Our plane was on time and we left Beirut at 3:45am bound for Istanbul and onwards to Birmingham.
The flight was an hour late into Birmingham but we were back home and back to reality by 2:00pm.
It is strange to think that the trip is finally over. After the months of planning, months of travelling and meeting so many great people, it was over. Only 8000 photographs to sort, reports to write, cave surveys to draw and test equipment to return - so now the work starts!
A big thank you must go to all those who helped us on this trip of a lifetime and we hope to renew the friendships that we made along the way with further trips to Morocco, Tunisia etc.
Emma, Mike and John.
Wednesday 14 April 2010
Day 162 Sunday 11/04/10
Our last day in Lebanon and technically our last day of the Cave Now....Work Later expedition!
We wanted to spend some time with Hadi, who had put up with us in his flat for the past 3.5 weeks (not to mention the 3 weeks in January). We caught a taxi to Achrafiye and had a good Lebanese meal in a restaurant that Hadi knew - it is alot easier with local knowledge!
Back at the flat it was time to pack and wait for our taxi to the airport (at 1:30am). The taxi was early so we had a hurried goodbye and lugged our luggage into the lift and down into the taxi.
We wanted to spend some time with Hadi, who had put up with us in his flat for the past 3.5 weeks (not to mention the 3 weeks in January). We caught a taxi to Achrafiye and had a good Lebanese meal in a restaurant that Hadi knew - it is alot easier with local knowledge!
Back at the flat it was time to pack and wait for our taxi to the airport (at 1:30am). The taxi was early so we had a hurried goodbye and lugged our luggage into the lift and down into the taxi.
Tuesday 13 April 2010
Day 161 Saturday 10/04/10
An early start and collected by Rena, we spent the day with Issam, Rena and Waafa in the Baskinta area looking for caves. We were taken to see the entrance of Lebanon's deepest cave, Foura Dara (-615m), near Tarchich. We stopped off in Broummana for a meal on the way back to Beirut.
In the evening we met Hadi at a cinema to watch "The Hurt Locker" (our fourth time to the cinema this trip!). We got back home at 1:30am - a long day!
In the evening we met Hadi at a cinema to watch "The Hurt Locker" (our fourth time to the cinema this trip!). We got back home at 1:30am - a long day!
Day 160 Friday 09/04/10
The North was our target for today. We drove to anrea above Tripoli, looking for caving potential. On our way south we headed to Houqa to visit Antoinette's family. We had some photographs of their Grandma that they asked for, who sadly passed away in January (just before our last visit). As per usual we were welcomed as part of the family and were fed chocolate, Easter cakes and coffee.
In the evening we had to drop the hire car back, so headed back to Beirut.
In the evening we had to drop the hire car back, so headed back to Beirut.
Day 159 Thursday 08/04/10
Armed with drill, rope and bolting kit we parked up on the side of the road below our new discovery. Two days ago we had walked in t-shirts, today the cloud was hugging the hillside and the rain was mixed with sleat!
After sitting in the car, hoping that the weather would improve, we decided to walk up to the hole now that the cloud had lifted a little. With bags of kit weighing us down we slogged up to the hole. When setting up to start bolting the top of the pitch - the drill would not work! Looking around we found some natural belays, so with rope protector and a few bags we protected the rope from the rock and managed to get down the pitch. The pitch was 9m and landed on a rocky floor. Down the slope there was a small chamber blocked by rocks but after MC had moved some rocks we could sqeeze in. This chamber was blocked by rocks, so here ended the cave.
In the evening we drove to the SCL caving club meeting and were presented with gifts as a thank you for arranging the rescue practice. Fadi gave a presentation on first aid for cavers as a follow-on to the rescue practice the previous weekend.
After sitting in the car, hoping that the weather would improve, we decided to walk up to the hole now that the cloud had lifted a little. With bags of kit weighing us down we slogged up to the hole. When setting up to start bolting the top of the pitch - the drill would not work! Looking around we found some natural belays, so with rope protector and a few bags we protected the rope from the rock and managed to get down the pitch. The pitch was 9m and landed on a rocky floor. Down the slope there was a small chamber blocked by rocks but after MC had moved some rocks we could sqeeze in. This chamber was blocked by rocks, so here ended the cave.
In the evening we drove to the SCL caving club meeting and were presented with gifts as a thank you for arranging the rescue practice. Fadi gave a presentation on first aid for cavers as a follow-on to the rescue practice the previous weekend.
Thursday 8 April 2010
Day 158 Wednesday 07/04/10
Fired up with cave hunting fever, we drove back to Hrajel to search in other areas. We did not have any luck this time but managed to walk a little more of the Lebanese Mountain Trail.
In the evening we met up with Rena, Issam and Wafaa at their climbing wall for a climb before tea! After the meal, we followed Issam back to collect drill and battery for tomorrow - only to discover that Hani still had the drill from last weekend. After a phone call we arranged to meet Hani in Beirut to collect the drill on our way home.
In the evening we met up with Rena, Issam and Wafaa at their climbing wall for a climb before tea! After the meal, we followed Issam back to collect drill and battery for tomorrow - only to discover that Hani still had the drill from last weekend. After a phone call we arranged to meet Hani in Beirut to collect the drill on our way home.
Day 157 Tuesday 06/04/10
After dropping Dave off at the airport at 7:00am, we set off back to Hrajel to walk near Raymond Cave and search for other entrances.
We set off in bright sunshine and walked up the dry riverbed below Raymond. We came across the two resurgences and continued up the valley. At a dry waterfall we found two ski poles (both in good condition and a pair). We soon discovered an old broken ski and were hoping that we didn't find the owner of this equipment higher up the river bed!
