Motorbiking in Hanoi

This is a bit overdue. We tried to document the craziness of the streets in Hanoi. Just crossing the street is an experience in this city!
Click Here to check out our video

Smokey the Grumpy Monkey

3/3-8/16

Wow what a great place we are in currently. Jira’s Homestay continues to be over the top with their hospitality and the climbing has entertained both Austin and I.  It’s funny how you quickly find yourself a routine after staying put for a few days. Our’s is a leisurely morning where we order coffee, breakfast, and lunch all at once. Our host packs up our lunch in tubber-ware as we sip coffee and talk with other climbers about their plans for the day. Everyones day rotates around running away from the sun. You quickly learn what walls get covered by the shade and when. 

Jira's delicious food

For us, we usually have a goal or a project for each climb spot we go to. After pushing ourselves both physically and mentally for the past 3 months, both of our nerves are shot. Having control over your fear and anxiety level is a huge component to climbing that is often overlooked by bystanders. Finding a climb that pushes my mental game and ability feels…well it’s just not going to happen. So, we both agreed that our goal should be falling back in love with climbing. It’s not that we fell out of love, its just that pushing our limit so much lately has changed the way we have viewed the sport. While here, we simply want to get to the top of climbs, having fun along the way with out over coming fear and anxiety. 

 We have been sticking to the 5c to 6a+ (5.9-5.10b) range and it’s been great. Crazy Horse has some cool approaches and climb spots. My personal favorite has been Morning Glory a 6a+ in windy cave. To get there you have to find a hole at the bottom of another crag, where there was a cold breeze blowing out. We hesitated at the entrance, enjoying the feeling of natural air conditioning and to asses the dark abyss that we had to squeeze through. We both aren’t the biggest fans of caving so after a deep breath, I squeezed under a dark lip of rock, down a slick tube. After my head cleared the low rock, the floor of the cave was dimly light by a faraway light source. It was an easy slide down to the floor. We then headed through another small tunnel towards the light source. The tunnel opened to a huge room with two beams of light dramatically lighting the walls of the cave. One beam lit up our climb perfectly while the other shown straight down at the top of the climb. The temperature was also dramatically cooler and perfect for climbing in. We both led the route and had an awesome view of the small cave room at the anchors. 

Windy Cave

Austin’s favorite spot has been the other cave, Anxiety Crisis, in which you can also climb in. At the bottom of the cave there are several easier routes that are all very enjoyable and towards the top there are several multi-pitch routes that traverse the roof, full stalactites and tufa formations. The cave is much bigger than Windy Cave but just as cool, literally speaking. The top opens up allowing plenty of light to come in so that there is no issues seeing the rock when climbing.

Checking out our character bike

So far we have taken one full rest day to explore Mae On. Jira’s has three character motor bikes that we are free to use. None of them have front brakes and being able to switch out of third gear is not a guarantee. They are reliable enough to take you the 2km up the road to the market and 7-11. We decided to take one on a great adventure to the Muang On Cave just a bit further up the road. Struggling between 1st and 2nd as we climbed the hill to the entrance, the bike slowly made her way to the cave entrance successfully. The cave was 20 bahts to get in and well worth it. It was one of the most developed caves we have ever been in, with lights lining the walls and cement stair cases to get you through the caverns. There were a lot of small shrines around various cave features, a huge resting Buddha statue, and the biggest stalagmite I have ever seen.

  

Muang On Cave

Outside of the cave, their was a trail that takes you up to a shrine on the summit of the mountain. We made our way up but came to a road block as 2 macaques (monkeys) were posted up on a fallen tree across the trail. When we first came upon them, of course we thought, “Oh, how cute.” That mind set quickly changed as we tried to step past them and they both bared their teeth while hunching back, ready to pounce. You do not want to get bitten by a macaque or any other monkey in Asia, as they are known to carry a range of diseases. We quickly retreated and waited for them to calm down, but every time we tried to sneak by, they reared back at us again. We had to cut into the woods and make a big ‘U’ around them to continue up the trail.

Burning around the Shrine

 As we made our way to the top, the smell of fire grew.The peak where a buddha shrine was located was covered in a small brush fire. When we came to the peak, a monk was up there as well, looking at the creeping flames. He spoke a bit of english with us as he snapped some shots of the fire. He did not seem to alarmed by the flames. In the states if we had come upon this site, we would of immediately turned around and called the fire department. But we are on vacation!  So we stayed on top, talked with the monk, and walked around the flames. 

That night, we could see from Jira’s the fire burning on the mountain side underneath Crazy Horse Crag. We asked our host about it in the morning and she did not seem surprised by the fires. They are intentionally set and let burn through out the land. The next morning, a lot of the climbing spots had burnt ash at the base. A few trees were still cracking and smoldering with small flames. Coming from California where fires are a serious problem, it was a bit surreal casually climbing in a smokey forest. 

We have a few more days left here at Jira’s. So far we are doing a good job at meeting our goal of taking it easy and finding chill climbs. From here we are headed up north the Pai! You will be hearing from us then! 

Jira's Homestay

3/3/16

Robyn and I slept well in our mosquito net covered beds, formally know as the “Princess Palace”. We in fact slept so well we did not wake up until around 9 am. Once up and moving we went to the outside restaurant here and ordered a couple omelets and coffee. The coffee was amazing! It was brewed in served in a percolator. 

