Climbing weekend - photos of just the place...not actually doing anything :)

Want to know what the climbing is like out at Tonsai? This is a little snap shot of the rock - amazing limestone towers - left, right, and center. Tonsai will eat your soul. It is almost impossible to just pass through and stick to your schedule of a couple of days here and a couple of days there as a traveler. People end up being so entranced by the utter majesty of the peninsula, that "a couple of days there" shape shifts into 1 week, then 1 month, and then 2 months, 3 bags of chalk, and a ripped six pack. I've seen people transform in physical appearance and climbing ability after one month of Mama Chicken's cooking paired with limestone jugs. This place has a magical feel to it that captures you in all senses, yet you are willingly held captive by the landscape, the reggae vibe, and the world class climbing. Pictures truly do not do the place justice.

 After getting in, Friday morning, we checked into our bungalow, grabbed our climbing gear and hit the wall for a great afternoon sesh. We stayed close to Tonsai on Fire Wall, because we are lazy people and didn't feel like trekking to anything too far away from the home base on the first day. It was a great afternoon of climbing.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early and with 10 of us, we were able to get a long tail boat to the other side of the peninsula for only a couple baht each. With the whole crew assembled, complete with one of Ross' students from Germany, Sean, his friend - another German and ex Cambodian teacher - Titus, Jill, Tommy, Tommy's co-teacher Stephen, Geoff, Ross, Ross' love interest, a Bangkok boulderer named Joe, and myself, we were quite a gang of diverse folks out enjoying the picturesque scenery and climbing some sick shit. :)

Even if you aren't obsessed with rock climbing, Tonsai is an amazing place to relax and soak up the laid back atmosphere. This was the location of my Sunday coffee. That's right, hold the sugar, but let me get some more of that ocean view!

The coffee was much needed after a night of celebrating Jill's birthday. I have been abstaining from drinking more or less recently, and my head was hurting from even a couple of Changs. Chang - meaning elephant in Thai - is the Budweiser of Thailand. It's completely bottom shelf, but it is cheap as hell, and with no IPAs (sadly another thing I miss from home), Chang is the recession beverage of choice. Alright, I might have tossed back more than sorng yai Chang. That's 2 big ones! Tommy turned the weekend into a Lebowski trip by instigating White Russian drinking and Lebowski referencing - aided by Stephen's wardrobe of Lebowski wear. I'll be honest, I had forgotten about White Russians, besides the loud, abrasive one's on Patong beach with miniture Thai girlfriends - I only wish I could get the banana hammocks out. of my. head. faaaak. Any who, the birthday celebrations were a success down at the Freedom Bar and the transportation back to Phuket looked something like this pirate ship.


I wish! If only I could be a member of The Swiss Family Robinson - cruising around in this fatty ride and living in a tree house! (Lifelong dream of mine)


Recently, I feel like I've been dedicating my weekend time to climbing. It has taken awhile to learn how to manage my pay check and to get used to the regular expenditures I need to cover out here, but now that I am doing this pseudo adult thing, I can afford to get away every weekend for some climbing. Heck yes! More adventures to come!