Paradise Found

We survived rock climbing, and two days later are still sore. The class was four hours and included three 10m climbs and a 25m climb. They were all top rope climbs, meaning the rope had already been put through an anchor at the top of the climb. Our instructor was at the bottom belaying (as well as telling us where our next hand hold is). We were taught the basics, like the double figure eight knot, and then sent up the rock face. The first climb was pretty easy, but after that both Julia and I had trouble on certain spots. At one point I fell, and because our instructor Nat was only about 120lbs he went soaring through the air. Another instructor had to run over to pull him back down to the ground.

Both Julia and I gradually became more and more tired as the session wore on. The final climb was about 25 meters, or 75 feet. Julia gave a magnificent effort but could only make it half way. I was next, and after a few repeated attempts (and Nat pulling like hell to get me up) I finally made it to the top of the climb. It felt very rewarding, and I barely noticed my bleeding knees.

Now we are on Phi Phi Don at a beautiful resort called Phi Phi Island Village. It really is paradise, with white sand and clear tourquise ocean. Today we took another snorkeling trip around Phi Phi Don, the inhabited island, and Phi Phi Ley, the uninhabited island. We visited Maya Bay where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. The snorkeling was fantastic. I saw a giant Morray Eel.