Trail to Heart Wall

After eating our enormous omelets and drinking several mugs of coffee, we were eager to get our climbing on. Before leaving the homestay though we decided to order lunch to go so that we could stay out at the crag all day. The servings here at Jira’s homestay are giant, usually enough for two people to feast on. Once we got our tupperware we grabbed our climbing gear and headed off to the rocks. By this time it was nearly 10:30 am, a really late start for us, but seemed the norm around the homestay. We were surprised to still see people getting their days started when we arrived to breakfast and to be heading out to the crag before most. 

Once to the parking lot we headed to the furthest wall called “Heart Wall,” which was located a 20 minute walk up hill on the other side of the mountain from the rest of the walls. We huffed and puffed our way through the bamboo forest eventually finding the crag. Still getting used to the heat and not hiking as much, we struggled some what. The struggle, although real, was well worth it when we finally arrived to wall. A 40 meter tall band of rock perfectly protruding from the side of the mountain begging to be climbed. So, thats what we did. 

Another crazy bug

We headed to the far left end of the wall where a series of new climbs had recently been developed. This end of the wall required a bit of scrambling through unsteady rocks to gain access to the bottom of the climb where a small ledge is all you had to put your rope and gear. Because of the small belay area, the developers were smart and added an anchor at the bottom of the climb so that you could attach yourself to prevent from falling down the hill.

The first two climbs of the day were meant to be easy warm ups for both of us but in fact turned out to both be a little harder and more tricky than expected. They were both rated a 5c which is a grade Robyn and I are both comfortable with but these two particular climbs seemed more difficult to both of us. Once to the top of the climbs you were awarded a wonderful view of a valley filled with houses and a few temples. You could also see several mountain ranges off in the distance. 

After the two “warm ups”, I went after a steep and fun looking 6a+. It started off with balance moves, moved into jugs with big reaches, followed by a committing move at the top over a small roof and finished on a tricky technical section at the anchors. It was one of the more entertaining climbs that I have done in a long time. Robyn followed on the climb and did so really smoothly figuring out the movement with little effort. 

Getting later in the afternoon we decided to take a break and enjoy our lunch we had brought out and ponder what to do next. As we sat and ate our lunch the sun started to peak over the cliffs edge making it much hotter. It was soon shining on the wall and both of us not wanting to sweat off the wall and battle the sun decided that it would be best to go else where and find shade. We were recommended a climb that was on the other side from us close to the parking lot so we grabbed all of our belongings and headed that direction. 

Chimney Sweep

Back in the parking lot, we took a quick pit stop to refill our water bottles and to empty the bladders. A five minute walk brought us to the wall where the climb was we had been recommended but we were met by a sea of children and a land of top ropes hanging from every climb. They were an international school on a guided trip. The guides told us that they would soon be leaving so we just went to the crag just next to it and enjoyed some easier climbing while we waited. 

After two really enjoyable climbs we headed back over and found a lot different scene. A quiet wall with a bamboo hut next to it and just one other couple climbing. We laid out our rope at the bottom of “Chimney Sweep”  and both gave it a lead. It was well worth the wait! A unique climb that required some interesting movement to make it to the top. Afterwards we ended our day on a climb called “Samurai”.

The end of Chimney Sweep

A ten minute walk brought us back to Jira’s where we relaxed and a had a beer until dinner time.   We soon became hungry and joined the rest of the climbers staying here for a nice family style dinner. We joined a few tables together and all sat together talking about the days adventures and our travels. It was great! Robyn and I ordered a Coconut chicken soup with rice to share, which once again was plenty to satisfy our hunger. When ordering, I had a fun experience with the owners son who was taking orders and helping in the restaurant. He spoke a little english and was practicing with everyone as they ordered. He practice with me by asking, “What is your name?” to which I responded “I’m Austin.” He then said, “Nice to meet you Im-Austin”. I simply smiled and said, “No, No Austin” and pointed to myself. He laughed and said “Sorry , you Austin and me Phunn” then proceeded to give me a high five.

That night we all joined around a campfire and listen to people play music, tell stories, and even crack a joke here and there. Although it was still hot from the days heat, nothing can beat a nice campfire with friends after a good day climbing. Remember this: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and when it throws you a curve ball just swing a little different.  

Crazy Horse

3/2/16

This morning was another early morning as both of us were up before 7 am. I finalized my packing and Robyn went out to get some muesli and fruit dishes from our go-to breakfast spot near the hostel. In case you were wondering this bowl consist of yogurt, cut fruit, and mixed oats. Basically, its a flavor explosion in your mouth; a good morning for the ol’ taste buds. Sadly though Robyn came back about five minutes later empty handed. The lady that runs the small cafe always opens and closes on a very loose schedule, this morning it happened to be later. 

We did a sweep of the room as all good outdoor instructors know how to do. Finding nothing but a new pieces of random trash under the bed and a small amount of spilled climbers chalk in a corner, we were good to throw on our now unbelievably heavy packs. Starting out on this trip we were already carrying lots of gear and weight but now that we acquired some climbing gear and have bought lots of souvenirs our bags were as stuffed as a nostril during a bad cold. Yes people, get excited we have gifts….Anyways we walked out of our room and down the stairs bouncing and balancing our  way through the narrow hallways. 

After returning the key, we set off to the climbing shop where we were meant to meet our pre arranged taxi to the climbing crag. We arrived early to the shop and found it closed so we headed back up the street to find some breakfast giving that we were unlucky earlier. Nearby there were several establishments open so we chose the first one we came to called “Funky Monkey Cafe”. It was quick service and cheap prices, not to mention it tasted pretty good too. After quickly scarfing down some grub and downing our coffees we went back to the climb shop to check in and catch our ride. 

