Well who’d have thought that packing for a three week holiday could be so complicated, no sooner are you pack, that you realise you have forgotten various items that may or may not be useful. Things like plates, cooking implements, towel, etc… Fortunately I do believe that the important things like ropes, harnesses, boots, rack, portaledge and aid climbing stuff. Their is some clothing in their but not that much, one t-shirt a week, two pairs of pants. Basically we’ll be regressing to the scabby students we once were. Although having worked with students recently, I think tarnishing them with the scabby stereotype is somewhat unfounded, as most of them have a better car than I do and certainly better dress sense.
There was one point during the day that I thought I had cracked the packing, gotten all four bags down to 23kg each, printed out all the topos, and route information, got the reference numbers for the ESTA VISA waiver and eaten lunch, when I then got a text.
This is BA your flight BA1234 is open for checkin….
After my initial panic that I had managed to miss a flight I read the rest.
You can checkin online at BA.com using booking reference AB12C3.
Now given that online check in is meant to speed up the whole process, I can truly say that whilst it might improve the experience at the airport (see is believing tomorrow I guess) the experience took considerable longer than standing in a check in queue for 30 minutes and the few minutes of flirting with the Lady at the checking desk. Although I have got my seat and boarding pass already, so just have to hand my bags in!
Anyway the last two days of trying to finish the packing,the weather in Wales has been awesome I leave you with this shot of Llanberis High Street, looking rather bright and sunny.
I should thank the people that have sponsored my trip namely:
JackGeldard.com for the small cams.
Pete Robins for the small cams.
Hosey B for the large cams.
Ben Lawes for the Aiders.
Simon Lake for aiding gear.
Kevin Thaw for the Portaledge (Yes I do still have it!).
Tim Neil for the guide.
Mike Raine for the Guide.
El for letting her husband disappear for three weeks.
There are a few more people I am sure that have lent a hand.
I do like Llanberis, as it is easy to collect vital specialist kit for these extreme holidays.