Stuck on Kalymnos!

Well, the ferry we were meant to catch off Kalymnos left more than two weeks ago. We weren't on it.

What on earth were we thinking, that just under three weeks would be enough on Kalymnos?! Were we crazy?! Three weeks isn't enough - hey, several months might only just cut it. Time really has flown here; despite the fact we've been here now for over a month, there still seems to be so much to see and do (but interestingly enough, not much to blog about ... whoops!)

Evening on the balcony.

We've enjoyed a great week with family, who came all the way over here to include us in the celebrations of a very special birthday. We've done so many amazing climbs we've had to start marking our guidebook so that we can remember them all. We've hung out on a variety of beaches, swimming and lounging in the sun, and noticing the water getting progressively warmer (and the sun progressively stronger!). We have practically been adopted by our landlady, know the supermarket back-to-front and sussed out where to buy the best bread (our local minimarket! strange but true) and the best fresh meat (Pothia's largest butcher makes amazing sausages), but we're still not sick of eating the local waxed fetta cheese. Oh, and did we mention the fresh fish ...!?!

So ... we changed our tickets to a later date. All good things must come to an end but thankfully, that end is not yet nigh.

Wild Country

Kalymnos isn't famous for its long multipitch routes, but it does have some!

Nobu, a friend we'd made in Turkey who we met up with again on Kalymnos, had been recommended "Wild Country" and asked us if we'd be interested in climbing it with him. It sounded great: a long but easy multipitch route on Telendos, the small island across from Kalymnos. The route goes something like this: catch the ferry across, walk around the island to the climb, climb up and hike over the top and back down again. All pitches and belays, of course, are meticulously equiped. 

Heading around to the back of the island to find the climb ...

... the start of the route was well-marked - this is Kalymnos, after all!

We were behind a couple of parties, but they were moving fast - we just took our time and enjoyed the view! We each lead a couple of the pitches, swapping the ropes around at belays. Nobu had never climbed with two ropes before, this being one of his first multipitch climbs and the first with three people, but he handled it perfectly.

Nobu enjoying the view, a few pitches up - despite a bit of wind, we had great weather for it.

... then Mark lead one: token shoe shot.

Jen lead the first two pitches ...

Heading out of the belay cave and up!

Jen on belay, nearing the top.

The top! Looking back to Kalymnos.

Once we'd topped out, we sat and enjoyed the view some more over lunch,, washed down with the bottle of red wine that Nobu had brought along - delicious! Then headed over the hill and down the ridge, past the ruined monastery, and back to the ferry terminal.

All that's left of the old church.