Today I (Sam) realised that none of the sports I like to do, or do very regularly, require much upper body strength.
We started at 08.00 and after getting fitted for crampons and given ice axes etc we set off for the terminal face (which is apparently receding at some ridiculous velocity). We spent the first part of the morning being taught some techniques on smaller walls which got gradually harder towards those that are required for tackling overhangs.
As Alistair demonstrated, we even learnt how to fly....
Then in the afternoon we were taken to some bigger walls including one in a crevasse where we could put these to the test and have fun.
By mid afternoon (keep in mind the lack of upper body strength I was telling you about) our guide decided rather than go down we should put our packs on and climb out of the crevasse. This was the point I realised there wasn't much strength left in my arms so what followed was a painful display of stubbornness. Turns out trying to climb the wall of a glacier without using your arms is quite tough.
In a true display of his Ice man abilities, Alistair even managed to climb out an ice hole over an overhang...guess who was relegated to taking the pictures...(yep, you guessed it, skinny arms here).
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