Visit to Dresden - Part 3 (142-141 days until world trip)

The next two days we were in Bielatal from morning till evening, but at different places.

The rocks there had no pre-installed eyelets, but you (in our case Jani) had to work out the safety points yourself.

With enough snacks (I was once again panicking that it wouldn't be enough!! :D ) and a map - yes, that thing made of paper, not Google Maps on your phone - we started. The weather was great again - sunshine and up to 17°C, perfect!

While the others were setting up, I walked around a bit with Christian. He likes to run off while holding both hands, and he did the same here - only until we reached the abyss of death! Between two rocks, you could see the 10m deep abyss :O Christian stopped for a moment, looked down there, and then turned around. Not everyone can handle such an abyss! ;-)

Today we didn't climb as many routes as the day before, but we climbed more intensively. We had a "summit experience" with an entry in the summit book, and Jonas was even brave enough to bring the camera up. I was brave enough to lie in a hammock for the first time :p and Christian spent his nap time bundled up under a rock overhang! Aww! J

Oh - and I was positively surprised that old games like "Peekaboo" still work great^^ You hide behind a tree and for Christian, you are really "gone" until you show yourself again and loudly say "Peekaboo", which fascinated him.

In terms of climbing, the day was also great. I made less of a fuss than the day before, and well, the other three are always pretty good :p I think we were all very satisfied though.

We didn't get back to the car until around 7 pm and then another 45 minutes drive - a very long day but - I repeat - pretty cool ;-)

The next day we went back to Bielatal, this time to a spot on an almost 30m high rock.

Jonas and Jani set up camp and then immediately tackled this high rock, and it was fun to just watch! We also had helmets with us, which turned out to be useful here since you really could have bumped your head often.

Jani climbed first, then Jonas. The rope just reached so that I could climb too - only Helena had to stay down and take care of Christian for now (there was another abyss of death here too! :O ).

On the climbing path upwards, after a few meters, I couldn't see Helena below or the boys above. Being completely on your own - normally you would also get tips on "good holds" - this was my first climbing experience, and somehow it was pretty cool. I don't know why, but I could just try things out, do weird things that no one saw :D Some of the attempts, which I constantly commented on to myself (no one below or above could hear my mumbling anyway), were probably pitiful, while others were actually awkward but successful! :D

Eventually, I made it to the top ;-) Jonas had the camera with him, and we could take "summit selfies", although on the photo it doesn't look like we were actually up there^^ The view was great, but the wind was quite fresh, so we quickly started rappelling.

Rappelling is scary.

I don't know what scares me so much about it. When (top-rope) climbing, I feel super safe because I trust the person who secures me. With rappelling, you are responsible for yourself, and well, I don't like that :p But staying up there wasn't an option, so I basically didn't have a choice :D

After we were back down, Helena wanted to climb too, and since it had worked out okay the last few days to get to know Christian, she trusted Jonas and me to take care of the little one while she and Jani climbed.

Christian's entertainment was also super easy. He was completely absorbed in the game "Buff", where you throw stones or sticks on the ground and then everyone says "Buff" loudly. So hilarious! :D

We also had a camping mat, which Jonas kept sprinkling sand on. It makes such a nice sound! To intensify the effect, Christian could either clap on the mat with Jonas' flip-flop or directly with his hands.

As soon as the Buff game got boring and he looked around as if he was looking for Helena and Jani, Jonas and I initiated the sand-camping-mat game, and as soon as that got boring, we went back to Buff. It was as if Christian had never seen this game before! Really cute.

When Helena and Jani came back, Christian was completely relaxed. First babysitting mission with the nephew - check! J

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