Not long to go now!
After getting my visa finally sorted out after slight 'disagreements' in the Indian Embasy it has finaly begun to sink about my forthcoming expedition.
According to the Indian Embasy, it seems more then likely I will be kidnapped whilst out there! Lets hope that I get rescued before the Embasy's find out or I'll be stuck for years the speed they work at!
I tried to pack all my kit today, but realised how much there was to pack and so decided to put it off untill the weekend, as usual! The biggest problem I curently have is trying to keep the weight down to under 15Kgs. I think certain items such as soap and a toothbrush might get left out as these are rarely used at home let alone on expeditions!
After a shoping trip i have been testing out my new kit including a "Buff"- a sock shaped piece of cloth with a hole at each end. I spent a long time testing out new ways to wear this odd piece of kit, and finally descovered its best worn as a hat!
The other dilemma I currently face is cloting sizes! Having grown out of kids sizes I have been looking in adults but they all seem too big! I think that companies should invent a 'kids/Adult' range for people like me that don't quiet fit into ether!
I'll be posting a few more updates before I depart for India so watch out for some more lame and unintresting posts!
HelvellynLake District U.K.
On Tuesday 19th Feb 08 I climbed Helvellyn U.K. It was a fairly easy climb with a well marked out path to the summit. The route to the summit was busy but it was good training for the unclimbed 6000m peaks waiting for me in Ladakh.
The climb took around 4 hours and I think we got the first sunny day of the year, so allow an extra hour if weather is bad! There were a few icy patches as we got higher up and there were a few scary moments slipping into other climbers! The views were amazing and by the time I got back down the river looked very inviting even with the ice floating by.
Whilst testing out my new ice axe upon the icy river banks I tried to hop across the river using my ice axe as an anchor on the other side. After previously testing the strength of the ice, close to river, I took a tentative step closer to the river as I plunged my axe on the other bank the snow from under my feet gave way and I ended up in the freezing river!
'The sea's only made up of drops!'
Keep Climbing
Francis