Subsequent climbs have been considerably less exciting but I think our climb the other day has exhausted my adrenalin for the month!
Taking a break at the midway point
It was a muggy day - lousy for climbing really - but the only day possible and Mary and Michael both pressed hard to keep to the plan. The mountain was cold and windy and very tiring - especially after Ghents' team passed us out. (I HATE being left behind!)
At the top
As we started down it crossed my mind that the young man in front of me - one of Ghents' team - should perhaps have rested longer. He had finally struggled to the top just minutes before we all started our descent and he seemed determined to make better speed going down. He also looked as wobbly as I felt, but in the split second that my brain registered that thought he stumbled and rolled - over the edge.The nature of his physique and the steepness of the incline lent itself to the assumption that once started he would roll all the way down.
I felt so paralysed, but in actual fact I yelled his name - as if I could stop him by the sheer force of my voice! - and I was the first to reach him. I grabbed him by the wrists but soon began to think he would let go of the spike he was hanging on to and plunge down the mountain taking me with him. So I was pretty relieved when my husband and another member of his team hauled him back on to the path.
We were escorted down by the Mountain Patrol who had hung around waiting for us because they had noticed Mary climbing in flip-flops. (We didn't tell them that its not the first time Mary has climbed in flip-flops!) As the only Japanese speaker at the front of the line I was lectured quite thoroughly on mountain climbing etiquette - always go at the pace of weakest member of your group - and apparel - no flip-flops!
Our team and half of Ghents' team
I think there is a spiritual lesson there, but will let everyone draw their own conclusions.
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