Crazy Horse Buttress

Soon our ride had arrived, so we grabbed all of our stuff and hopped in the back of the truck. Yes our taxi was a pickup with covered bench seats in the back, a standard share ride here in Thailand. Before getting in, we had to hoist our bags to the rack on top the truck which was quite a site to see. Trying to lift over 25 kilos of weight over your head is anything but graceful. We managed and soon were off with a crew of other climbers to the nearby village of Mae On where “Crazy Horse” was located. We had 45 minutes so we began in conversation with the others in the back to prevent the awkward silence. You can get away with silence in an elevator maybe but it would have been nearly impossible to do this in a share ride, especially for me.

Robyn enjoying the view

On our way we made a stop by a road side restaurant to pick up water, use the restroom if needed, and stretch our legs. Afterwards, we headed towards the town Mai On and about 10 minutes later found ourselves pulling into another spot. This so happened to be Jira’s Homestay a welcoming place for all climbers looking to stay by the crag verses the city of Chiang Mai. We mentioned we wanted to stop here so that we could get a room and like magic it was communicated to the driver and, just like all transportation in this country, it works out that you end up where you need to be. We hopped out and grabbed our bags and with the help of a guide who was headed out to the crag we were able to communicate to one of the owners of the homestay that we needed a place to stay. There was not a private room or a dorm room bed available but there were two beds outside with bug nets that were available. Robyn and I gave a look at each other which both instantly understood as whelp, this is happening and why not?! We told them we would take it and so the truck pulled away leaving us at our new home for the next several days. 

We were told to hangout and wait so with no other choice and really no where to go, we did. Soon a lady came over and chatted with us. In a very apologetic sounding voice she explained in her best english that all she had for now was outside beds. We kept telling her no problem we are easy and flexible and would be happy to wait a few days for a private room to open. She smiled and showed us were to keep our stuff and where the two beds were located. Not ideal, but hey when in a foreign country trying to climb in remote areas you learn not to be too choosy with your options. 

Our sleeping arrangements

Being late morning by now, we decided to pack up the climbing gear and go check out this talked up place know as “Crazy Horse”. A short 10 minute hike from the homestay led us to the parking lot of the climb site and soon we found the access trail we needed to get to the wall. Once in the parking lot you can see the feature that gives the crag its name. A piece of rock at the top of the visible rock wall looks just like a horse's head. After gazing at this for a moment, we chose to go to the closest crag (aka. wall you can climb). Once there, we climbed three long but easier routes to get a feel for the rock and to warm up our muscles. Taking time off is good but man does it lead to tight joints and stiff muscles.

Around 2:30 we ended up heading back to Jira’s to grab some lunch. It was rumored that the food here was delicious and plentiful. Fact check confirmed! Not only was it a giant portion for both of us, it was really good. Robyn got a traditional northern Thai dish of chili dip and vegetables and being the original guy that I am I got Pad Thai. Even though I have had Pad Thai before, I couldn't resist the price and surprisingly it was one of the best I have had in all of Southeast Asia. The rest of our afternoon has been spent sitting in the back yard of this beautiful home enjoying the views of the surrounding mountains. I also have been writing this…haha. 

Coolest bugs ever!

Woah…news flash! As I was getting to the last few thoughts of this blog, I got up and stretched. When I stood up I was next to a tree where I just saw the coolest bugs ever! A moth like bug with a long red horn and bright green spotted wings. Moments like these remind me of why I love the great outdoors! Nature is pretty neat. Okay, Im done with this ADD moment and now back to our regular programming…. 

Tonight we plan to go night climbing with several of the people here at the homestay. People in climbing communities are so inviting and when we arrive to a new camp, homestay or town with a climbing community we instantly gain a huge group of new friends/family. Its nice, simply put. 

The sun is setting now meaning its time for us to leave and go climb with our new friends so until next time take out there. Do good, get outside and never stop smiling!

Port-Mai

2/27 - 3/1

We made it to Portland!

Oh wait, I mean Chiang Mai! 

What a modern and hip city. Austin and I got here early afternoon after catching a night bus that felt like an airplane on wheels. There was even a stewardess that handed out snacks and blankets! 

Chiang Mai has tourism figured out so we had plenty of places to pick from to stay. We found a reasonably priced place, through down our bags, and hit the streets. The Portland vibe really came through as you could throw a rock from one coffee shop and hit 4 more, plus bookstore. It was a lot fancier then we expected too. There were a lot of high end fashion shops and restaurants that had that Whole Foods local-orgnaic-noMSG feel. As we walked around, passing people taking cooking classes, and trying to figure out which restaurant with cool seating we wanted to go to, we started to feel pretty hip. So hip that we found a jazz bar and watched a couple of local bands play some funky beats. We even spotted our first local hipsters! 

coconut fish pie

We were lucky to have arrived on Saturday and get to experience the Saturday night market. The strip started off with a slew of food venders. So we wedged ourselves in the sea of people to make our way past all the grub to size up our options. I got stuck in traffic in front of a spot selling all sorts of fish. There was a wild looking single serving white pie that I had never seen before. The women running the stand said it was a coconut fish pie, so I handed her 25 baht, grabbed Austin and stepped out of the line of people. We found a less crowded spot on the street to give this thing a whirl and man was it an experience! Yes, there was a white layer of coconut on top that was pretty tasty. The next layer I think was fish that had been blended whole for no more than 3 seconds all surrounded by a fish paste. After Austin pulled a fin out of his mouth, I couldn’t eat anymore. Austin braved through the rest of the experience, pulling bones and scales out of his mouth has he went. We had to play it safe after that experience and opted for noodle soup to get past the flavor. 

