Merrick's Climbing Exploits in Kodai Kanal, India circa 1989
	Not ever having seen a gym and only having seen pictures in climbing, this wall was a ton of fun.
	Up Merrick goes.
	Back behind our dorm this slippery route was a 'fun' time.
	This is the first cliff I ever scaled. Up the rock to the first grassy ledge, then up the first stone wall to the second grassy ledge, then up and over the second stone wall. Look for part of a small person towards the top to get the sense of scale. My friend Tov and I onsight freesoled this, but we also got caught by our dorm parents. Their punishment did not seem to have the intended effect.
	Of course I was not exclusively interested in climbing back then. Fulfilling one of my boyhood dreams I experienced the same thrill and exhilaration that Tarzan did swinging on vines in the Jungle.
of course you know to click on the picture to see a larger version