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Today everyone was very slow getting up due to the fact we didn't get up home until 4:30am. As everyone in the house climbs today they had all planned to go climbing - the problem being we had to wait for everyone to get up and get organized. It was almost 2pm when everyone was finally ready but I was really excited to be going climbing, specially since they are all professional level climbers. The walk out to the cliffs and rock climbing walls was only about 20 minutes and our hosts plus their friend Diego said the routes up very quickly - basically clipping in bolts for safety for myself and Hernan the two learner climbers. Within no time I was up and I was a little nervous as the wall was about 40 meters high and very technical for my level and also the fact that I had an Italian guy bee-lining me who could not speak a word of English. I started to climb and within the first 5 meters I could tell it was going to be difficult with very small finger and rock holes. Vally one of my hosts was bee lining for Matilde but was able to give me direction where to put my hands and feet so slowly but surely I advanced. I got very stuck on one point and so was able to hold onto the rope and cheat pull myself up a bit passed the difficult section. It was a little nerve racking that the guy holding my life/the rope was down the bottom of the wall talking with the others and completely not paying attention but I had to put my confidence in him that if anything happened he would save me. The views were amazing and I could certainly get used to this sport but maybe its not as great as I had fantasized rock climbing to be. I finally got to the point where I could go no further and with my feet killing me from the two size too small climbing shoes I called it quits. The decent was the best as I got to abseil down the wall with Diego at the bottom slowly letting out line so I could glide down the face. Everyone hi fived me and congratulated me on getting so far which was really nice and it was great to be back on the ground. Taking my shoes off I found that the two toe nails I had damaged on my Torres hike had now been ripped off and that would be the end of climbing for the day for me. Next up Hernan had a go but with severe vertigo and never having tried climbing before he only managed to get a meter or so before giving up. More and more climbers and locals came and they all decided to go to a different section so we followed. There were about 20 climbers and they were all professional level which made watching very entertaining. The cliff faces were now 100s of meters and passed vertical and it was almost sickening to watch - the girls were incredible and showed the guys up on every wall making it look so easy. After a few hours of watching and enjoying myself and Hernan headed back down to the town. The girls came back soon after and we spent the rest of the night talking about travels, climbing and everything else inbetween. It's hard to believe all these beautiful, athletic and passionate girls don't have boyfriends and are here spending their time with a couple of Couchsurfers - one of those pinch yourself moments that happens to me on a regular basis nowadays. A day in the life of a professional rock climber - Wow!!! But unfortunately not for me.
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