We were sitting in the cabin of our airplane to Italy when I heard the captain tell us the destination of the flight. It was supposed to be different one. At least, I had thought that it would be another one. My son of 7 months and my mom were sitting together with us in the plane. I was hoping I misheard, but he repeated the information once again, and that was it.
I was feverishly searching through the internet about our new destination while we were still preparing to take off. Everything wasn’t so bad. It was another airport near Milan. A smaller one. It was even closer to the city where we supposed to fly. But the car and a hotel was booked in another place. How could I tell this to my companions though one of them wouldn’t understand the situation at all?
— You did what?
— I booked a car and a hotel in another airport by mistake.
— We’re arriving at 22! What are we gonna do?
— Everything will be fine. I hope.
The car was booked through rentalCar service and they have an option to change booking location with additional costs of only 10 euro. The issue was resolved within a half an hour after landing and picking the luggage due to very slow and unstable internet connection. We all breathed a sigh of relief and tried to make ourselves as comfortable as we could for the forthcoming night. At midnight the airport was closed, so we had to find a place near the closed gate of the rental car office. A floor cleaning machine came and we were forced to change our location to the bench. My son was the one who really slept that night, in the morning he was strongly against a children's cradle for a car that was given to us for free.
The staff of the rental car company (in the early morning) was incredibly nice and that made us a little more comfortable. One benefit was that from this airport we needed to drive almost 90 kilometers less. As we weren’t experienced drivers at all, that was a big deal. Anyway, we would still miss the run-out from the highway and drive into long tunnels. It was a detour for 60 more kilometers when we already were very near to our destination.
As I have mentioned, we weren’t experienced drivers, so we drove from the airport to the nearest Decathlon for approximately 8 kilometers with handbrake turned. But the only accident we had with a car was at the empty parking lot under a shopping mall. One more accident was at the crags (which were the main goal of our trip) when our son started rolling over the hill. But, he stopped soon and it is just a funny thing to remember. Additionally, we had some troubles while checking-in to our apartment, filling in the gas-tank before dropping the car in the airport, missing our excursion in Lecco, etc.
Nevertheless, we had 4 excellent days in the heart of Northern Italy. Every climbing day we visited new crags and ticked some routes. Some crags were very near to the road and to the city, almost at the walking distance. Other were more remote, and we even found a gem.
On the first day we went to the solitary crags with 3 levels. We climbed
only on the first level. The routes were crimpy and tricky, the sun was
shining and primroses were all around us. The youngest one grabbed
every rock and grass he managed to reach to, his next step was to put
everything he had in his mouth. We didn’t object to it too much, cause
he should know the world by himself in every possible way.
The evening was perfect. We were so glad that we finally got there. The wrong airport and sleepless night weren’t all our adventures on the way to this authentic place.
The next day it rained all day. It was our rest day and we drove to Bellagio that is situated on the cape in the lake. The town is very romantic with numerous streets-staircases. We warmed ourselves with a big cup of coffee in a cafe after a short walk in the drizzle.
The map of the mountains that are visible from this place, but not today. Our trip was spontaneous. We just drove and stopped at every place we wanted.
At the end of that day we discovered the real gem among crags, high above my level back then as the easiest route there was 7b. It was remote, with hard access and steep. It was almost dry regardless the whole night and the whole day of rain. We were to get there the next day. It was hard to find the right path to it. First we climbed over the hill higher than the crags. Then we needed to find the way down. Last, somehow we needed to get my mom with our son there, so I still breastfed.
The crag is high above the building on the steep hill. The next day many routes became wet, because it still rained. But we weren’t alone there. Short after we climbed there two men appeared under the crag. They were typical Italians. They had a baguette, that one man was still eating while belaying his friend on his project 8a. Of course, they made coffee and made fire. They brought sausages and gave some to us. It was incredible on such a wet, clammy day to take in some hot coffee with a piece of sausage and bread. They definitely know something about life.
On the day of our departure we climbed in the easiest-to-reach sector which is named Discoteca. The routes there were long and pleasant. Kostya climbed his second 7c, I climbed some 6c. A small point that is almost in the sky that is me.
The trip was definitely worth it. I recall the blue sky with the tender
sun, the heavy rain as it would never end, primroses, limestone under my
fingers and shoes, the rolling baby, the long wrong way tunnel and our
other little adventures.
