We were lulled by pleasant weather and a simple introduction
It was a stunning afternoon, befitting the occasion. At the end of the summer, the sun was shining, with only a few clouds here and there to embellish the sky. I arrived late, as usual, and nearly everyone was already there, many with their family, as well. The Warm-up had already started, so I rushed out to get to the ring and stretch my body in preparation. The introduction was quick and easy, so it seemed like climbing would be a piece of cake.
There is no easy way to move back quickly
Oh, we could not have been more wrong. Once you stick yourself to the rock, it is grueling, demanding work. It is very technical, reliant way more on your grace and poise than on pure raw strength. And failure means only one thing. Falling. And starting over. There are no savepoints, and no Ctrl+Z to go back quickly. If you fail, you are back at the beginning, the ground level, with your body aching, arms burning, and fingertips sanded smooth as a baby's bottom. But in the end, with advice from our skilled and patient instructors and our watchful, experienced chief, we overcame the challenges the menacing and unmoving rock possessed. We also enjoyed the opportunity to see Pavel's climbing skills in person, not just in photos and videos.
It was absolutely worth it
Was it tiring? Absolutely. Was it fun? Immensely. Shall we repeat it? Sure! Of course. But maybe next year, please? My fingers still hurt, and now I need to find more cream to treat them.
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