After we survived the food venders, we went on to check out the rest of the market. This one was a bit different than the markets we have been in prior. First, there were carnival games! Second, there were announcements over the loud speaker in english reminding people to watch for pick-pocketing, mind there belongings, and that drinking is not allowed. Third, there were a lot of sick and disabled beggars. We were a little taken back because this was the first time we have ever seen this. Streams of people pushed through on either side of the street, it was crazy how packed it was. We escaped down one alleyway and stumbled on a temple where there was a candle light ceremony happening. There were even westerners amongst the monks joining in. 

We got away from the market scene pretty early so we could get back and recover from sleeping on our airplane style night bus. Sunday we decided to check out a few museums. We rented a couple of bicycles and cruised down to the Art in Paradise Museum. The entrance ticket was pretty steep but it was so worth it. The whole museum was covered in 3D pantings that you could pose and play with. One full cameras worth of photos later, we had killed 3 hours in there! The next museum we wanted to check out was the Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders, on the other side of town. We made it there an hour before it closed. The museum itself was pretty small, only 2 stories in a little house, so we went on in to see as much as we could. Their collection was very neat. The top floor was covered in butterfly, moth, and beetle specimens from all over the world. There were all sorts of crystals and unique shells. They even had dinosaur eggs and few other fossils! The museum was the curator’s personal collection of specimens displayed in their home. I really enjoyed all the quotes they had up thanking the insects for donating themselves to science and phrases being thankful for the wonders of mother nature. 

After the museums, we headed back to our hostel and were thrown into the Sunday market. Much like the Saturday market but with less carnival games and food venders. We did find some great food though. We had a huge fish ball that was served in a crab shell, a omelet stuffed with pad thai, a bag of fried bananas, and spicy Chiang Mai sausage. All pretty safe food choices and all very delicious. We even got two glasses of wine that was made at the local university. We ended our Sunday with some more live music at the North Gate Jazz Co-op. Austin was very excited when we got there and a funky cover band was playing. All in all a good day.

Monday was simple. We kept our bikes and cruised around town all day with no real agenda. We discovered some awesome restaurants in a small hip side of town made of oneway side streets, saw lots of neat graffiti and even found the oldest temple in town. The day ended with a nice cold beer and a couple curry dishes. 

Tuesday was exciting, we rented a motorbike and headed for a hundred kilometer tour through the nearby mountains. We found information about the “Mae Sa Valley Loop” in our Lonely Planet book and decided it would be a great way to spend a day. We needed to get away from the city and get a taste of nature before we both went a little crazy, not to mention the city can be hard on the wallet. 

After breakfast, we headed off to find a motorbike rental place which we happened on pretty quickly. Once we signed the contract, handed over our passport, and grabbed keys and helmets, we were off. A short drive through the “Old Quarters” brought us to the highway we were meant to get on to head north to the mountains. All was going smooth until a few minutes outside of town where we were waved down by a traffic police officer. We pulled over and were asked to get show our license. Austin got out his since he was driving and showed it to the officer. He responded “Ohh, where you from?” We replied America in which he then asked about an international drivers license. Not having one Austin said, “Sorry, we were told we are okay on a motorbike and did not need one.” The officer simply laughed at this and showed us a laminated piece of paper with Thai written all over it. He kept repeating “See, international license.” We just shrugged our shoulders and again said we did not have one. He then said, “Okay you pay fine of 500 bahts (15 usd).” Side note: This may not seem like a lot but this is nearly a whole days budget for one of us. Austin handled this well with saying, “Sorry we don't have that and we need money for food and gas for the day. Im not paying you this much.” The officer then replied, “How much then?” Austin responded with 100 bahts which they then responded 200. This went back and forth a few times before another officer came over. At that point Austin opened his wallet to give them 100 bahts and both officers looked inside noting that we had more to give. Austin somehow managed to get away with just 100 even though they insisted on more. He slid the 100 bahts under the officers clip board where he then grabbed it smoothly. 

A weird situation but we handled it well. As surprising and off putting as it was, we have heard many of stories where this has happen to friends of ours. Even though it was only a 100 baht (3 usd), this ate into our budget literally, preventing us from having enough to grab lunch on our journey. We decided to not give up the waterfall and botanical garden visits we had planned just because we paid off an officer. So we didn't. 

Mai Sa Valley

After this hiccup we were back on the road and off to our journey. We were soon off the main highway on the scenic route. The road was quite nice, curvy and quiet. We wound our way up into the beautiful mountains eventually getting to our first stop, the waterfall hike.The hike was nice, we made our way upstream stopping at 10 different waterfalls on the 3 kilometer hike. Austin took a couple dips in the water as I relaxed on the rocks listening to the sounds of the forest and water. The only downside to the hike was that several of the board walks that accessed viewpoints had rotted away and sat in shambles. Once back to the bike we headed up the road to our next stop.

On the way to the botanical gardens we made several stops to enjoy view points along the road. Soon though we were at the gates of the botanical garden and to our surprise it was huge. We expected a small walk through a green house and maybe a garden or two outside but found ourselves at a complex that you drove through. There were many gardens including banana trees and herbs, green houses,  a natural science museum, and even a catwalk tree canopy tour. We first stopped at the banana and white flower collection and strolled around for a while then decided we were getting low on energy so we moved on to the catwalk, which was awesome. After this we headed to the green house area which included 10 or more green houses that varied in species of plants. There was a arid and cactus house, orchid house, water plants, and even a rainforest enclosure. Getting hungry and late we decided to high tail it to the museum so we could get a quick look before getting back on the road. Although aimed towards young adults and children, the museum was one of the nicest ones we have been in so far. 

