Now I'm back in Japan. Just woke up from the nap, I was so tired from the flight to come back to.
Anyway, I must write what I think now while still my memory is fresh.
No1:
In one word, I am SOOOO GLAD I went to Green Climbers Home!
Of course, Laos was a great country. They are safe and very peaceful, it is like maybe 70 years ago in Japan? Before we gets all the concrete jungle and western life style, and our life get all so materialized.
But it is still not about Lao which made my climbing trip so good. It is the friendly community GCH got there, and what they offered at the GCH, climbing heaven! All you need to worry is climbing.
The accommodation is there, the food is good,, you are nicely taken cared to get and to go from there...
The only down side was no wifi. But even that, depending on how you see things; it is nice to be sometimes away from all the electric gadgets so you can leave your normal life behind and concentrating on climbing and having fun.
No.2;
Personal achievement. I am now finally the person I wanted to be in my younger days, a backpacker.
I always envied the travelers and backpackers. They seemed so free, untied from social obligation. But I was a bit scared.
In my twenties, mostly I was scared of the sexial crimes...girls traveling alone getting raped...and accused of they travel alone... so when I was in the U.S., which was, when I was 20 to 21 years old, I was so scared to be alone walking when in dark. Even in Melbourne, which I were there only 6 years ago, I try not to take a subway after dark.
Other things, I was afraid of was losing the comfort like clean bathroom and good food. Since I was a child I was fassy child. I could not sleep in someone else's home, I could not eat other mothers Miso soup, only my mother's. I hated riding on the cars, since it gets me a car sick. I hated the change in the air, too hot or too cold gets me very sick.
But I gradually overcome those things, as I started to hike the mountains and moving on to hike with tent, and do much more serious climbing like winter camping while I do ice climb. It does not get dirty when you know what you are doing.
So this, overcoming my fear to be a backpacker took me this 6 years of learning of mountaineering, which is life skill of how to make myself comfortable outdoors and it took me learning all these climbing activities... I was so focused to the activity, I did go to the mountain 108 days in 2015.... I was outdoor one third of a year!
Now I am pretty confident that I am comfortable to live on very minimum things.
No.3
Also another personal accomplishment; English. It's been a while since I don't need to speak daily but this time I was very comfortable speaking English and I am comfortable of making myself comfortable among the strangers.
It takes time to learn a language. But I was more comfortable to climb with English speakers than a Japanese speaker. That mean English is no more a barrier for me.
No4.
Another thing is to know Laos is so close by, especially on my way to there, it was as easy as I go to Tokyo!
I haven't made a big deal out of this trip so I did not do much research before I go. For one thing, I got confused of date of travel on my way to Nacomphanom but I fixed it easily at the airport.
There were small stuff like that all the time this time, and I fixed it every time I encounter the problem.
I am pretty much confident I can fix what ever the problems arise in future. No sweat.
No5.
I met Eriko and Kaori, a mother who is working in NGO in Lao and her daughter and meeting them made me think what role I might have been given.
My mother divorced when I was six. As a child I wanted her to do so sooner, since I was so sad all the time seeing my mom unhappy, sometimes beaten by my dad. I felt I am obligated to dislike my dad. I disliked him when he is drunk and abusive to my mom.
I was so determined as a child I should remember that a child is happier to have no dad than to have a dad who is no good to his wife.
I see my parent's marriage in a different way than I was a child but still constant stress of quarrels and arguments are no good to a child's health I am sure.
A child needs a warm peaceful home so she/he feels loved and relaxed. No screaming no fighting.
No6.
Climbing achievement. I have now better understanding of how unique Japanese craggings are.
The bolts too far, foot stance too small, hand folds too small, no overhang at all.
I am so proud that I did lead 6A Full metal jacket which is really an overhang problem!