Emma had another snake encounter near the summit of the mountain - almost standing on a brown snake between two rocks. After finding numerous dolines but without any leads, we starting heading back to the car and discovered a pothole. We could look down about 10m to a rocky floor but needed ropes etc. to climb down. After getting a GPS fix on the hole we continued down to the car with the plan to come back to the hole on Thursday, once we had borrowed Issam's drill and bolting kit.
We set off in bright sunshine and walked up the dry riverbed below Raymond. We came across the two resurgences and continued up the valley. At a dry waterfall we found two ski poles (both in good condition and a pair). We soon discovered an old broken ski and were hoping that we didn't find the owner of this equipment higher up the river bed!
Emma had another snake encounter near the summit of the mountain - almost standing on a brown snake between two rocks. After finding numerous dolines but without any leads, we starting heading back to the car and discovered a pothole. We could look down about 10m to a rocky floor but needed ropes etc. to climb down. After getting a GPS fix on the hole we continued down to the car with the plan to come back to the hole on Thursday, once we had borrowed Issam's drill and bolting kit.
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Day 156 Monday 05/04/10
Em, Mike and Dave joined Fadi, Hani and Melody on a surveying trip to Raymond's Cave in the Faraya Mountains. Despite a lack of kit, we all safely tackled the pitches and reached the end of the cave where there was a howling draught coming from a large boulder choke through a small gap.
Day 155 Sunday 04/04/10
Hadi took us on a trip to the Chouf Mountains, where we had an excellent Lebanese meal before visiting the Ain Wazein show cave which was discovered in 2003.
Sunday 4 April 2010
Day 154 Saturday 03/04/10
Em, Mike and Dave organised a cave rescue practice at Roueiss Cave for Speleo Club du Liban with an excellent turn out of 20 people. We provided training sessions above ground in cave rescue management and stretcher packaging before going underground to deal with the scenario. Afterwards, we went to Fadi's parents' summerhouse in the mountains for food.
Day 153 Friday 02/04/10
Had a tourist day to stunning Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, driving there via Fayaa ski area which was totally deserted.
Saturday 3 April 2010
Day 152 Thursday 01/04/10
With a rescue practice planned for Saturday (that we Brits were running) we thought we better suss out the cave! We headed up to Roueiss Cave to plan a scenario. After sorting out where we would set up the rescue practice we set off to attempt a round trip in the cave. Armed only with a photograph of the survey on Dave's camera we had some route finding issues at times - but made it round in the end.
Day 151 Wednesday 31/03/10
Another new cave for all three of us today. We drove up into the mountains to Hrajel to visit Nabaa el Mghara. We found this cave in January with John, Steve and Rick and the three of them went into it whilst EP and MC went to discover "Bedstead Cave" on that day.
We climbed down into the cave and spent a few hours exploring and photographing.
We met up with Fadi from SCL in the evening and were taken to the Yacht Club in Jounieh for a drink - which was very pleasant.
We climbed down into the cave and spent a few hours exploring and photographing.
We met up with Fadi from SCL in the evening and were taken to the Yacht Club in Jounieh for a drink - which was very pleasant.
Day 150 Tuesday 30/03/10
Having had a long day of travelling the day before, we went to Antelias Quarry again on the outskirts of Beirut to visit a new cave. This cave was discovered by the ALES club in 2007 and was named after the date of exploration (22nd April).
The cave entrance was up a steep climb on a cliff wall. The cave is only short but has some amazing formations in pure white calcite. We spent four hours in the cave photographing with varying degrees of success. The cave is also home to many fruit bats which were very vocal. When we got out Dave popped into Kannan Cave in the same quarry to look at the formations there.
In the evening we drove to Issam's house for a basic geology lesson on the Limestone of Lebanon, which was very informative.
The cave entrance was up a steep climb on a cliff wall. The cave is only short but has some amazing formations in pure white calcite. We spent four hours in the cave photographing with varying degrees of success. The cave is also home to many fruit bats which were very vocal. When we got out Dave popped into Kannan Cave in the same quarry to look at the formations there.
In the evening we drove to Issam's house for a basic geology lesson on the Limestone of Lebanon, which was very informative.
Day 149 Monday 29/03/10
Em, Mike and Dave headed northwards through Tripoli to explore some caves we had not visited previously. Due to the poor road maps, we found ourselves getting very lost but help was soon provided by some friendly Lebanese in the town of Kousba. They told us about a nearby cave and we set off up to a monastry, following the signs explaining the strict clothing etiquette and vows of silence. Once we arrived, we could see no monks to seek permission and headed to Saint Hamatoora Cave which was guarded by a mule. We only checked out the entrance in which time the mule charged at Mike so we headed back to the monastry to get permission, only to be ushered into a service (by a workman) for the monks in Arabic!
In the afternoon, we attemped to find Zahlan Cave in Sir ed Danniye. Several hours later, having spoken to almost everyone in the village we gave up. Aside from the poor road maps, detailed maps are not available, the LMT map showed the cave and place names incorrectly, any available grid references are in Lambert which is not available on our GPS, and no one in the village spoke English (when we were understood everyone sent us in different directions) .... things were against us!
In the afternoon, we attemped to find Zahlan Cave in Sir ed Danniye. Several hours later, having spoken to almost everyone in the village we gave up. Aside from the poor road maps, detailed maps are not available, the LMT map showed the cave and place names incorrectly, any available grid references are in Lambert which is not available on our GPS, and no one in the village spoke English (when we were understood everyone sent us in different directions) .... things were against us!
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