Author: Mountains of Life

The Pyrenees Retreat ’17

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At the beginning of this year, it didn’t even cross my mind that I would be in Lourdes. To be fair, many things that I’m doing this year didn’t cross my mind.
Here I am then – a quick stop on the way to the Pyrenees… I have a drink with Isabelle and collect my crampons and hiking poles, and have a paella – I didn’t eat anything since breakfast.

Sunday starts quite early (considering late night last night and a few before). I have to be in the underground basilica for 8 a.m. sharp to be able to sing with the choir. Dear me, what an experience! One thing, I guess, is that I miss singing in a choir in general but the conductor is great and I enjoy it so much (apart from a moment of not singing related disaster which I’m not going to talk about). The Mass itself is a profound experience. I must admit that even though there is a huge number of people, it doesn’t feel like a mass event which I don’t like very much. Of course, being with choir gives a fantastic overview of the whole basilica which, perhaps you don’t get from elsewhere.

I check out a bus connection to Gedré and Gavarnie but there is basically no connection before the 10th of June. I will have to think about what to do. Meanwhile, I go to the grotto, light a couple of candles for many people and in many intentions.  It is very hot and as I didn’t sleep a lot recently, so I have a siesta.

The torchlight procession is led by The Society of Our Lady of Lourdes, so I meet with Isabelle again and see a few other familiar faces. The procession itself… I don’t really know what I think…

Zawrat

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Every time I’m in the mountains I wonder at least once why on earth I do it (About page answers this quite well).

On this climb Michal and I fell on our knees quite a few times – the last time in awe seeing warm sunrays on those mountain tops. I said to him that if that was my last view during that trip (or my very last view!), I’d be satisfied 😀

Climbing – another go…

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After my pretty traumatic experience at Clip’n Climb, I managed to persuade Filip to go and have a go on what he calls ‘proper’ climbing wall.

I knew that a toprope climbing with another human being would be mentally more pleasant than auto-belay, so our taster session was very enjoyable (up to a point but hang on a moment).

For those who have no foggiest idea what I’m talking about – in auto-belay a flat rope winds up automatically when you climb up and when you jump off it slowly unwinds to take you back down like in this video:

By the way, do you see what I meant in my previous post? It just looks so easy!

In ordinary toprope climbing, you have a person on the ground who pulls the rope while climbing up and loosens it when you ‘walk’ back down on the wall. All the difference that matters to me is that you don’t have to jump.

Again, I enjoyed myself very much. During our visit in Clip’n Climb, I tamed the idea of letting go the wall, so my mind was pretty relaxed but… the last walls we did (one each) we had to do with auto-belay. Those are the highest walls in the centre. I focused on climbing because they were more difficult. I can’t remember what grade but definitely more difficult and my body was tired. During our visit to Clip’n Climb, I tamed the idea of letting go of the wall, so my mind was pretty relaxed. I loved climbing up and I thought that it all would be fine. I was sure that I could do it. I was very sure that even though I didn’t like it could do it. Ha! What a surprise! As soon as I got to the top I thought – I don’t think so! I mean, I was prepared to go down the same way I came up. A thought of making myself an idiot – in front of adults not a bunch of kids! – didn’t make any difference this time. Our instructor was shouting to me to just let go of the wall! Yeah, right! ‘Just!’ ‘Let go your right hand’ he tried again. Hanging 17m above the ground I started reconsidering again if my climbing was such a good idea. I was paralised. I did let go very soon but it rather wasn’t my decision. My body (my arms to be precise) decided that it was enough for today. As soon as I fell off I was fine again.

Perhaps this post should be titled ‘Overconfidence’… I bet that in a spiritual language it is simply called pride. No place for this in the mountains or on the climbing wall, unless you like troubles… I’d love to say that the lesson learnt but only life will show. I love it anyway 😀