The most Secret Valley Ever!

This past week was probabaly my favorite week here so far! It started with a one day break. Katie, Althea, Steph and I all decided to make the 2 hour treck to the best local climbing destination! so Friday night we packed up the rental car and I drove as all to Wherapapa. Driving on the left side of the road took some getting use to...and we got a bit lost along the way and I somehow smiled my way out of a speeding ticket. BUT Finally, we made it! pitched the tent it the pitch blackness and went to sleep.

In the morning, we awoke super early to try to find a climbing area called secret valley. The guide book told us it was on private property and that you needed to as either ask guru at the first house or joe at the second house. The first house looked less intimidating, so katie and I made our way to the front door and gave it 3 good knocks. no answer. so we tried agian...this time we were answered with some hacking coughs that sounded like the poor old man was going to die. still no answer so we turned to go and he saw us through the open window and came out. apparently his hearing wasn't so good! he hobbles to the front door and says "what did I do to deserve 2 lovely american girls first thing in the morning?" haha he was delighted to talk to us, but had no idea what in the world secret valley was. With a loud whistle guru calls joe over from across the field and joe zips over on his motor bike. Joe was Guru's son and told us he would show us the way to secret valley! yes finally! so we follow joe on his little dirt bike with his pack of dogs chasing happily behind him, along this dirt road. The rental car was so low and kept bottoming out every 10 seconds....I was starting to think we would never make it. after crossing two more fields and going through 3 fences he finally stops. We made it! wait... now we are in the middle of now where and the crazy morning starts to sink in. we have a good laugh and then decide to explore the valley.

(this is us completely lost with secret valley in the background)

so we waunder....and wander and there was not a bolt in sight. so after all that we leave with some hope of finding some climbing. Luckily we did!

(Althea did her first lead climb!!!)

(and katie did her first climb outside!)

so we booked it back to EcoQuest aka "the quest" with enough time to pack up for the next week at Goat Island Marine reserve! so stay tuned, that will be up soon I hope! O wait and I forgot that while we were climbing there were cows mating all around us. It was quite the day.

before I go to bed, dad and adam I took this picture just for you! poor fish.