Introduction

[A.Rev]

Hi, I've been reading these forums for a while now, made a few posts on my old account, but thought I should introduce myself.
I'm another wannabe Booty, hoping to join next summer, I want to pay of my debts before joining (pay my parents back). Whilst doing that I'm doing a part time carpentry course at college, mainly so I can do the odd jobs around the house properly and because its something that'll probably be useful.
During that time I'll be getting my fitness levels up, at the moment I'm unfit and slightly overweight, but I made myself a plan to gradually build up my fitness - no need to rush and injure myself, I've got a while
Also want to get into rock climbing, it's always been something I've wanted to do, so if there's any decent rock climbers out there I'm afraid I might need to ask you for some info...
Any way, thanks for reading, and I hope to get to know you all better whilst I'm here, ta ra.

[Artist]

Welcome to the Forum A.Rev

Just don't ask about bloody press ups and you will be fine.

Artist

[flo]

Or the best boots to wear!!!! or you'll find yourself on the sharp end of artists pencil

Welcome and enjoy.

[Sully]

Greetings A Rev - a man of Kent eh? You'll do some climbing in the Corps and CTC has a decent indoor wall, the Citadel in Plymouth (home of 26 'Cdo' Regt RA) has a good outdoor wall. I did some mountaineering with the Corps which was incredible - keep your eye on DRO's (daily routine orders). You could always join the ML branch if you like the cold and have a touch of the victorian father about you

[Sticky Blue]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ He's right you know, Victorian Dads loved climbing
As the Rt Hon Member for the Medway towns says "Keep and ey on orders", No one will tell you these things are happening, availabe etc when you pass out, you need to be pro active (NO not Flora Artist!) and look for things. A team from theh RN RM recently did the lower stages of Everest!

[A.Rev]

Thanks for the replies, and I think I've looked at all the press up and boot posts

You could always join the ML branch if you like the cold and have a touch of the victorian father about you

The book I'm reading at the moment "Unscathed" goes into Mountain Leader Training in quite a lot of detail, just from reading that it sounds bloody tough, worse/tougher then the accounts I've read of SAS training from books, but I suppose thats not the best indicator

The only experience I have of mountains at the moment was nearly dieing on Mount Snowden. Me and a couple of friends thought it'd be a walk in the park, until it started blowing a blizzard near the top, a white out in Britain, couldn't believe it. In the end we found "shelter" behind a mound of snow and ice and just huddled up, then luckily some more experienced folk found us on their way down.
That taught us to respect the mountains, and fork out on proper kit - jeans and a jacket didn't really cut it

By the way, Youse can just call me Rev, or Andrew

[Sully]

I did the lower, lower stages of Everest in true Royal style Stix. We'd done our peaks (Ramdung and Pachermo) and went for a jolly to the Tengboche and then Pangboche monasteries. Our lead Sherpa liked his pop and took us (a small breakaway group) to a few of his mates houses on the way up and lashed us up with Chang (rice beer). We were crappers when we got to the camp in pitch black with one headtorch between three. Boss gave us a grilling about the danger and supidity and I was horrified the next day to see the gorge and drop that was feet away from the path we were staggering along. He was right you know

[Sticky Blue]

As soon as I read this I knew something involving Beer, Wine, Women or Song was on the way in!

true Royal style

Why do we do it? Go to far off exotic places, see wonderous sights, meet interesting cultures and people and then drink them under the table!
Happy days eh Sully!
The lads who went brought back some incredible photos... looked like the lunar landscape to be honest. It made Woodbury and Dartmoor look like forests! The kit they took was all top banana. It was tested to the max. One of the lads has since gone on to do Outward Bound and expedition leader training civvy side but wants to get back to Nepal.

He read orders

[Sully]

Sticks, we had some top banana kit from the ML store and some from DNST - tested to the max - Locky was mahooted in Lukla on the last night and swamped his goose down Mountain Equipment slug

I always found that travelling closes the mind but Namche Bazaar is the only foreign place I want to visit again - getting shiters with sherpa porters and tibetan traders was something else. The moonshine was about 3p for half a pint. Happy days indeed mucker.

[harry hackedoff]

M`learned friend, you do come out with it sometimes Bloody envious to say the least, you bassa

I did some mountaineering with the Corps which was incredible

What was incredible mate, was that someone else was doing the swamping

Rev (not a bishop are we? ) don`t say "Mount Snowden" it sounds like an instruction.
It`s just " Snowden" thanks I think Kent is a tad under-subscribed on the mountains front. Never mind. Try bouldering instead, and as Sully says there are stacks of big wall locations springing up all over UK.
Good luck and welcome aboard

[A.Rev]

Nah not a bishop Just a name my mates called me at school, because of my surname.
I'll have to do some research on bouldering, not heard about it, but I've discovered an indoor centre a 15 minute drive away. They run courses throughout the year that sound pretty useful, mountain first aid, and navigation through dartmoor that kind of thing, oh yeah, and a fair bit of actual cimbing
Haven't actually been down there yet though, my hands are pretty dodgy, the skin is peeling off, and I was a bit concerned about the possibilty of having to shake someones hand

[Tab]

Well I will be looking forward to the odd sermon on these forums Mr Rev