Bouldering

The past few years I've felt a little isolated. I'm sure many people can relate. As we slowly exit three years of the global pandemic and things are gradually returning to normal, it's important to get back out there and start trying new things again.

There's another problem, though. The life of an expat is inherently a lonely one. There's a fantastic writeup about "newbies, stayers, and goers" that I recommend anybody read.

The transition that never ends: The ongoing cycle of expat Stayers, Goers and Newbies | The Culture Blend

I am grateful to be a lot better off than a lot of other expats. I'm very lucky to have my wife, but there are plenty of people out there who are entirely alone.

Coupled with the pandemic, my shift to at-home online work, and the inherent facts of expat life have made me realize that nearly all of the friends I made when I first arrived in Thailand have left Bangkok and repatriated or gone elsewhere. I've decided to prioritize the friends that I do have around me and work this year on making new ones as well. Part of this is saying "yes" more and challenging myself with new opportunities.

One such opportunity arose this past week when I sent a catch-up text to my friend British Michael (I call him British Michael for obvious reasons, and he calls me American Michael for similar reasons). He invited me to join him at the rock-climbing gym in Bangkok that he likes to go to.

"It's bouldering", he told me "so there are no ropes. It's the most dangerous type of climbing, but it's great exercise and a lot of fun." I decided to take a chance.

British Michael, it turns out, has recently gotten certified as a climbing instructor, so he was able to show me the ropes (so to speak) of bouldering.

Bouldering is a type of rock-climbing activity in which you scale walls using only your hands and feet. It's an activity that involves a lot of falling onto the heavily padded floor, so lesson 1 is all about how to fall properly so as not to get injured.

The goal of bouldering is to reach a target, which you must touch with both of your hands in order to have successfully climbed the route. Routes are made up of similarly colored rocks bolted into the climbing walls. The routes are rated in various levels of difficulty. Beginner routes (like the ones I was able to do) are fairly straightforward. You have to climb on decently easy routes. Advanced routes involve hanging upside-down, pulling yourself over nearly horizontal ledges, and even jumping to grip far-away rocks.

Michael guided me through the beginner routes, first showing me how to climb them, then walking me through them step-by-step. Bouldering is as much a puzzle as it is a workout. You have to think ahead to plan out the proper route in order to successfully reach the top of the rock wall.

I was able to successfully scale three or four routes before my arms got too tired and shaky to try another one. It's an insane workout! Bouldering uses a lot of muscles that you don't usually use, and it involves a lot of pulling. I was super tired after our climbing adventure, and really sore the next day. After about an hour at the gym, we rewarded our workout with a delicious Indian lunch. It was well-deserved.