The following day the weather broke and the thunderstorms that greeted me on my arrival were back once more. I packed my gear away and popped round to see Ron and Fi on the Sat night to say a final thanks and cheerio. I flew home the next day to a happy happy wife, excited pet dog and a surprise welcome home party. By sheer luck there were problems with the check in computers at geneva. They waved my bag through without any questions. I had escaped additional charges yet again. My trip had been an absolutely fantastic experience. I attribute that largely to the fact that I had went with the right people. There was never any doubt in my mind at any point during the trip of the standard of company I was keeping each day. By that I mean Ron and Fi at talisman activities and their colleague Jonathan Preston (IFMGA guide). My climbing partner Julie also helped make the trip a great one too. There are glossy adverts everywhere in magazines advertising similar trips that might appear cheaper or shorter. Ask yourself this..What sort of reputation do these folk have? Do they have credentials? It became apparent to me that not everybody had enjoyed the same sort of experience as myself and Julie with some of the other guiding companies. Julie confirmed this for me with her story about a french guide trying to rush her and her team on mont blanc the previous year. Many of the uk companies will sub contract the guiding out to local french guides. It's worth bearing that in mind. You want your trip to be an enjoyable experience but more importantly you want to know that you are in safe hands as well. Take a look at www.talisman-activities.co.uk/ if you want more info. I have been on four trips/courses with them over the years and they really have pushed the bar up on my mountaineering and climbing skills. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Special thanks to..
The following day the weather broke and the thunderstorms that greeted me on my arrival were back once more. I packed my gear away and popped round to see Ron and Fi on the Sat night to say a final thanks and cheerio. I flew home the next day to a happy happy wife, excited pet dog and a surprise welcome home party. By sheer luck there were problems with the check in computers at geneva. They waved my bag through without any questions. I had escaped additional charges yet again. My trip had been an absolutely fantastic experience. I attribute that largely to the fact that I had went with the right people. There was never any doubt in my mind at any point during the trip of the standard of company I was keeping each day. By that I mean Ron and Fi at talisman activities and their colleague Jonathan Preston (IFMGA guide). My climbing partner Julie also helped make the trip a great one too. There are glossy adverts everywhere in magazines advertising similar trips that might appear cheaper or shorter. Ask yourself this..What sort of reputation do these folk have? Do they have credentials? It became apparent to me that not everybody had enjoyed the same sort of experience as myself and Julie with some of the other guiding companies. Julie confirmed this for me with her story about a french guide trying to rush her and her team on mont blanc the previous year. Many of the uk companies will sub contract the guiding out to local french guides. It's worth bearing that in mind. You want your trip to be an enjoyable experience but more importantly you want to know that you are in safe hands as well. Take a look at www.talisman-activities.co.uk/ if you want more info. I have been on four trips/courses with them over the years and they really have pushed the bar up on my mountaineering and climbing skills. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
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2 comments:
Hi Stephen...not sure if you remember me..but we met on Ron's three day course last autumn up in Kingussie, Cummingston and Huntly's. I had been planning to join on Ron's trip this year to Mont Blanc but it would have meant blagging the bank accounto f our holiday savings and the wife and kids at home whilst I was away enjoying myself. Anyway...I've been checking Ron's page on and off to read about your ascent and just clocked his update. A huge well done and congratulations to you on making it to the summit. In the end-up I spent two weeks WITH my family in Les Houches for the summer holidays as a compromise and did Aiguille Du Tour (with my 12 year old Cameron) and also the Vallee Blanche traverse (with my wife and the two boys this time) so, as you can imagine, I was permanently looking longingly at the summit of MB cursing mu luck ;-) Ive had a read at your blogs and the whole experience sounded fantastic - again, well done you Stephen...so very glad you made it AND enjoyed the experience too. Cheers, Gerry.
Hi Steven,
Thanks for the GREAT plug....!
Have you got any links for the local newspaper article?
Funny being back in Scotland listening to the rain pelting off the roof rather than in Chamonix BUT the forecast for the weekend and next week IN SCOTAND look very promising! Just noticed Gerry's comment and coincidentialy we're meeting up on Sunday to climb Tower Ridge with his son. I heard you met up with Julie and her chums for a bit of UK cragging. A nice bunch. Any thought's on Spain and future adventures!!!
Cheers Ron
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