We are in Sudan on the first year of the Global challenge expedition, after having been delayed as we are waiting for a part for the truck to arrive via DHL from the UK. A couple of folk waited for this in Khartoum and I have taken the rest down to Kassala (a ten-hour bus ride east of Khartoum). This place is incredible; it is a lot more tribal and rougher than Khartoum and the cliffs are fantastic. Locals carry great swords and clubs, with scars depicting what tribe they come from. The most dominant tribe not only have three big cuts on each cheek but also have some of the biggest and best Afros I have ever seen.

Over the last week I have put up a few new routes (E3 4c, 5b-, 5a, 5a, 4c), (E2 5b, 5b, 5b). The last one was a true adventure; it is essential to wake up at 4am so as to get up the slopes of scree, past the screaming kids and bypass the troops of enormous baboons before the heat of the day makes the climbing that much harder. The climb involved three pitches of fantastic (although scary and exposed) climbing. To get the second crack after the first pitch it was essential to abseil down and left and lunge for its edges. To ensure the anchor was strong enough it was essential to hand drill and place bolt. Each bolt takes 15mins of hammering and twisting to complete.

At the end of the third pitch I was about to pull myself onto the ledge my hands had a hold of when two very shocked vultures with fluffy chicks made me think otherwise. As they leaped towards me I saw it no problem to slide very rapidly down the chimney that I had been previously struggling with. Having only just escaped their beaks and talons I sat down panting trying to calm down. I shouted down to the guy following me, Manne, that the climb had finished and we needed to get down, and explained why.

At that point the vultures made their second attack. One flew off the higher ledge circled around and faced his enemy. I sat there between a rock and a hard place; it gave me no choice but to reach for my sword. The stick was rotten and it broke when I picked it up, I was forced to go for my second weapon of choice. The forked twig looked feeble but gave me confidence enough to face the bird. I don’t know if it was the twig or the vulture’s inability to stay in one spot for long periods of time that made it fly off, but I was under no illusions that it had gone for good. Mane had now joined me on the ledge and we began to drill in the two bolts needed to abseil off. While one hammered and twisted the other sat ready with the twig ready to fend off any unwanted guest. It did not return but it had made its point and I consider it a 1:0 win to the vultures.

Kassala has been incredible. The whole area has seen only a few climbers and nearly all is unclimbed. The climbing alone is incredible, but having other objective dangers such as the Baboons, and huge vultures on ledges really add a certain something to yet another mind-blowing corner of the world. Time is ticking away; we have already been away for 119 days. The countdown function on my watch tells me with have another 978 days of adventure to go!