Travel is crazy... I feel like I should be used to it by now, but it continues to blow me away how everything can change so quickly. One simply gets on a plane, tries to switch off to the world and hopes to get a little sleep despite the discomfort of sitting in a cramped little seat; and after several hours, or days, one emerges to different world! Well, maybe not quite world, but a totally different hemisphere, season, friends, rock type and most of all focus!

Ten days ago I was in Spain, enjoying the routes in Siurana, hanging with a super psyched strong crew of Scotts, and now I am in the middle of the flatland of outback Australia, surrounded by most of the NZ climbing community! This is where I came on my first real climbing trip, when I was 16; and ever since then I have been returning fairly regularly - Now, Arapiles feels like another home to me!

Arapiles is most famous for its easy multi-pitch routes and sinker stopper placements. However, it also has something to offer everyone, including a good selection of hard test-pieces. Most of which were first climbed in the 80's and are definitely not easy ticks! Though I have been here often, I have not actually climbed many of the harder routes, and would love to test myself on these. However, this year I have my heart set on one goal, "Punks in the Gym". This route was first climbed by the master of sport climbing himself - Wolfgang Güllich, and this climb took sport climbing to a new level - Punks became the first 5.14a in the world.

I am focusing all my energy on this route alone and doing everything in my power to achieve this goal! Please wish me luck!!!