The Grampians: The Start of an Adeventure!

We have arrived. This is it. The culmination of our hard work and saving is now here before us waiting to be enjoyed, and enjoy we shall. Late in the afternoon on Friday we arrived at Stapylton campground and set up camp in what would become our first of many homes for the year. Upon arriving we were quite disappointed to find that our favourite camp site now had no shade bearing trees, thank you Parks Vic, and we were now tasked to find a new spot. It turns out that this was a blessing in disguise as our new camp is awesome. Double story hammocks, trees spaced perfectly for a slackline, our new tent somehow manages to be enveloped by morning shade despite an obvious lack of trees around the camp.

Our New Home

On Saturday we made our way out to Ados and Josh began working David Jones Traverse (V9). It was hot, but he managed to sort out most of the beta for it and he is looking super strong - I think this will go next time we are out there. Sunday it was back to Andos again, I had another shot on Thumbs Up (V3) and I managed to make progress before my wrist told me it wanted a break. I am slowly learning to listen to my body to prevent injuring myself, though this has proven to be pretty frustrating. Last year was tough on my body and I now understand that it will take time for it to heal, its a happy coincidence that the one thing I have a lot of this year is time. After leaving Thumbs Up we moved on to a couple of V1s and V0s on the J.S. Memorial boulder and near by. By early afternoon it was time to head back to camp and get ready to set off for Melbourne. 

Josh on The Ramp (V0)

Monday morning we had our US VISA interview, the process was a tad stressful but we are now the proud owners of 5 year, multiple entry tourist VISAs, meaning we can head back to the States again without the stress of reapplying. After our interview we went to meet Addy for a coffee; near where we parked we found an awesome park featuring a boulder complete with brand new gym holds and a sketch top out. Josh and I have made a pact that we must stop and play at any playground that one of us likes the look of - so far this has put us on swings, boulders and an awesome train/bobsled, I am liking this pact already! I think we are going to find some pretty awesome playgrounds over the year! After meeting Addy we enjoyed some time at Vic Roads, the Bank and the Post Office, all institutions that are super fun to deal with :) (insert sarcastic tone here). Now we have almost all of the planning and organising of our trip finished and are free to relax and enjoy ourselves. A little celebratory dinner with friends and another night in Melbourne and it was back home to the Gramps on Tuesday.

A proud send...

Wednesday and today have been super hot. We tried to climb yesterday, taking our pads down to the campground boulders, but everything felt horribly scary and so we gave up after a very short time and headed back to camp. I am loving the animals that hang around our camp, thus far we have befriended a Kangaroo (though Josh isn't too happy with Kylie after she tried to trash our camp last night), three Wallabies and a magpie (I'm still not sure I want to be friends with a bird, but now she is following us around camp) and yesterday and today we have even been lucky enough to see an emu and her little chick running around camp - they are all really cool. Yesterday we headed to Taylors Lake for a swim, it was amazing. There was no one else there and the water was extremely refreshing - it was exactly what we both needed. On the way back from Taylors Lake we found an Echidna (Eric) who was much less shy than the other Echidnas I have seen before and so finally I was able to see an Echidna's face! I think about all of the things that I have learnt and experienced over the last few days and it allows me to begin to comprehend all of the first experiences that lay in wait for me this year, it is hard not to be excited! I think the immensity of this journey is beginning to dawn on me. This year is about so much more than having the opportunity to climb in some of the most beautiful places in the world and catch up with friends and loved ones;  it is bigger than that. This year presents the opportunity for us to grow as people and for me to experience the world that we live in on a deeper and less materialistic level than I have ever comprehended before and that is potentially life changing. I hope to never loose sight of how blessed I am to be able to have this opportunity.

Meet Boris (he is my favourite)

This is Eric

Esme and Ella - we think it is a good omen to see an Emu and her chick at camp

I hope the weather cools down soon as we would like to get some climbing in. Its funny though, as much as I thought that this year would primarily be a climbing trip and everything else would be a bonus I am now realising that it is the climbing that is the bonus. Despite the small amount of climbing that we have done so far, we are having a great time and really enjoying just hanging out with each other in such an amazing place. I am slowly unwinding and learning to relax. Life is good and we are happy.