So no diary for a while - but we will get you all up to date. We have just arrived in Valence, France.
So everyone is in the room of James and Emma writing the Diary, each person is writing a sentance of the day so it could be interesting.
 
We woke up in the Army Base, aka Youth Hostel in Berne, Switzerland and had a tray breakfast. It was a self serve all you can eat buffet. We packed our things put our sheets in the sheet place, and went to train station (in a single monotone voice). The route to the trainstation was very hilly we had to endure severe mountainous terain (read small hill with moaning teenagers), a very steep road which tired us all out (more training required). On the train to Geneve we sat around and for the hundreth millionith time we played cards, talked crap and were stupid. Once we got to Geneve, we had a walk around for half an hour, Wiz almost got stolen by a crazy beggar lady and jumped on the train to Lyon France. Wiz then got shot by some army dudes because he was making shooting signs with his fingers. But don't worry I survived to write you this sentance (Wiz)... On the train to Lyon I ate lunch, it was delicious and reminded me of my daddy. Except my daddy can't cook anything :-) 
After the train in Lyon we had a brief stop off before hopping on a train to Valence. Wiz wants to mention at this point that we had to pay to go peepee and dumps - a whole 50 Euro cents. (for more check out the QOTD on Facebook). On the train Irmak got chatted up by a french guy with a tight white singlet top and some tight pants. He was hot or so she said. Sarah was quite interested though, and noted the fake tan. She tried to chat him up but their was a language barrier. Wiz notes that Sarah was checking him out quite a lot (we are not sure if wiz means Sarah was checking Wiz out or the guy in the white top). Mind you from the chatter going on right now it seems quite a few (apart from Wiz) were very interested.
 
Anyway we are now in Valence, all good. Apart from no pots for dinner so better go and sort some stuff out.
More later.
Ciao.

So no diary for a while - but we will get you all up to date. We have just arrived in Valence, France.
So everyone is in the room of James and Emma writing the Diary, each person is writing a sentance of the day so it could be interesting.
 
We woke up in the Army Base, aka Youth Hostel in Berne, Switzerland and had a tray breakfast. It was a self serve all you can eat buffet. We packed our things put our sheets in the sheet place, and went to train station (in a single monotone voice). The route to the trainstation was very hilly we had to endure severe mountainous terain (read small hill with moaning teenagers), a very steep road which tired us all out (more training required). On the train to Geneve we sat around and for the hundreth millionith time we played cards, talked crap and were stupid. Once we got to Geneve, we had a walk around for half an hour, Wiz almost got stolen by a crazy beggar lady and jumped on the train to Lyon France. Wiz then got shot by some army dudes who were making shooting signs with his fingers.
 
Meeting time, more to come........

IFSC is pleased to inform that the ÖWK has organised a professional Live-Broadcast Production for the Semi-Finals and Finals for the IFSC LWC in Imst on Saturday, 22. August 2009.
The Live-Broadcast for the Semi-Finals starts on Saturday, 22. August 2009 at 10 am for the Finals the Broadcast will start at 6.15 pm on www.sporttime.tv. The Live-Broadcast will be attended by a Live-Comment.
 

Charolette says ummmm, We had breakfast then went to gaswerks. Oh yeah, we got woken up by Jesse and Whiz because we slept in and breakfast was supposed to be at 8.30. We woke up to the sound of trains before that. Speedy trys to sleep with ear plugs in but she takes them out cause they scare her. At gaswerks we were given climbs to do. Speedy didnt know the difference between 'Gelb' and 'Grun' and ended up climbing the wrong climb. She was super stoked when she topped it out only to have her bubble burst when she found out it was 6 grades easier than the one she was supposed to be climbing. Speedy and Jesse tried the hardest climb in the gym, a 9a (34). Jesse made it to the 3rd clip and only fell 4 times. Speedy was stoked to get the first clip after two attempts. JJ had to tidy up all the lunch mess, but then Whiz had to go and do it properly after he had finished. We all walked home via the super market with Rob. Some people went in to buy Swiss lollies for the people back home....I wonder if they will get that far? When we were back we all started to pack up our rooms, had dinner and finished packing. We had to try to distribute the plates, pots and cutlery back to all the rooms in the apartments. This was a big mission. We all went to bed tired out with dreams of going to Imst after climbing tomorrow.

