I took on the volcano and won !

I mentioned in my last post about taking on a volcano on Saturday.  Well we smashed it !  I did the impressive crater peak climb at Tower Hill, up and down not once, but ... wait for it ... FOUR TIMES!!!!

Not only that but each time we got to the bottom we did 10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 10 jumps and 10 burpees before heading up again.   Call us crazy huh?

Here we are looking all fresh faced and excited before we started, a lovely tourist stopped to take our photograph then told us quite frankly we were nuts and handed the camera back tut tutting at us!

As soon as I started off I knew I was in for a bit of strife when I saw the first set of stairs.  The climb to the top of the crater is a mixture of steps and steep paved inclines, some of which particularly at the top I did need to haul myself just about to get up there.   I'm wincing just remembering it.   I did take my camera up on my second climb up so I was able to snap some photographs on the way up and down, but I tell you it was so darn heavy to lug, it was a one time only, any other photo opportunities had to go begging.

And here I was further up the trail looking back at some of the girls on the landing there.  You can tell how steep it is from this, and it just kept getting steeper as we got closer to the top!

And here's my new friend Jane who I have met on this grand venture I am on, she was the one who devised this challenge for us.  Yes we are looking hot and bothered.  Yes we are looking very red in the face from exertion.   Yes we are looking hot and sweaty.   But what I am seeing more in this photo is exhilaration, pride, accomplishment, victory and pure happiness for achieving and smashing the challenge we set out to do.   

Oh and by the way, I realised on my third time up the crater that I had the hidden speed of an Olympic sprinter when I saw a snake sunbaking on the side of the path, I took off running!  Aaaarrgggh!

So this weekend took on a volcano and won!   Tomorrow the world!   Yahoooooooooooooo!