Hey guys, sorry for the breifness of the first entry, bit busy you know?!?! Well, here we are in Goa, the Christmas destination :) spent a few nights in Panjim when we got off the train to find our flipflopped feet and beachwear!!! Now we're down in Calangute for a few days before making it to Armbol which is where we were initially meant to stay but hey, its christmas in a chrisian state and things get booked up quick :) So yes, Arambol for the celebrations with some friends, markets and generally chilling - there's not much to do on [View Full Entry]

---

---

Heloo everyone, We're here, safe and sound, Mumbai is ace, foods even better Heading to Aurangabad to see some caves then all the way down to Goa for Christmas/New Year All the best, lots of love Happy Holidays!!!! [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well we're back. When I said I wasn't looking forward to coming back I was only telling a half truth. As someone who has only gotten out and stretched their wings once there were a few home comforts I missed about the nest - or at least realised I had done when sat with a plate of Fish and Chips on my knee, chatting with almost-family drinking much cheaper and better beer and watching crap telly. Martin on the otherhand who has had the taste of freedom more than once feels somewhat cooped up and I completely believe him when he [View Full Entry]

---

---

And the real question is why do we do it all? Well here are a few things I´ll miss, a few I won´t and a few I´ve learned. But first, thank you so much to Peru for allowing us into your country and to experience the amazing things you have to offer here. Viva el Peru!!!! (Didn´t do that extra day´s ice climbing in the end...still too sore!!!!!) Looking forward to returning to Huaraz ad the Cordillera Blanca sometime in the near future. Maybe India/Nepal next though Things I´ll Miss The Peruano´s Being forced to use the limits of everything you [View Full Entry]

---

---

Rock climbing was great, even though I wasn´t terribly enthusiastic about going - early start after not sleeping well, and just a want to sit and drink tea for the next few days. We went to visit Whalter at QuechuaAndes (the guy who took us ice climbing) to see if he´d teach us the basics of trad (placing your own protection) climbing and find out more about a place called Hadu Machay as reccomended by Tony from La Luna. Hadu Machay turned out top be a bit too far away for only one days climbing, and the only sport route (bolted, [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey guys, hope all is well down in the land of sea and ´air´ Despite all the stories and differenceds of opinions we xperience when enquiring about Chopicalqui, we decided, you know what, we´ll get out there and find out for ourselves. So we did. We spent a good few days sorting out plans and the logistical side of everything. This was going to be a two-man unsupported summit attempt (wow, does´t that sound like we´re PROPER mountaineers!) so details were important. I spent a morning in Cafe California surrounded by a huge press of chai, several books on climbing in [View Full Entry]

---

---

A week before we leave and we´ve had out first ´cuy´ (guinea pig) fantastically prepared for us by our Peruvian friend at La Luna cafe, who makes the best Mexican food, and has been a very great man in allowing us to experience the various potent liquors of the South Americas! Unfortunately it wasn´t to our taste. The physical presentation of it didn´t put us off at all (guinea pig arrives complete with head, teeth, and feet - ´hands´ included) There´s not much meat on it, and it...well...to coin the cliche, tastes like chicken. It really did. Ah well, the potato [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey guys Will leave the caption comp running a little longer, not got a winner yet!! First of all, I´d like to say a huge sorry for forgetting to put it at the end of my last journal and thank you to: Matt for having unfathomable energy, both mentally and physically to have kept us going right to the very top. The Germans for passing us at that precise moment and granting us the opportunity to go on. The Norwegians for their friendship and advice at camp and for handshakes on the summit!!! Most of all to Martin for hanging back [View Full Entry]

---

---

Here are some photos of our icy adventures!!!! The caption competition is open!!!! send me an email and I´ll publish the best in the next blog, I´ve now got to think of a new prize as the whole coca thing is a bit too dicey. I only meant it in jest, however I´d forgotten about the darker side of our high altutude tea leaves. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey guys, got my very own Toching the Void right here, and I´ll start from the very beginning. As I said in the last journal, Martin, Matt and I planned to climb Mount Pisco (5,752masl) without a guide and we were going to do it Monday. We spent a lot of time doing a lot of prep work for it, this is serious business, we were venturing into the realm of mountaineering for the first time and it´s no easy step to take. We spent two days sat in Cafe Andino poring over topographical maps, sketches, route descriptions and humorous stories [View Full Entry]

---

---