I'd hoped to have written a blog celebrating my success on a gnarly sport route over the Autumn, but a finger injury put paid to that. My first trip to the Greek island of Kalymnos was fine compensation though; with steep juggy tufas replacing massively outnumbering any finger stressing, single joint holds.
The logistics of getting to Kalymnos had been booked by friends on a budget, and entailed Ryanair flights departing Stanstead (3 hours drive from home), 9 hours attempting to sleep in Athens airport before a seat of the pants, thunderstorm enhanced turbo-prop flight to arrive on Kalymnos.
The Team:
Will - prawn star |
Ken - looking quite chuffed with his final day 7b+ flash |
Another Ali |
Ali K flashing a steep 7b+ "The beginning at the end" |
Early on in the trip I got stupidly pumped, barely on-sighting Paleolithic Line at Jurassic Park, and it took my battered left forearm a couple of easy days to recover. After that, it was full guns blazing, with the highlights being:
- Grande Grotte double; Priapos and Aegealis on-sight double - doing Aegialis in the direct sun was particularly memorable!
Ken taking the ride off of Priapos |
- On-sighting my fiorst 8a - Super Lolita in the Sikati Cave - some very well timed shouts of encouragement got me though the crux when I started to flounder, but the vertical headwall was much less difficult than I expected, and before I knew it, was lowering off with a stupidly large grin on my face!
Ken's photo of me on the top bulge of Super Lolita - I'm the tiny red spec, top centre - 45m route! |
- Finally, dining like kings for pittance every night!
Mythos - beer of champions |
Kalymnos is great - go there - you won't regret it!