Winner, 2007 ASTW Travel Writer of the Year
Winner, 2007 ASTW Best International Story (over 1000 words)
I’m having second thoughts. The steep stone path we’ve been slowly climbing up for the last half an hour has disappeared and we’re standing on a small section of terracing with terrifying thousand-metre drops on three sides. Maybe this really wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe we should have heeded the advice of the security guard who told us not to carry on.
Suddenly, Rob (the only other person on the tour foolish enough to attempt this with me) spots a small sign pointing into what appears to be a sheer rock face. Further investigation reveals a hole and, after using our camera flashes to illuminate the entrance, we discover a tunnel. We exchange a “what the hell, we’ve come this far” look and I follow him in. On the other side is another flight of breath-sapping steps but the end is finally in sight. We edge around a large boulder, climb a small wooden ladder and join a handful of other elated climbers on what feels like the top of the world.
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Rob McFarland 