Experiences of a first timer :-)

Thursday 18th Aug

What a fantastic day out…my first outdoor climbing experience on real rock!!!

The weather surprisingly, was perfect for a day of outdoor climbing at Wainstones with Cliff and Jane

So having done only indoor top roping climbing for a few months I had a lot to learn about the transition to outdoors. The pace of learning was just right, learning all about rope and knot skills (I even came away with some stories about snakes, rabbits and mickey mouse as memory aids for tying in J ) , bottom roping, how to be a second, guide book interpretation, use of all of the different nuts, cams and hexes, climbing calls (strangely this was the part I had most difficulty with), etc

The time flew by on the day as it does when your having fun. Climbed some really nice routes, building up to the challenge of the day …the sphinx nose traverse…loved it!! I have definitely got the outdoor climbing bug now and cant wait to get out again

Thanks you Cliff and Jane for your invaluable instruction and guidance throughout the day

(Ed. Its was our pleasure :-) )

Penultimate Blog of the Northwood College Peru Expedition

Yes folks we´re nearly at the end....where has the time gone?  I will be writing the last blog post expedition with a few reflections ;-).

It was the girls intention to pre-warn the parents as to their requirments for food shopping.....so here we go.....See you all soon....well I wont as I´m flying to Newcastle from Heathrow.

PLEASE BE AT THE SCHOOL FOR PICK UP AT 18.00 hrs (you may be there a little while)

Cliff...Indian curry (king prawn sag), Ben and Jerry´s Caramel chew chew....dairy milk chocolate.

Ria Lakhani - Spice Rack, nail varnish (blue or red) (Ed. Ria is back folks!!!!!) ,oh yh also please...have lots of money ready to go to Tescos, Morrisons and Waitrose - Nanima can you please make me some noodles and dal kachori and mum can you make me some banoffee pie and Tiramisu Thanks ,) xx

Asha - Well to start with PROPER CHOCOLATE!! Snicker's please =) Mum's lasagna, Marks and Spencer´s shopping spree, paneer!! Also pancakes please!! Big bowl of salad...coleslaw...Garlic bread......Daddy´s own! Thanks xoxox

Jess - Mummy made lasagna please with garlic flat bread and sweetcorn. For dessert can i please have chocolate brownies with ben and jerry´s cookie dough Gracias!!!! xxxx

Sonal- Hey mummy cam I please have pizza express with dough balls and garlic bread.. no spaghetti. Also have tortillas and salsa ready and I am craving for a dessert so either vanilla ice cream or toffee crumble. Also Happy Birthday mummy, hope you liked your prezzie... love you lots XXXX

Rhona - hey yeah you know I want to go to the supermarket already and also make sure there is hot water ;) and a cinamon square

Katya - Hi ;) could i please have pelemene and hatchapurees (rhona wants some too) and could you please make sure we have lots of fruit and some orange juice and some bacon and loads of meat and yeah we might need to go shopping =) thanks see you tomorrow!!!!!!! =) x and bring my phone please

Anya - Hii, I´m coming home now =) So please make sure there is some hot water for a nice shower and also some clean bed sheets =) Ohh also can I have some mexican food, I´m really craving it and paneer please! Also can we stock up on eggs and stuff for a full breakfast the next morning with mushrooms etc, if you don´t have time don´t worry, just excited to see you anyway lusmsss xxx

emilia- hi, can yu please make sure there is hot water and if people have been in my bed please clean it! also can you steal back my clothes from philippa. also please, please make sure there is milk!!!!!!!!!! thank you see you tommorrow =) xx

Sameera - Hiiiiiii I´m getting the plane tonight so I´ll see you soon!! Basically I reeaaalllyyy needddd MEAT! I havn´t had any for a whole month so I really need it and also I really want banoffee pie thank you see you tomorrow xx

Roisin ;)   hey still craving the dominos sooooo a stop off before home also we need to go to the supermarket i have made a list of meals AND sometime we need to go cinema and pizza express and i think thats it......... i see you tomorrow LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YOU oh by the way can you bring my phone  thanks!

Avneesh - I´m not sure what food i want so I´ll let you know when I get home. Please put some clean sheets on my bed coz I didn´t do it before I left. Please bring the dog and just make sure my cup is ready with tea when I get home. Thank you. See you soon. xxx

Fauzia ;) Hey mummy! Just wanted to ask you to bring NN and daddy to pick me up wth you (so yeah, I want the three of you there) Also, can I have either yours or daddimas food, coz I miss it. Oh and can you make sure there´s hot water coz I´ll be wanting a shower and make sure daddy hasn´t used ALL my head and shoulders. Love you! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Last full day in Cusco and we got a Lie in!!!! (Ed. Not all of us!)

Today everyone was so pleased to get their well deserved lie in after having some fairly early mornings on trek. It was a great feeling being able to wake up gradually knowing nothing was planned for the day where it meant we could completely and utterly relax. Seeing the group head down to breakfast all fresh faced and bright eyed was such a change from the sleepy eyes on trek.

After breakfast, everyone headed back up to pack their main sacks ready for our flight to Lima tomorrow afternoon. This seemed to take us all up to just before lunchtime.

I also had the task along with Anya to sort out our hostel for Lima which every time we thought it was sorted, a new problem arose. We were so ecstatic when first that the man at the hostel spoke English and then when the booking was made with no hitches what so ever. Believe me it was such a relief as we’d been struggling with booking since before our main trek.

Once everything had been sorted and hostels been paid, everybody all headed out towards the town to buy their last minute souvenirs and to chill out. It was really lovely to know that we had nothing else to worry about and to properly unwind before we headed home.

We all met back at the hostel ready to go to dinner at 6pm where we had chosen a restaurant that sat on the edge of one of the plazas, pretty location for the last meal in Cusco. After dinner some of us walked back to the hostel to pack our last few bits and pieces whilst some hit the town to enjoy some of Cusco’s culture for the last time.

You can tell that everyone is very much looking forward to these last few days as it means we can be reunited with family and friends and not have to be up by a certain time in the morning and get a proper lie in! (Ed. Is that right parents???? Hahahahaha)

From Avneesh ;-)

(Ed. we are just about to leave for our flight to Lima.....Not long now everyone !!!!!