While we lived in San Francisco's Mission District we frequented an indoor climbing gym, Mission Cliffs, where we focused primarily on top-rope climbing. After a year of indoor climbing Gil planned a day date to get an outdoor climbing lesson at Castle Rock State Park. It wasn't long before we learned we were in over our heads. The similarities between indoor & outdoor climbing seemed virtually non-existent and as a result we spent most of the time struggling to complete one route.
Fast forward 1 year & countless days spent bouldering at El Cerrito’s Bridges Rock Gym to get in shape for our wedding & we flew (ok, I’m using this word lightly) up the routes set up on the east side of Railay Beach in Krabi, Thailand. We used a company called Railay Rock Climbing Shop which assigned us an awesome guide named Jay. Luckily for all of us Jay showed us easier routes if we started to struggle and safely belayed all four of us the entire day. With a beautiful backdrop & harnesses securely fastened, this was one of the most physically rewarding days of our travels to date.
*travel Tip: Do NOT buy a roundtrip ticket to Railay if staying on Ao Nang beach. The return is only good until 6pm so you are left with no time to explore, watch sunset or have dinner.