Botanical Garden

Around 4:30 we got back on the road to complete the 50+ kilometers or so we had left for the day. We headed up and down and round and round through valleys and over ridges enjoying the view as we did. We made a few more stops to take photos and de-numb our bottoms as we made our way through the mountains. An hour later or so we found ourselves back on the busy streets of Chiang Mai, once again dodging other motorbikes and cars. We soon made it to our hostel where we dropped off the bike and found the closet establishment to grub down. I think we set a record for fasted consumed meal in Chiang Mai. 

Tomorrow we head to “Crazy Horse” the climbing crag outside of town to spend a view days exploring new routes. Its been a good rest but we both are way better at spending our time climbing than we are spending it in the city! Keep tuned as this will be some of the last climbing we do on this epic journey.

Nam Pha Pa Yai Climbers' Camp

2/22-25/16

The view from the top of the crag

We have been here at Nam Pha Pa Yai for four days now and have climbed everyday. Nam Pha  Pa Yai translates to “river camp big forest”. In total, we have climbed 28 pitches and 24 different routes. We have climbed at three of the four crags here with two of them being by the Pasak river and the other one in a bamboo forest near the camp. 

Access to the climb

Each morning, our day starts off with lots of stretching and chilling out before breakfast is severed at 8am. Once done with breakfast, we head off to the crags. This means grabbing our climbing gear and a zip line pulley before heading down to the rivers edge. Once there, we climb into a wooden platform attached to a tree high above the river and attach ourselves to a cable that stretches from one bank to the other. ZOOOMMM!!! Off you go, zipping across the beautiful Pasak river to the other side where a wall of beautiful limestone awaits you.

Hanging up sweaty gear

By noon or shortly after, we head back to the other side for lunch. This again means another zip line experience across the river. I enjoy having to go back and forth for climbing and camp visits as I really enjoy zip lining. Robyn, who before this place really did not care for zip lining at all, has found a way to somewhat enjoy it. As you approach the take off areas for your zip you always pass this sign that says “Do Not use the Zip Line for FUN!” I cant help but laugh at this, as each time is always fun. Sometimes, I even find myself forgetting things or needing to use the toilet just so I can zip line one extra time during the day. 

Our new "Best Friend"

After lunch, we usually take a long break to let the hot part of the day pass. During this time, we play board games, read, chat, or play with the camp dogs.There is a puppy here that both Robyn and I love and kinda want to take with us for the rest of our travels. In the afternoon, we manage to get in a few more climbs before either the heat gets to us or the sun starts to make its way over the edge of the cliffs. 

Night time is my favorite here. It starts with a nice cool shower after hanging up the sweaty gear by our tent. This is usually followed by some down time to either read, play cards, internet, or chat with the only other camper here besides us. Gerald is an older fellow from Germany. He has been biking his way through Southeast Asia as well as climbing. Being such a strong climber, we enjoy having him join us each day because if we can not put up a route, he usually is willing and able.

Austin Leading a 6a (Sadao)

Night time also means dinner which is my favorite here. Joy’s (camp host) mother cooks dinner every night which always consist of rice and usually some type of curry. Man is it sooo good! Not only is it unbelievably good, it is buffet style, all you can eat! Being only three of us, means we can eat until we simply can not fit anymore into our bodies. This truly is a climbers’ dream. Being on the rock all day you burn an amazing amount of calories. 

Tomorrow is our last full day here before heading off to Chiang Mai. We leave around 8pm to the near by town and catch an eight hour long night bus. This means we have one more day to enjoy here climbing and eating wonderful food. Robyn and I are planning on getting on the only multi-pitch here which takes you to the top of the cliff overlooking the river valley. 

We are both looking forward to some “tourist” time in Chiang Mai and Pai, as our bodies are both in need of some rest from climbing. Im sure there will be stories to be told so keep checking in! 

Researching other crags in Thailand

Good-Bye Vietnam!

2/21-22/16

A lot has happened in the last two days. We have flown to a new country, said buy to friends, become more confident with public transportation, found a camp in the middle of no where, and even climbed. We are now back in Thailand where the whole adventure began, except this time we are here to explore the north.

Robyn and I left early on the morning of the 21st from our hostel with a prearranged taxi. Upon arrival at the airport we quickly made our way through the ticket counter where we check in for our flight and ensured our bags were under the allowed weight. With boarding passes in hand we were off to immigration to get our passports stamped and go through security. We made it through all of the process with no problems and at a record speed. This meant we had plenty of time to cruise the airport looking for ways to spend the last of our Vietnamese currency. 

Enjoying the Train

Robyn ended up buying some coffee, chewing gum, and Tiger Balm. These happen to be the three best items one can buy in airport to get rid of currency. Coffee is a must buy in Vietnam, gum kicks butt on airplanes, and Tiger Balm is so cheap and so good for the sore achy body. Side Note: For those unfamiliar with Tiger Balm, its the worlds greatest rub on cream that cools and numbs any pain in joints or muscles. (Great for climbers!) Basically, you gain tiger powers!

I ended up spending the last bit of my currency on a Popeye’s chicken tender combo with mashed potatoes and coke. Still hungry, I grabbed a vanilla ice cream cone. I helped with the purchase of a lunch for Robyn as well, a simple chicken sandwich with fries and a coke. She soon realized although a Popeye’s sandwich it was a sandwich none the less and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were soon leaving the side of Southeast Asia with good bread and back to the land of rice. Funny the things you miss after traveling. For us this is good bread and oh yeah, good beer.

