Skiing in Switzerland with Oak Hall

First time ever I signed up for a packaged holiday.  It turned out to be a really enjoyable week in Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland.  Despite being late season and unseasonally hot, we got some sunny skiing in under the watchful eye of Eiger.  Scenary was fab.  Snow was slushy at lower altitude.  It kind of satistified snow lust.  I suppose I’ll never grow up.  Playing in snow is just so much fun, whatever the age.

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Slovenia/Austria ice climbing

Just got back on Sunday.  It’s been great to see one of the most beautiful part of the Alps (Julian Alps) in Slovenia and Austria.  The ice climbing conditions in Slovenia were too favourable; being very avalanchey in the west and warm on the whole.  Icefalls were melting in places.  We even witnessed a hugh avalanche in Tamar Valley near Kranjska Gora.  However, we did climb some icefalls in Slovenia despite the poor conditions.  Later on during the week, our Couchsurfing host (check out http://www.couchsurfing.org) Markus gave us heads-up to an area called Maltatal not far from Klagenfurt, where we were staying.  The ice was good and snow wasn’t an issue.  So we had fantastic time for the remaining days in Austria.  I’ll definitely recommend Maltatal in Austria for climbing and Logarska in Slovenia for mountain scenary.

Life has its twists and turns

You expect one thing but life turns out another.  That’s disadvantage of not knowing what lies in the future.  The plus side is you take one day at a time and see what life brings you.  This is what happened when I went to Hong Kong over Christmas and New Year.  I had a plan but the plan didn’t work out.  What do I do now?  Like that song, "Should I stay or should I go now?"  It’s hard to decide.  Whatever I decide, I should accept it being the best I can come up with at the time and look back with no regret.  I hate regret.  It suggests you didn’t do as well as you might have hoped for.  Somehow you have a part to blame.  I can’t allow that.  I want to look back and say, "I did the best I could in that given situation.  If it turns out to be wrong, I don’t complain making those decisions."  What lies ahead, I do not know.  What job do I do?  Who should I marry?  Have one kid, two or three?  What I do know, I have to lean on God to give me strength and wisdom to handle the path ahead.  He knows life better than anyone else.

Blessed be your name by Tree 63

 

 
I just downloaded this tune yesterday.  Didn’t realise how beautiful it was.  Tree 63 has done amazingly with Matt Redman’s song.  You just can’t help being moved by it, can you?

Everlasting God

Chris Tomlin – Everlasting God
  Chris Tomlin – Everlasting God
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary

You’re the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Written by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley ? 2005 Thankyou Music (PRS) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing for the World, excluding the UK and Europe, which is admin. by kingswaysongs.com)

Lyrics provided by Christian Lyrics

Rjukan was fantastic

Just 2 of us, John and I went to Rjukan in Norway for a week during Easter.  It turned out to be the coldest week of the season, the whole year and Easter Sunday was the coldest day/night at -21c.  The ice was quite fat but brittle due to sudden drop in temperature.  We had the biggest dorm to ourselves and the whole place for half of the week.  We did meet 4 other Italian climbers in the hostel for the Easter weekend and that was it.  Hardly anyone on the crags.  We only saw one pair of climbers in Krokan but no-one else.  Very quiet.  The snow was plentiful and very powdery.  Somehow it was difficult to get used to skiing in that much powder.  The view up on Gustatoppen was awesome.  We could literally see for hundreds of miles though it was very cold by the time we started our descent (-11c).  The people we hitched lifts with, the people we met on our travel were very kind to us.  It was overwhelming how blessed we were during that trip.  Cold temperature, lots of sunny weather, lots of snow, lots of ice, not many people about, lots of food and drink, having paid the cheapest for the biggest, the nicest place I’ve ever stayed for this kind of accommodation, lot of fun and above all. lots of blessing.  Thank you, God.

My Picture Guestbook

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White water canoeing

 

First time paddling an open canoe down some white water at Newcastleton last Sunday.  It was fun.  Lindy and I got well wet as the trees got the better of us.  We even managed some grade 3 stuff.

Fresh start

This is the second time I log on here for a long time.  Having a look at some other people’s spaces just now, it seems like a very good idea to share things with friends and family here.  Since I had broadband installed at home last weekend, I’ll try to post more nice climbing and ordinary photos here from time to time.  So you guys can catch up what I’ve been up to.  Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Kin.

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