Consilia Team Event at Climbing Wall 2023

It finally happened. It was like a dream come true after all those years. We have waited nearly a decade, being teased by beautiful PowerPoint presentations, gleaming photo projections, and vivid videos from his climbing escapades.

It is not like we haven't done some other fun stuff, we have, tons of them, actually. Several times a year, we would get together with colleagues from Consilia Brno outside of work to have fun, relax, and wind down with bowling, car racing, or just hanging out at a pub.

But this elusive thing, this mystical activity, always teased, yet never came. It was always on our mind, like a silent promise, a whisper felt in the wind.    

In September 2023, our chief, Pavel, organized a climbing session for us on the outdoor artificial wall in Brno.

We were lulled by pleasant weather and a simple introduction  

It was a stunning afternoon, befitting the occasion. At the end of the summer, the sun was shining, with only a few clouds here and there to embellish the sky. I arrived late, as usual, and nearly everyone was already there, many with their family, as well. The Warm-up had already started, so I rushed out to get to the ring and stretch my body in preparation. The introduction was quick and easy, so it seemed like climbing would be a piece of cake.  

There is no easy way to move back quickly

Oh, we could not have been more wrong. Once you stick yourself to the rock, it is grueling, demanding work. It is very technical, reliant way more on your grace and poise than on pure raw strength. And failure means only one thing. Falling. And starting over. There are no savepoints, and no Ctrl+Z to go back quickly. If you fail, you are back at the beginning, the ground level, with your body aching, arms burning, and fingertips sanded smooth as a baby's bottom. But in the end, with advice from our skilled and patient instructors and our watchful, experienced chief, we overcame the challenges the menacing and unmoving rock possessed. We also enjoyed the opportunity to see Pavel's climbing skills in person, not just in photos and videos.  

It was absolutely worth it

Was it tiring? Absolutely. Was it fun? Immensely. Shall we repeat it? Sure! Of course. But maybe next year, please? My fingers still hurt, and now I need to find more cream to treat them.