Jumping

Back to normal life, although... Paula started student life in Delft, and it is a major adjustment. She, and her fellow Earth Science students (some 120 in total), jumped in at the deep end. The first subjects (maths, chemistry and geology) have started at breakneck speed, and her first exams are already after 3 weeks! And she is juggling this with her commute (1 hour by bike or public transport) and membership of the rowing club, with all its training and social commitments.
Dorien and Beau joined an informal horse jumping event at a nearby stable. And they managed two clear rounds, like they did before. Everybody happy!

 Riding like a real team

 It looks so easy....

 Beau and Dorien clearing another jump

This looks like real show showjumping!

Summer holidays (II)

The second part of the summer holidays started with a split, as Piet and Paula returned to The Hague for work and university introductions. Paula had a weekend with the fraternity from her study Applied Earth Sciences, visiting Shell in Rijswijk, a large quarry in Germany, and some sites in the Ardennes. Nothing serious, just getting to know your fellow students, and learn the way of life of a student. This trip was followed by an introduction to the town of Delft, with more of the same silly stuff. At the end of that week Paula (exhausted) and Piet returned to Bassey.

The last week of the holiday started with variable weather, something which has characterised the whole summer. It has rained much more than usual, and our patch of forest has been flooded throughout the summer, and we have hardly done any work there.

We managed do do some cycling, horse riding and a 2-day hike to Refuge Adele Planchard, high in Parc National des Ecrins, at 3200 m altitude. On the first day the weather was overcast, with low temperatures and a strong, chilly wind, but perfect for a long uphill walk, with 1500 m altitude gain. At the refuge it was bitterly cold, and only in the common room it was pleasant. There were very few people (9 in total), and we even got a room for ourselves. Late afternoon we ventured out on the nearby glacier, where we practised walking on crampons. The next morning it rained heavily, and after checking with the guardians of the Refuge we decided to descend. The first part of the trail was very tricky, with steep, slippery sections on bare rock. The lower trails were flooded, and we  ended up at the car very cold and soaked to the bone, after 5 hours in the poring rain. We drove home with the heater on max, and went straight into the shower, started a fire in the fireplace and slowly warmed up again.

After this trip we had a few nice days, the girls went blueberry picking with one of the neighbours and even managed to do some real rock climbing. Then we cleared away all horse stuff in and around our garden. We loaded Beau into the trailer, leaving his friend Image behind, and drove back to The Hague through the night, back to work, school and university.  

Dorien cycling up the road to Villard Notre Dame

Paula and Dorien on the trail between the two Villards

Paula crossing a bridge on the MTB descent from Le Palud

Piet and Dorien hiking up to Refuge Adele Planchard

Mary and Paula starting the steep ascent

Dorien high up in the Alps, with several glaciers in the background

Paula and Mary on the last stretch towards the Refuge

Mary and Paula on the glacier near the Refuge

Walking back to the Refuge from the glacier

 

 Refuge Adele Planchard

 Dorien and Beau along the Romanche

 The girls at the climbing wall in Le Vernis

Paula is picking blueberries at Lac du Grand Maison