I'm way, way behind on posts, so this comes out of order. But I need to get something off my chest and Ellen is sleeping, so get ready for a massive rant.
a
Some background: I'm presently in Kalymnos, Greece, a small island near Turkey in the Aegean Sea and world-famous sport climbing destination. I came here on a whim, by myself, after a last minute decision. The plan was to enjoy the Mediterranean scenery and, if a climbing opportunity presented itself, hit up the crags.
Turns out that climbing opportunities abound and it's hard not to get excited about them. The problem is that I don't have a partner -- a necessity for those not wanting to hit the ground when they fall. So I put out some feelers and, to my surprise, got quite a few responses from other folks in the same position as me. And today I made my first climbing "date," passing up several others in order to climb with someone around my skill level. I woke up early, prepped my skin, clipped my nails, and packed my bags. I even skipped my morning run. And then: My partner cancelled. So here I am, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Sitting at a cafe, drinking coffee, watching people with rope bags pass by on their way to the rock. And I'm writing this post.
To make matters worse my apartment is a complete disaster. I'm no stranger to the dirtbag lifestyle, but this place pushes my limits. I'm in the basement of a three-story building. It's a huge dorm room, with five beds, and I'm the only occupant. Bugs are everywhere. It's humid, the A.C. sucks, and the bed is way to small. There is no hot water. They've promised I can move into a different room this afternoon, but I'm not counting my chickens just yet.
All this, I suppose, is just part of the single climber's life. I'm not frustrated or upset. I'll climb soon, I'm sure. And things will work out. Until then, my view will have to console me.
a
Some background: I'm presently in Kalymnos, Greece, a small island near Turkey in the Aegean Sea and world-famous sport climbing destination. I came here on a whim, by myself, after a last minute decision. The plan was to enjoy the Mediterranean scenery and, if a climbing opportunity presented itself, hit up the crags.
Turns out that climbing opportunities abound and it's hard not to get excited about them. The problem is that I don't have a partner -- a necessity for those not wanting to hit the ground when they fall. So I put out some feelers and, to my surprise, got quite a few responses from other folks in the same position as me. And today I made my first climbing "date," passing up several others in order to climb with someone around my skill level. I woke up early, prepped my skin, clipped my nails, and packed my bags. I even skipped my morning run. And then: My partner cancelled. So here I am, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Sitting at a cafe, drinking coffee, watching people with rope bags pass by on their way to the rock. And I'm writing this post.
To make matters worse my apartment is a complete disaster. I'm no stranger to the dirtbag lifestyle, but this place pushes my limits. I'm in the basement of a three-story building. It's a huge dorm room, with five beds, and I'm the only occupant. Bugs are everywhere. It's humid, the A.C. sucks, and the bed is way to small. There is no hot water. They've promised I can move into a different room this afternoon, but I'm not counting my chickens just yet.
All this, I suppose, is just part of the single climber's life. I'm not frustrated or upset. I'll climb soon, I'm sure. And things will work out. Until then, my view will have to console me.
