Summit

I climbed a volcano. Mt. Aleph. In Vale. It's a story I tell quite often because...well, it's Mt. Aleph. And if you haven't heard of it, you belong to a period three-plus decades ago.

Alright, so it's technically an inactive volcano, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

We set off in pitch dark, with only lanterns, hiking boots and other climbing equipment. Kind of like my trip to Tunundria-a battle against the elements. Or whatever residue they left after the Golden Sun formed. Either way, it was a fight against nature, and after hours of climbing, it was a fight that we won. We looked out over Angara, able to appreciate how much things had changed over the last thirty years.

All of this makes for a good yarn, you might think. What I haven't made clear is that the experience sucked. Well, at least ninety percent of it. Standing on top of Mt. Aleph was satisfying. But the rest of it...

I learnt a few things on my vacation. Mornings are cold, a roll of bread isn't enough substance for a five hour hike and Valean mountaineers are even crazier than a run of the mil Valean. The experience wasn't helped by a red-haired youth hand-gliding above us. It was a reminder that not only was there an easier way to reach the summit, but a more hardcore way as well.

Maybe all holidays are like this. Maybe our minds are designed to focus on the good bits and leave out the bad. Well, I won't forget, which is why I'll be visiting a place of better service next year. Maybe Lemuria. I hear there's a great chain of Indran coffee there.