We made it on the plane and an hour and forty five minutes later we were in Bangkok. Once there we had to go through immigration. In Bangkok, immigration lines are always long and hectic but this time it went pretty smooth. With in thirty minutes we both had our passports stamped and were on the way to baggage claim and the nearest ATM to withdraw bahts (Thai currency). Once we had our bags we headed to the information desk to inquire about a Thailand SIM card and to double check our plans for getting to the climbers camp north of Bangkok. We confirmed that we had to catch a series of buses to the train station before heading north to Keang Khoi (the nearest town to the camp). 

We made it!

After heading outside the airport we waited for a few minutes to catch the free shuttle to the bus station where we were meant to hop on either bus 554 or 555 to get to the train station we needed to go north. As soon as the shuttle dropped us off, we were surrounded by many gentlemen offering us taxis to various locations, ensuring us that it was easier and cheaper. Being veterans by now we new it was nothing more than a scam so we continued our search of the local bus 555 or 554. Being that there was no 555 bus we assumed, 554 must be the one. We hopped on and waited until more people including the bus driver got on the bus. We showed several people a piece of paper that had “Train Station to Kaeng Khoi” written in Thai in which they shook their heads yes to. 

Soon the bus was off and keeping our fingers crossed we followed ourselves on gps as we headed through Bangkok. Being a local bus, it stopped many times letting people on and off the bus. We were the only two westerners on this bus and we stuck out like a sore thumb. About an hour past before making it to the train station where the bus without hesitation stopped and several people pointed us off and said “This you”. We thanked everybody on the bus for looking out for us, grabbed our bags and hopped off heading up the stairs of the train station. 

After finding the ticket office we told him where we wanted to go and for 60 bahts he gave us two tickets and pointed to the other side of the tracks. This we assumed meant go there and wait. Again, multiple people looked at our ticket and when the next train came made sure we got on it and found a seat. Trains in Thailand are packed! We walked through two entire cars unable to turn around with our big bags until we found the cafe car. We were invited to sit down and throw our luggage above. Feeling as though we had to buy something since we were sitting at a non crowed table in a less than busy car, we opted for two cokes. Wow were we lucky, everywhere else in this train was crazy full, people four to five a row with some even standing in the isle. The cafe employee allowed us to stay and so we enjoyed our two hour ride north eating sunflower seeds, drinking soda, enjoying the views out of our open window and playing cards. 

Nam Pha Pa Yai Restaurant 

Two hours flew by and so did several train stops. As we neared our stop several locals informed us and even the gentleman working on the train checking tickets came over and warned us it was up next. Feeling grateful and excited that we had almost completed what seemed impossible just hours earlier, we hopped off and headed to find a couple motorbike taxis. We went to where we were told they would be from our research and what do you know, they were there. They knew exactly where we were headed (this town is not a common westerners stop) and a few bahts later Robyn and I hopped onto two separate bikes and were off into the sunset toward what we hoped was the right place. It is amazing how much trust we have for people in Southeast Asia, it always works out and they are always so willing to answer any questions and make sure you get where you are going or what you need. 

Holding ourselves onto the back of a small motor bike with nearly 25 kilos of weight is simply hard. We both barely fit onto our motorbike taxis and had to hold on tight as they made the 20 kilometer trek out to the camp. As darkness fell upon us we were headed up a dirt road far off the beaten path into what seem to be a beautiful valley. Finally, lights shined in the distance and we pulled up to a clay hut restaurant with the name “Nam Pha Pa Yai”. We had made it, nearly 12 hours later from when we left Hanoi, Vietnam, we were finally here! We sat our bags down and were greeted by our host, Joy. There were only a few people at the camp making it a quite and peaceful environment.  After a quick run down of the place, she took us to our new home for the next week, a sweet tent on a raised platform overlooking the river valley. Robyn and I high-fived with excitement knowing we had figured it out public transportation!

We soon learned we had made it just in time for dinner which made Robyn and I two very happy individuals. Buffet style! I ate more than I had eaten since leaving the states that night. We had a beer over dinner to celebrate our near flawless adventure. Bed came early as it does a lot here.

Zipline Gear

The next morning, we woke up and ate breakfast before heading off to do some climbing. The crag here at “Nam Pha Pa Yai” is located across the river from camp which means the only way there and back is a zipline! This I love, Robyn not so much. After we both successfully made it across the river we went to the map of the crag and picked out a few climbs. We started on a 6a which was extremely long and a little difficult to navigate. After that we did a 6a+ and a 5+ which we both found fun. After only three climbs, we were exhausted and ready for lunch. We have not climbed in hot temperatures in along time and it showed. The heat and the sun kicked our butts and used up a lot of our chalk as we kept sweating off each hold. We again zip lined back across the river and headed up to the restaurant.  

Lunch was great, a mixed salad with chicken and lots of really cold water. Being the hottest part of the day, we decided that a few board games would be a nice way to beat the heat before a few more climbs in the afternoon. We played a few games of Mancala and Connect Four as we consumed what seemed endless amounts of water from the cooler. We soon braved the heat and set off for a new crag one that actually wasn't across the river but rather just on the outskirts of camp in a bamboo forest. The crag was full of easy climbs which we both were down for being that the heat was still kicking our butts. We made it through a few more climbs which were enjoyable but finally gave into heat exhaustion and headed back to camp. 

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We both headed straight for the showers and enjoyed a cold shower to refresh ourselves and clean ourselves of all the sweat we had been pouring out all day. After showers we sat around in the shade enjoying hammocks and books. We did this until dinner time where we once again ate maybe a little too much. Its so good here that its hard to stop once you get going. 

Home, sweet, home!

