I don´t have a pile of time, but I thought I´d briefly fill all of you in on the last month or so. We´ve been invloved with arabs(who are very dis-likable), hustlers, con-men, heavy handed carpet sales tactics, credit card fraud, an international drug smuggling operation, international diplomatic relations, and grand theft. It´s all pretty crazy; after having our credit card numbers and about $2600 worth of climbing gear and other stuff stolen(we may get insurance), we are relaxing a bit in Barcelona. (For Ryan and Ben: after a week of solid climbing in el chorro I was leading 11a/b sport which was exciting.) We´ll soon head to France and the pyrenees mountains, which will be pretty nice. We have found that everything about Canada can be defined by it´s size. In europe things can be defined by their lack of size. Cars, food portions, and alost everything else is tiny. This works well of course, because the entire continent is smaller than Canada but has over 500,000,000 people. It is probably difficult to imagine over there just how many people are crammed into this bit of land. After getting through our troubles things are going well again. France will be very interesting in terms of 20th century history and I´m looking forward to going there. I hope all is going well with all of your studies, jobs, etc.

Brodie

Got back to El Chorro after our adventures in Morocco hopeing to relax for a few day but on our return found that all the climbing gear and other stuff we had left in a locker there had been stollen. thre is a possiblity of issurance from the refugio but I will belive that when I see it. Other than that all is good. In Barcalona now and heading north Jamie is heading back around ther ten of march. I have been having some complants on my spelling but when you are paying 700 pasatas an hour it hard to do.

Andrew

Marring the girl of dreams I meet is girl Anna Witherspooon at the train station in london, she blew me away. I flew home with her. So here I am in Fort Worth planing in get married, Wow. Riding an amassing high, quit the change in plans though, I still can't belive it. Anna is great shes 22 and grew up on huge ranch she is going to school here in Ft worth. What an amassing woman. Jamie and Brodie are pissed that I took off on them but I really don't care. It is great to finally get a half dissent sized meal again. God bless the Texas barbeque. God bless Texas. I'll try to keep you informed on my plans.

living large Andrew Couch esq

jamie has now returned, sans brodie and mr. black.
dan.

hey you all
in dublin having a blast, if only brodie was not sush a downer. i think i'm might have to drop him. my friend Colin gave us a vw camper van to tour the uk in, prety porn. changed my flight back to the 12 of may so you better start planing the party now. going to zambia in june for five weeks. miss the wilderness, miss my farm, miss you, love you Canada.

Andrew couch esq
scotland next.........

this e-mail came with the subject "in Glasgow" and that was all.

d.

hey everyone in Glosgow now. Brodie is going to take the van back I'm staying on in Scotland for a while, go climb a few Morows. Mom what is Toms phone number at home the one you gave is not write. nothing else of great interest.

Andrew

Well, I've found a good use for a skateboard. London is a massive city and it takes a long time to walk anywhere. In addition I had all my things with me since I had taken them out of cachement in Lincolnshire. My bike box, which had a number of other items in it, weighed in the neighborhood of 60lbs, and my pack was about the same. I spent the day trying to figure out how to transport this stuff after having had one 17 quid taxi ride already. Eventually I went into a sporting goods store and there before my eyes was the solution - a skateboard. I was able to strap the bike box to the board, and not only roll it, but steer it around London. Lots of people were laughing at me as I moved about. When I didn't have the load, I could skateboard to various places much faster than I could walk.

Anyway, after spending 4 days in London (and having been away for nearly 3.5 months) I elected to come back to Canada. Travelling is not so much about having a vacation as it is about trying to exist on as low a budget as possible. It's really a very hand to mouth experience - especially at european prices. I longed for a good road ride and a view that was not encumbered by endless appartment buildings and row houses where people live at the density of ants. Europe is a great place all the same, and I will return - for shorter periods of time with a higer daily budget. But for now, I'm glad to be home.

Freedom, traveling by oneself is way FUN, still in Scotland, in the highlads for the last two weeks. Climbing mountians, exploring castles under the flood lights at night for free. Interesting people.

All for now AGC .....

I'll be back on friday. not sure if i want to go anymore though, spent three day in edinburgh and had a blast. going down to London tommorow. Now word on a party yet but well sent somthing up

Cheers Andrew