A great weekend

I've finally shaken off the dastardly cough and made up for a month of sloth with an adrenalin-packed weekend.

We started on Friday night with a trip to the Glasgow showing of the Banff Mountain Film Festival (on-tour). The films ranged from the exquisitely beautiful Mont Blanc, with speed fliers descending the mountain to Chamonix to the side-splittingly funny Project Megawoosh (it involved paddling pools-'nuff said). However for me, the most memorable short film was the story of Andrew McAuley, who attempted to kayak from Australia to New Zealand but disappeared in the attempt. Seeing his family and friends talk about his passion for adventure was really moving and I could hardly watch his small son, playing in a toy kayak and telling the camera how he wanted to be like his dad. Noone in the cinema quite new what to do when the film ended - clapping just didn't seem appropriate. I'm sure a lot of the audience must have been thinking about their own friends who can do dangerous things in pursuit of 'adventure'.

Comments

M&J said…
We caught the Banff FF in Brighton last night. Loved the films, and the images from Andrew MacA's trip will stay with me for a long time. It was tough to watch someone so compelled, as he discovered what a true ordeal his trip really was. None of the sense of synergy that Alex Honnold had with the mountains.
Anonymous said…
Yep, both were pretty amazing - really different but you can see how one person's passion is another's obsession.

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