Today is a slight change, being a video diary http://www.climbing.org.nz/content/2009-wyc-team-day-7-video-diary-august-17-2009 go check it out.

In the morning we all did 2 hours of homework, we had lunch before we left for the gym. The trains werent running properly so we had to catch a tram to get to the gym. The walk wasnt as long to the gym which shows how good James is at finding shortcuts. Gunter sang some songs in the tram on the way there and entertained us all with her frog impressions. I screamed really loudly at the gym to try to stay on the climb. Im not sure how everyone else climbed as I was too focused on what I was doing. On the way back some of us made up a new marching song. It goes like this: left, left, left right left The team went marching two by two, horah horah The team went marching two by two HORAH HORAH The little one stopped to tie in the rope The other one thought it was a joke and they all went tumbling down.... to the ground...... to get up...... and try again! (Everyone does climbing actions, while Josiah screams) Argh, Argh, Argh, Argh...... Left, left, left right left.......etc Damon and Mark put their room key in a very secure and safe place so it wouldnt get stolen. In the locker at Gaswerks!!! This meant that they had to sleep in our room on the floor. They think it fixed their back problems. After dinner which was rice salad we went to bed early as we were all exausted from hard training.
By JJ 
QOTD on facebook.

Here are a couple of videos from the Ice Cream Challenge for the left over ice creams....
 
The Haka

Uma Rapiti

Early breakfast today, except for the people who slept in. We then went to buy some food. The people in the supermarket were quite impressed by our bulk buying efforts. We then caught the train to the Milandia climbing gym. We got off a stop earlier than planned when the boys spotted a Mammut sign. James pretended to know where he was going and we eventually made it to the gym. It is smaller than Gaswerks but has some solid, hard climbs. Onsite practise, so we had to get into comp mode and warm up so we were a hundy. Peoples head game caused mixed results but everyone had a good time all the same. The gym had the official speed route up so we all climbed it really fast. We were there until seven and with tired worn-out bodies we caught the train home. Hamburgers for dinner and then after cards it was time for bed.
 
By Claire
QOTD on Climbing New Zealand Facebook Page

Much better sleep in today with no help from the giant trains outside the windows haha. Breakfast 9am as usual. Yoghurt and muesli covered bananas for most other than Jesse who decided to be more gourmet. The mystery rest day activity and transportation finally revealed to us in the form of train, walk and bus to the Mammut Factory. This is where we met friendly Albert, an expert in the running of the factory after years in the job. We were issued with “interesting” headsets which turned 16 climbers into 16 doctors who followed and listened to Albert throughout the factory. The rope making process was shown to us right from the raw material to the final products with many exciting spinning machines in between. Unfortunately we couldn't see the testing for the ropes but it was a great tour all the same, some people even got to sit down in the factory. After a great thank you speech from Claire that was slightly incomprehensible for Albert we took off with Mammoths in one hand and knowledge in the other. Ice cream time! One ice cream each except for those who took part in an “ impressive” Haka to the amazement of the local Zurichian's. Monkey, crab and pigeon imitations were entertainment for Rob and Speedy until ghosting foriegners and tram interpretations took over, to James' displeasure. Back home, food, cards, dairy, bed.
By Speedy 

Early, unintentional start with a 9am breakfast. Museli, yogurt, banana, soy milk, orange juice eaten by the dozen. Travelled by train and feet to gas works for our second day climbing. We still have not perfected the counting off to Rob's standards though Wiz is improving the number 13. Arriving at the climbing gym we got straight into our warm up, bouldering. Our fingers, still raw from the good quality of the holds were a source for complaint in the bouldering room ( Speedy's flapper to blame!). Climbing hard routes were the aim of the game today and there was no lack of hard climbs thats for sure. We demolished our lunch, sandwiches  with salami, lettuce, tomato and cheese and got straight back into Climbing which we kept at until 5. Exhausted, but pumped by the great climbing we walked back to the train, whilst feeding from the blackberries and grapes on the way. Back home we organised dinner, homemade Nacho's yum yum, with a giant Watermelon dessert.
Knucklebones, cards, bed.
By Speedy
 
QOTD have moved to the CNZ Facebook page