shanja
11-26-2006, 11:06 PM
Now I'm not an overly sentimental bloke, but here's a bright little tale that made me think (or something like thinking anyways):
"Geez! What a top weekend I've had, and isn't it great to be a climber here in Korea? I'm damnably lucky, and all aglow with a rather good (platonic) love of mankind."
Now, what went down (apart from myself on any given route), was that my wife, out of the blue said "Shanja dear, Let's just rock on down to Hama, and send a few routes, and so on?" Well this itself was quite to the liking of my ears, and alone it would have been nice enough indeed. But wait there's more! On the early morn drive down, she drops a 2nd lovely bomb by saying "Shanja dearest, what about hitting up O2 ice gym next weekend and having a few beers afterwards?" Fair dinkum, I had to pinch myself to check I wasn't asleep at the wheel and just dreaming. Now those of you who know Kyung Ah will know she regulary "puts up with" my vertical misadventures and cohorts on a surprisingly regular basis (angel that she is). But to take the sharp end in suggesting a weekend spent climbing is a greatly touching and good banana indeed. Married with non-climbing spouse/significant other KOTRers take note and take heart.
The best (in a way) was awaiting us at Halma Bawi though. As we lumbered up to the bustling Sunday morning crag, a smiling face beneather a khaki beanie beamed at me. "제이크! 아이고! 오래간많아요!/ Jake! Wow! Long time no see!" A really awesome and nice guy I'd known from my early days in Korea/ Daejeon and not seen in 5 or 6 years was there. It says a lot for how deep and sincere friendships are with the locals that a) he remembered me b) he was happy to see me and c) that he abandoned his own team to hang with Kyung Ah and I most of the day (being my belay slave as his wrist was in a cast). We talked in my best Korean (still pretty lousy but KA helped as ever), and exchanged lost friends contact details etc and caught up on 5-6 years worth of missed news. By luck, we had the box of KOTR shirts and as he said he regularly visits the site, not only did he buy a shirt, his whole crew (4 others) did too! Let it be known KOTR is not unknown to many Korean climbers and even if they speak/read little English they like to check it out. Now this old friend Kim Sun Joong (김선중) is a Senior Master Sergeant at Kunsan Airbase!! He not only knows KOTRers Josh, Rick and Robert (he even knows about Roberts newborn baby!) but also a few others (firedawg etc). All of theses people made a great impression on him and he says "Hi!" to everyone at KOTR.
Now if you see a Korean with a KOTR shirt, go up and say hi too. Not only are they wonderful people, but they might know someone you do too! Let's share the rock, the love, the food and whatever else.
"Geez! What a top weekend I've had, and isn't it great to be a climber here in Korea? I'm damnably lucky, and all aglow with a rather good (platonic) love of mankind."
Now, what went down (apart from myself on any given route), was that my wife, out of the blue said "Shanja dear, Let's just rock on down to Hama, and send a few routes, and so on?" Well this itself was quite to the liking of my ears, and alone it would have been nice enough indeed. But wait there's more! On the early morn drive down, she drops a 2nd lovely bomb by saying "Shanja dearest, what about hitting up O2 ice gym next weekend and having a few beers afterwards?" Fair dinkum, I had to pinch myself to check I wasn't asleep at the wheel and just dreaming. Now those of you who know Kyung Ah will know she regulary "puts up with" my vertical misadventures and cohorts on a surprisingly regular basis (angel that she is). But to take the sharp end in suggesting a weekend spent climbing is a greatly touching and good banana indeed. Married with non-climbing spouse/significant other KOTRers take note and take heart.
The best (in a way) was awaiting us at Halma Bawi though. As we lumbered up to the bustling Sunday morning crag, a smiling face beneather a khaki beanie beamed at me. "제이크! 아이고! 오래간많아요!/ Jake! Wow! Long time no see!" A really awesome and nice guy I'd known from my early days in Korea/ Daejeon and not seen in 5 or 6 years was there. It says a lot for how deep and sincere friendships are with the locals that a) he remembered me b) he was happy to see me and c) that he abandoned his own team to hang with Kyung Ah and I most of the day (being my belay slave as his wrist was in a cast). We talked in my best Korean (still pretty lousy but KA helped as ever), and exchanged lost friends contact details etc and caught up on 5-6 years worth of missed news. By luck, we had the box of KOTR shirts and as he said he regularly visits the site, not only did he buy a shirt, his whole crew (4 others) did too! Let it be known KOTR is not unknown to many Korean climbers and even if they speak/read little English they like to check it out. Now this old friend Kim Sun Joong (김선중) is a Senior Master Sergeant at Kunsan Airbase!! He not only knows KOTRers Josh, Rick and Robert (he even knows about Roberts newborn baby!) but also a few others (firedawg etc). All of theses people made a great impression on him and he says "Hi!" to everyone at KOTR.
Now if you see a Korean with a KOTR shirt, go up and say hi too. Not only are they wonderful people, but they might know someone you do too! Let's share the rock, the love, the food and whatever else.