Now it is nearly 9pm and we are the only ones here at the camp. Everyone has left but us and of course Joy (the host) and her family. We have been told more climbers are to be coming soon but Joy is unsure if they actually will. Either way its nice having the place to our own. Being in a quiet place in the middle of a beautiful river valley in the middle of Thailand is a wild feeling but one we are liking so far. Off to a movie and another good nights sleep. Sleep is great here as you pass out to the sounds of geckos, insects, birds, and the occasional howl of a dog.

Of course as we always say, stay tuned as this adventure keeps getting better and better!

Rocks, Friends, and Views

2/17-2/20

On the seventeenth , Robyn and I woke up and met Kelsey, our friend from Canada, for breakfast. After chowing down, we made the decision to take it easier and stay closer to town for climbing. This meant only one spot, the Cave, a fun crag with only a few climbs on it. We cruised over to the site on our motorbikes and parked them just outside the house we had to go through to access the climbs. We head


ed up the hill and decided to start on a 6a+ (5.10b). It was short and sweet with one hard move at the top. Next, we jumped on a 6b (5.10c) which through me for a loop at the top. I miss the holds needed to make it to the anchors successfully. Trying to grab on to small crimps to clip anchors, I took a few falls before finding the right ones. I clipped anchors finally and lowered feeling a bit let down that I had not climbed more smoothly. I soon shook it off though and realized that it was still a blast. Climbing meant more to me than just getting every climb clean. It was more about the idea of facing fears and getting to places only few get to experience.

Kelsey wanted to hop on a few more climbs before calling it quits, so she hoped on a 6b (5.10c) and a 6a (5.10a) on the other side of the cave. Robyn and I were feeling the days prior pretty heavily and decided to call it good and rest. I offered to belay Kelsey on her two final climbs. They went well, except for the first few bolts of the 6b (5.10c). High above her second bolt making her way to the next clip, she grabbed a dirty pocket causing her to slip off the climb and fall almost all the way back to the ground. Seeing this and hearing her yell “FALLING”, I was able to suck in a bit of rope in my belay device preventing her from decking (hitting the ground). She was inches from a boulder at the bottom of the climb. Being such a huge fall, it literally jerked me off the ground and left us both suspended and swinging around. After realizing how close of a call it was to a serious injury, we took a deep breath and continued on with the climb. Being both full of adrenaline, we were on a our “A” game. She made it to the top with out any other problems or falls. Seeing her pass the second bolt again, I was extremely nervous but as she clipped into the third I was able to calm down knowing that a decking potential was now out of the picture. 

View from the roof of our Hotel

Having enough excitement for the day, we headed out and grabbed a bite to eat. Kelsey chilled out in town the remainder of the day and Robyn and I cruised out to the National Park for a hike to a mountain peak. When we arrived, we walked to the ticket counter to buy passes. Robyn was told “No it was too late” . After a quick look at my watch, I was shocked to see it was nearly 4pm. Where had the day gone? Since we were already there and nearing the end of our time on the island, we reasoned with the lady in the ticket booth telling her we could easily make the 2km (under a mile) hike to the top and down with in the hour before they closed. Without argument, she sold us our tickets, told us to be back before 5pm and off we went. Walking at a fast pace we made it to the top in about twenty minutes. We took a couple pictures and took in the view of all the mountains all around the island. As far as you could see in every direction were jungle covered mountains and towering limestone karst. To say the least, it was breath taking and not just because we had practically run up the mountain. We soon left and were back at the front gates with 5 minutes to spare. Getting close to sunset we cruised back to town for a bite to eat. 

The eighteenth was our last day climbing in Cat Ba Island. We again went back to Butterfly Valley to tackle a few more climbs that I wanted to check off the list. Having climbed everything 6b (5.10c) and easier, there were a few harder climbs I wanted to go after. We started on a climb called “Brooklyn Buddha” a 6c+ (5.11b). Usually, I would warm up on an easier climb but today I decided against it to ensure I had every bit of muscle energy for each climb. This particular climb was a good one to start with because it was easy going at first leading to a hard sustained finish. All was going well for me as I clipped my way up through the bolts getting closer and closer to the anchor. About  half way up the climb I hit first of two crux, again this being the hard parts of the climb usually giving the climb its grade. I stood on a solid ledge for a few minutes puzzled by the movement  and wanting to get it dialed in before advancing up the climb. After a few goes at the next bolt I finally got the movement and headed upward. From the ledge, I moved into  a crack that was only good for just your finger tips to get all while standing on a slab with crap feet. I quickly moved higher and higher moving into the last crux which I successfully placed my quickdraw into the bolt before attempting. Getting exhausted, I had to move quick and as I committed to the move, truly believing that I was going to get my first 6c+ clean on the first go, I slipped off the hold taking a small fall. Feeling a little defeated yet excited that I was so close, I jumped right back on the wall and made the move advancing to the anchors finishing the first climb of the day. Although not perfect, I lowered off the climb with a big smile feeling as though I had made huge progress throughout my trip here in Southeast Asia. Once to the ground, I also had learned from a fellow climber and employee of our go to climb shop that the climb was once considered a 7a (5.11d) but recently had been down graded for whatever reason. With this news, my smile grew even larger. Kelsey hopped on the climb next and ran up smoothly until the very end where she took a fall in the same spot. 

