There comes a point in every man’s (and woman’s) life, for those who decide to do a Masters degree in Physics, which is when you realise that the moment you throw down your rushed but completed thesis you need to get away from here! This was the point that our friends Busty and Clara recently reached. Which is why one will now find them who-knows-where doing who-knows-what-kind-of-awesome-things on the start of a half-year adventure across Europe and more. Busty and Clara are wonderfully eco-conscious, in addition to living on a shoestring, so they have planned to mostly meet friendy strangers and hitchhike. This is my send-off to them, as I hope they are well and continue keeping well, and beyond.

So dear Busty,

Here is an account of that weekend we went on a climbing camp - as long promised!

It was soon after I had moved from Geneva to Heidelberg, and at a loss of what to do with my weekends, when Busty invited me to come along climbing for 2 days in the Odenwald, to red sandstone quarries just an hour or so away. We started off in Hainstadt and then moved onto Heubach.

The first day, whilst recovering from a grade 6 climb that took me excrutiatingly long (because Busty “psssh, you make that, easy.”), I whipped out the sandwich of the trip.

Voila, an avo-mango combo stuck together with greek yoghurt.

That evening was pleasantly spent at a nifty braaing area, with Busty and friends, chatting and trying Busty’s pro-grilled vegetables (best results come from piercing the eggplant!).

That’s us still wrapped up like larvae the next morning, getting ready to hatch (and Busty reluctantly, judging by the way he was curled up tightly and his head tucked in deep into his sleeping bag. I imagine this is how Busty greets the world every day, knowing his habit of sleeping in until noon!), the sun high, the skies clear blue, insects buzzing, and Boeings flying ahead.

We tackled the day’s climbs, Busty this time patiently guiding me through lead climbing 4s and 5s. A fun one was a chimney, “Nicht fuer Dicke”, that you basically slither up and ‘gracefully’ keep propped up in using your shoulder blades, and a rather more harrowing one was a flat slab with a few slits to squeeze your fingers into, the “Gut geklemmt ist halb gewonnen”. One day I will surely be able to do the more infamous Heubach crack climbs.

I was pretty chuffed with my first lead climb set-up!

Busty, I am still very grateful that you offered me company and a good time outdoors at a time when I was feeling somewhat sad.

I recently watched a documentary about a group of young Russian and American fellas who in the 80s decide to embark on a trip from the tip of Argentina to Alaska. What made this trip particularly interesting was their unconventional (or rather outdated) mode of transport - horses.
I had never imagined it before but now find the thought quite interesting. For them, the horses’ needs were first and foremost, and so how was there time to worry about their own personal problems with such selfless living each day? They described how they grew attached to every single one, as to a human, and that soon the horses each grew into its own distinct personality. They commented on how easily they found openness and friendliness from the locals on account of the horses because they made good conversation starters and also, who would not trust a humble gaucho on a horse? So here’s an idea, Clara and Busty, when you happen upon some roaming horses on your trip, go and catch them. : )

There is a new bond between Victor and I, made out of us missing you and our thoughts of you guys every day! We admit that it’s mostly because we yearn to be doing the same,… as cool as the continuing endeavour of the ATLAS experiment is (yeah, yeah ; ) ).

That’s it for now. This is your adventure so I leave you now, until your return: Hamba kahle!