knew how to put her weight and got at the 7 metre top in record time. :-) Although I was not that fast, it was cool to climb up, and the climbing shoes provided a good help. My colleagues we're also great, and we all reached the 7 metre top.





After a few challenges it was time to face the whole wall, 18 metres high. And from the bottom that looks really high... So I collected my best guts, and started to climb. This time Eva didn't pull me up, but somebody else. Too bad he didn't manage the tension procedure well, so I couldn't take a good rest along the way, and basically had to keep lifting myself all the way. With only small spots to get grip that's a difficult job. But I managed to get as high as 16 metre. Great view from that altitude. Look at all the small ants down there, haha! ;-) The burning sun did its work, and it was time to go down. Too bad I hadn't enough energy to climb the last 2 metre, but still quite some performance for the first time. :-)
So Eva would show how to do it, and she did! Se went up so quickly, and with me pulling the rope (after some rest, haha) she got all the way up, the full 18 metres!


The rock climbing was very cool, and I want to do it definitely some other time again. Maybe get a certificate, so I can guide others. Then I also will have better training so I know how to face the diagonal walls. :-)

Have a look at all the photos...