Cat Co. 4 Beach

Robyn feeling wrecked (sore muscles) from accomplishing her climbs the days before, opted out of this one. With this, we moved on to next climb which I had already done once before. “Buffalo Love” is the name and 7a+ (5.12a) was the game. I wanted to give it one last go simply because it was such a fabulous climb, plus I wanted to see if I could do it without any falls. A 25 meter climb up a perfect layback crack led to a big move over a roof in the route before moving into the last technical balanced moves at the anchors. Kelsey gave it a go first and looked smooth as she approached the crux, the move over the roof about half way up. Unfortunately, she did not get high enough feet and took a fall. Wanting to get it clean, she decided to lower down and get a rest while I gave it a go. I put on my shoes, grabbed a few quickdraws, tied in, and chalked up. I took a deep breath and a double checked everything before I started up the climb. I moved smooth through the first half of the climb and soon found myself at the crux where just minutes before Kelsey had fallen. For some unknown reason, my nerves started taking over and my right leg started to “Elvis” (shake uncontrollably). I had to replace my foot as it was wiggling off the crucial hold I needed to make the big move. Having wasted energy and feeling as if I needed to just go for it I went for the jugs (big holds) above the roof. Not quite being high enough with hands and feet yet, I came up short causing me to take a fall. After a big scream and a quick laugh I decided to just go for it again rather than lowering knowing I had one more good climb to come afterwards and needed energy for it. I was able to finish the rest of the climb without any further falls, which in my mind was AWESOME…being that I never thought before this trip I would be climbing 7a+ (5.12a) much less leading them. Kelsey went for it again but again took a fall at the crux. Knowing we still had more climbing ahead of us, she happily finished the rest of the climb calling it good. Again, Robyn decided to listen to her exhausted body and take her harness off and head into town on the motor bike for some exploring rather than risk injury from overuse. 

Down a bit from “Buffalo Love” was a climb that I have been looking at for a few days and had on my “want to climb” list. “Chasing Double Rainbows” was another 6c+ (5.11c) which also had been down graded from a 7a ( 5.11c). I was told it was one of the best quality climbs at its grade and a must do even though not considered one of the classics of Cat Ba (a list of favorites from past climbers and employees of the rock shop). And that it was! A beautiful climb moving through three completely different climbing styles as you moved up the wall. It started off with a blank face with only enough holds to get you through it, over a small roof, into balance moves on tufas, and ending with a tricky crack with limited good holds. Although tired already from the other two climbs, I was able to send it on my first go with no issues. Exhausted mentally and physically, I made it to the top and clipped my last anchors of Cat Ba. Being such a smooth and enjoyable climb, I wanted to end it there on a high note. Even if I had wanted to project another climb, Im not sure if I would have been able. Kelsey gave it a go and did well on it too. 

Afterwards, I got her to get on “Cracker Jack” a 6c (5.11a) and a classic that I found to be pure fun. She kicked butt on it and it kicked hers as well. Before leaving the Valley for our last time we both needed to get a warm down in so we opted for one of the easiest climbs but yet most unique called “Roots Reggae”. This climb literally goes up the roots of a tree growing off the edge of the wall. Once done we packed our things and enjoyed our last walk through the field of cows talking about the amazing day we had just had climbing. Before leaving, I took a few more minutes to sit in the grass and admire the beautiful piece of rock jutting out of the valley. Smiling, I thought about the near 40 climbs I had done in the two weeks while in Cat Ba.

On our last full day, we decided to spend it relaxing, packing and exploring a little more of the island. We cruised over to Cat Co 4, a beach with an abandoned resort on it that is empty most of the time. We had bought a paddle ball set in Tonsai and when ever we needed an off day activity, paddle ball was the answer. You would never guess that we have been playing it for almost 3 months with our back and forth but it’s all good fun. Kelsey randomly pulled up to the beach as well and joined us. Then not to long later, three young kids just out of school came running down with pellet guns shooting each other. Kids on Cat Ba love saying the english words  when they know them and are around westerners. Usually this is just “HELLO” but these little guys had a few more fun ones like “what the hell!” They were hilarious! They showed off by arm wrestling and doing a pretend boxing match. We tried to show them thumb wresting and rock-paper-scissors but they liked arm wrestling better. When they got bored with that, they stole our phones and tried to add us on Facebook. Before they left they tried to teach us to count in vietnamese and laughed at our poor attempt to speak a tonal language. 

That night we headed out for drinks with the “climbing crew”. We went to our favorite bar/only bar we ever went to just above the rock shop. We drank beer, played cards, shot pool and shared a few laughs and stories of the past few weeks spent together. 

Yummy...Frog Legs!

Today was simple. We woke up, ate our last meal on the island, and headed off back to Hanoi. We ended up taking a bus to a ferry to another bus. Five hours later and a lot easier than getting to Cat Ba, we were in Hanoi. We went back to the same hostel we had stayed in when we first arrived, dropped off our gear and headed out for a walk around the city. We had a mission to find the only two legit outdoor stores in Hanoi and buy really awesome climbing/hiking pants for super cheap. I would have to say we definitely accomplished that mission! Robyn scored two pairs of pants and myself one, costing less than a forth of what we would pay in the states for them. 

Getting close to dinner time, we headed back in the direction of our hostel to find some street food, the only other goal for our short visit to Hanoi. We again succeeded and found a nice spot with some interesting items on the menu. These included fried frogs and whole birds (not chicken). I decided I had to get something weird and unusual so I opted for fried frogs which I was a little nervous for. It was a plate with legs, skin, spine, and other parts of the frog I could not quite figure out, all which was really tasty. It really proved that you can fry anything and it will taste amazing. 

Tonight we went to the free beer happy hour and enjoyed our last moments in Vietnam. Tomorrow we head back to Thailand for a tour of the northern region. We start off at a climbers’ camp just 2 hours north of Bangkok before heading further north. Stay tuned for we are headed back to the land of curry, bahts, and well established climbing sites.