Ratho

Happy birthday mum and P!  We took the day off so we could do something for P's birthday.  I booked us in for an induction at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena as a birthday present and it's a pretty awesome place.  I dredged up some knot memories from almost 20 years ago when I was a multi-activity instructor and P learnt a figure of eight and a double stop for the first time.  After that it was a lesson in belaying, again half-remembered for me, then learning what to do when a climber falls.  Pretty good fun.

The arena itself is amazing, it's set in what I presume is an old quarry and when you walk in the building you look down and can see all the walls and the climbers.  It's hard to get an idea of the size, but the people in the bottom left give a bit of perspective.  It's quite fun as some of the walls come quite close to the windows and it's pretty entertaining when that happens.  The photo doesn't really do it justice.

After a climb we dived on the Tram into 'burgh and had an absolutley delicious meal at Baba.  I don't know how they make a sweet potato so tasty but I could've eaten about five of them.  P said he had possibly the best cocktail he'd ever had there too.  Would definitley recommend if you're in the area (Sparserunner and Livresse - have you been?!) .

Seemed like P enjoyed the day so that's all good too.