Takaka, tiny, two-block Takaka, threw a pretty wicked Mardi Gras — even if the parade consisted of 15 people. But at least the crowd was huge!

Yesterday was a super productive day of climbing — Alicia lead a few lines and continued to get used to being on the sharp end of the rope, while I ticked off a few more of the classics that I couldn’t do last time I was here. I clawed my way up 9 pitches yesterday, 7 of which were 5.12. Yikes. I can’t really move well right now. But check out the pictures and you can see what the climbing’s like around here. Awesome limestone, huge fern trees, dense jungle — it’s like climbing in Thailand, but the weather isn’t 100 degrees every day.

Afterwards, we headed to town for a parade and a long night of live music in the Takaka’s central square. Pretty cool stuff. One band played native Zimbabwean music on a collection of xylophones, which was incredible. Seemed like everyone in this whole valley was in town. Fun stuff.