Life As I Know It

After only 3 days, I am more used to seeing the top of the jungle canopy than I am at explore below. I am used to seeing sun-bathers as dark specs spoiling the white sandy beaches hundreds of feet below. I spend most of my time eye level with the birds, with a feeling of that I am closer to the clouds than to the sea. My hands know Thailand as the land of endless sandstone and my waist feels empty without a snug harness tightly secured.

Only hours after my arrival, I had settled into a beach-side bungalow, met two climbing partners and found myself hiking into one of the 16 large cliffs that scatter the Pra Nang Peninsula. The routes are perfect. The rock is littered with holes and tufas to make a magical blend of tiring technical routes that require balance, focus and innovative strategies. The routes rocket out from the coast towering 100 meters into the air. The orange-white rock acts as a colorful frame to the beach and jungle. A glimpse up at a cliff in the sun will reveal reflective sparks of light from the bolts used to protect the climbs. This makes all climbers on the ground drool with anticipation of their next send. Approaching the cliff humbles all climber as the excitement builds to step off the ground.

Pra Nang is made up of three beaches; Tonsai, Railay east and Railay West. The climbing is located throughout each of these areas but the climbers have taken refuge in the Tonsai. This is were everyone is in great shape. Everyone walks around with climbing shoes attached to the hip. Conversations are confusing except to the climbing literate. Here, climbers rule all. For a sport where its participants are used to being asked questions like, "So...do you use ropes?" and "I tried that in summer camp when I was ten." the outcasts are now the non-climbers. Tonsai is inhabited by the friendliest Thai people that predominately work to capitalize on the tourism industry and the climbing addicts that are in search of the next great climb. Grungy climbing clothes and bloody knuckles are much more common than clean polo’s and Hawaiian print bathing suits. Here, life is great if you are an enthusiastic climber. Here, life is great if you are a climber. Here, life is just great!