After months of saving and weeks of perusing climbing websites and stores, I now had the essential kit for our trip to the Alps. I had no idea at the time how important this specialised gear was going to be or how much I would grow to depend on it, respect it and love it. While walking out of climbing stores in Covent Garden with hundreds of pounds worth of goretex, I would think back to my surfing days and be pleasantly amused at the kit comparisons. Board, bikini and towel. Things have certainly changed.

  I thought about the trip on Thursday night, the forecast reckoned Saturday was going to be stunning, the first fine weekend for a long time. Sparkle was keen, so on Friday morning I booked tickets. I sent a note to Tom and Cat thinking they’d be busy this weekend but they had nothing planned – unfortunately due to a minor co-ordination glitch neither Cat nor I could get hold of Tom in time to book the supercheap tickets. As a result it was to be me and Sparkle.

It is almost exactly 12 years since I was last here. This is only a weeks trip but should be good ‘un. The dates of the trip are 20-27 July 2006.

Today was the first day of the trip.It was always going to be a hard days travelling. Strangely I woke up about half an hour too early – 5:30. Felt pretty bad – beer from the night before and the fact that I was bleeding close to the weight limit made me think that I was going to have a long day. I left the house at about 6:30 after saying goodbye to sparkle. Tube to Liverpool St and then a train direct to Stansted.

19/8/06
Saturday morning. Rog and I were both suffering from hangover malaise, Ken had just left and we were wondering what to do. After realising that the day was wasting we bundled a rack and overnight bag into the beast and headed to the Motorway. Plan was to stop by in Nottingham so Rog could check out some gym equipment out, before we hit the crags.