2022 started in a very cold and snowy Montreal. We tried to get stuck into the Montreal winter by spending lots of time outside – we did lots of running, and even tried climbing in Val David (this was a mistake – the park was not yet open for the climbing season, since most blocs were still covered in snow and ice. We managed to make an epic day out of it).
We also did lots of hanging out with friends and eating (even ice cream!)
Just as the weather was starting to get pleasant, we had one final Fairmount bagel and were gone!! We started out 2022 summer with a lot of travelling – flying, training and ferrying our way over to Kalymnos, a gorgeous island in the Aegan sea with some world class limestone climbing.
After many, many hours of traveling (through France, Belgium and Germany), we found ourselves in the Mediterranean!
Kalymnos was magical. The cool water and the glowing rocky beaches. The fresh fish, the pitas, the wonderful climbers, and the locals we met every day. The sheep and their bahhs and bells in the sunrise and the smell of thyme on the mountainside.
We were super very jet-lagged, but our days took on a (very pleasant) routine: we would wake up very early in the morning, hike up to the crag, climb until the sun hit the rock and head down to the ocean for a swim.
The climbing in Kalymnos was amazing – 3D climbing on tufas, crazy overhangs, and fantastic moves on comfortable rock. We ended up spending most of our time in the Grande Grotta – the big cave – because this was such an unreal set of routes compared to what we were used to.
But we also explored other crags around the island, some of which included scrambly approaches and stunning views.
And of course there was lots to eat and many kitties.
And then we were in Bonn! the trip there was tough… we went back to Dusseldorf and had another overnighter at the same Ibis hotel before catching a train into Bonn. Would not recommend and will not do again.
Gabi was attending the Living Planet Symposium and meeting many of his colleagues for the first time in person! Meanwhile Kisa was mostly enjoying the hotel room and the Kolsch.
Hikes and beers and surprisingly the world’s best gelato. They had a flavor called rice pudding :O
