We found an incredibly good deal on flights to Hawaii from Japan, so we decided we had to stop there on our way home. We basked in the warmth for a week, relaxing in Waikiki and exploring Maui.
Warming up in Hawaii
Finding Paradise in Tonsai
Our friends Julie and Marty traveled across the world to join us in Tonsai for a few days of magical Thai adventures. We ate, laughed, kayaked, caved, practiced yoga, and of course climbed!
We Love Hoi An!
Of all the places we have visited in Vietnam, Hoi An has felt the most like home. The town has everything you want: picturesque landscape for biking, nice beaches, historic walk streets lit only by silk lanterns, and the best banh mi. Quite a few expats have settled here, and we can see why.
Climbing in Spain, and saying goodbye to Europe
We found ourselves newly carless after selling our van in Chamonix. Without Bleu Lightning, our plan of driving and climbing our way back across France was no longer possible. Luckily this gave us the chance to visit our friend Sebastian in Asturias, Spain and another day with Michelle and Zach, who gave us a ride to Zurich on their way home.
Continue reading “Climbing in Spain, and saying goodbye to Europe”
The tufa kingdom of Kalymnos
We arrived to the island paradise of Kalymnos ready to spend 9 days climbing and enjoying island life. Little did we know, 9 days was not nearly enough time. As we came by ferry from Athens, Bleu Lightning got to come too – her second boat ride.
The Croatian adventure, continued!
After getting our fill at Paklenica, we continued our track south along the Adriatic. Along the way, we got spectacular lightning storms, more magical waterfalls, an ancient city, an impromptu rafting trip, and quality rock climbing!
Finale Ligure
Tucked away in the unassuming wooded valleys at the western edge of Liguria, this limestone paradise brings climbers from all over Europe. Like Calanques, this crag has thousands of routes, enough for a lifetime of climbing. We climbed what we could in our limited time there, and it felt like tasting a sample at a famous italian gelato shop and having to leave right after.
Calanques
Our first stop on the climbing road-trip adventure was Calanques National Park on the Mediterranean coast of France. We started off strong with a pleasant hike into a small calanque which had a crag right on the beach. Our climbs were short but offered beautiful views of the turquoise water surrounded by limestone cliffs.