Round 2 Update

As some of the people my group of 8 people left me, I branched out and made friends with a a few people from Norway. They in turn introduced me to a few more, and a few more. Next thing I know I am surrounded by Norweigens! It became a joke that they are a Mafia. The Norwegian Mafia is what I began calling them, now everyone calls them that. They are a really great group of people, and I am fortunate to have found friendship with them. Many of them have been coming here for more than 10 years, and some of them have established alot of the climbs, as well as maintained them for everyone to use. They are a wonderful group of people.

There is a couple that is the 'head of the mafia' although the woman is a fiery cuban and the man from Norway, they both live in Norway now.

Then there is TJ that used to run a climbing school on a near by island. He is a very strong climber, and knows as much about the area (if not more) than locals. There is a really amazing photographer that has been long time friends with the rest of the mafia, his name is Terje Aamodt, his fiance is Maja. His website is http://www.terjeaamodt.com/ Check out the BLOG section, it has photos from Ton Sai and all of us...it will take your breath away.

Terje's younger sister came to Ton Sai a few days after I met them, and we have become very close. Her name is Rannveig, she is as beautiful as a model, with a heart of gold, and climbs F-ing strong! She has cared about me alot, and watches out for me always. She gave me my only christmas present this holiday season while barely knowing me yet. I am certian she has quickly become she one of my favorite people on the planet.

This is the dog that sometimes graces me with his presence to sleep at my bungaloo, and often walks me home in the dark. And lets not forget-hangs out on the beach all day while we all climb. :)

This is the view from a climb I did at a place called 'The Keep'. Apparently it is named that because it was a well kept secret due to the quality of the climbing there. It truly is an amazing crag.

This is me laying down during the afternoon lull where the temps are too hot to climb. The best time of day to climb is in the morning, then later as cliffs become in the shade, the climbing is possible. So we move around from cliff to cliff depending on where the sun is. This area with the tables in the back ground is from the 'Tonsai Roof' climbs. Its only good in the morning, or if you are lucky, on over cast days.

This climb is called "Missing Snow", so so SO much fun. It was tricky to assess the sequence of moves, but once you got it, it is a super stellar climb.

Morning yoga sesh on the beach to stretch out before climbing in the afternoon. Ton Sai beach has alot of rocks and shells on it, but Railey beach is the beautiful one with white sand. Its funny, accomidation on Ton Sai is thousands of Baht cheaper than on Railay, so all of us climbers go over there on rest days and use the beach there. They have less jelly fish, and the enviroment feels like a fancy resort. Besides, every one on Ton Sai is extremely fit, and the average person on Railay is over weight and on holiday. Walking around over there you feel like a bad ass....everyone checks you out. Men, women, everyone. Good for the ego. Then at the end of the day all of us climbers crawl our way back throught the mosquieto infested jungle to the thatch huts of Ton Sai where we belong. Figures it would be epic to get back there....thats how we stay so fit!!!

This picture is from Railay beach taken by Terje Aamodt. His photo of me doing yoga is totally better hahahaha!