I was feverishly searching through the internet about our new destination while we were still preparing to take off. Everything wasn’t so bad. It was another airport near Milan. A smaller one. It was even closer to the city where we supposed to fly. But the car and a hotel was booked in another place. How could I tell this to my companions though one of them wouldn’t understand the situation at all?
— You did what?
— I booked a car and a hotel in another airport by mistake.
— We’re arriving at 22! What are we gonna do?
— Everything will be fine. I hope.
The car was booked through rentalCar service and they have an option to change booking location with additional costs of only 10 euro. The issue was resolved within a half an hour after landing and picking the luggage due to very slow and unstable internet connection. We all breathed a sigh of relief and tried to make ourselves as comfortable as we could for the forthcoming night. At midnight the airport was closed, so we had to find a place near the closed gate of the rental car office. A floor cleaning machine came and we were forced to change our location to the bench. My son was the one who really slept that night, in the morning he was strongly against a children's cradle for a car that was given to us for free.
The staff of the rental car company (in the early morning) was incredibly nice and that made us a little more comfortable. One benefit was that from this airport we needed to drive almost 90 kilometers less. As we weren’t experienced drivers at all, that was a big deal. Anyway, we would still miss the run-out from the highway and drive into long tunnels. It was a detour for 60 more kilometers when we already were very near to our destination.
As I have mentioned, we weren’t experienced drivers, so we drove from the airport to the nearest Decathlon for approximately 8 kilometers with handbrake turned. But the only accident we had with a car was at the empty parking lot under a shopping mall. One more accident was at the crags (which were the main goal of our trip) when our son started rolling over the hill. But, he stopped soon and it is just a funny thing to remember. Additionally, we had some troubles while checking-in to our apartment, filling in the gas-tank before dropping the car in the airport, missing our excursion in Lecco, etc.
Nevertheless, we had 4 excellent days in the heart of Northern Italy. Every climbing day we visited new crags and ticked some routes. Some crags were very near to the road and to the city, almost at the walking distance. Other were more remote, and we even found a gem.
We found our beautiful boy somewhere in Italy!
On the first day we went to the solitary crags with 3 levels. We climbed
only on the first level. The routes were crimpy and tricky, the sun was
shining and primroses were all around us. The youngest one grabbed
every rock and grass he managed to reach to, his next step was to put
everything he had in his mouth. We didn’t object to it too much, cause
he should know the world by himself in every possible way. 
The evening was perfect. We were so glad that we finally got there. The wrong airport and sleepless night weren’t all our adventures on the way to this authentic place.
The next day was sunny, too. It was excellent for climbing at the
beginning of March. Our son took sun baths, we fought on the routes. For my
mom the way there already was a little fight. She was resting and
mustering the strength for the way back. The sector is named ‘Bastionata
del Lago’ which is the fortress over a lake. With leafless trees the
views were picturesque. All our trip was like ‘Bastionata del Lago’.
By the way, here we ate the most delicious ice-cream. It was vegan, so I
don’t know what it was made from, but it didn’t matter to us.
The next day it rained all day. It was our rest day and we drove to Bellagio that is situated on the cape in the lake. The town is very romantic with numerous streets-staircases. We warmed ourselves with a big cup of coffee in a cafe after a short walk in the drizzle.
The map of the mountains that are visible from this place, but not today. Our trip was spontaneous. We just drove and stopped at every place we wanted.
At the end of that day we discovered the real gem among crags, high above my level back then as the easiest route there was 7b. It was remote, with hard access and steep. It was almost dry regardless the whole night and the whole day of rain. We were to get there the next day. It was hard to find the right path to it. First we climbed over the hill higher than the crags. Then we needed to find the way down. Last, somehow we needed to get my mom with our son there, so I still breastfed.
The crag is high above the building on the steep hill. The next day many routes became wet, because it still rained. But we weren’t alone there. Short after we climbed there two men appeared under the crag. They were typical Italians. They had a baguette, that one man was still eating while belaying his friend on his project 8a. Of course, they made coffee and made fire. They brought sausages and gave some to us. It was incredible on such a wet, clammy day to take in some hot coffee with a piece of sausage and bread. They definitely know something about life.
On the day of our departure we climbed in the easiest-to-reach sector which is named Discoteca. The routes there were long and pleasant. Kostya climbed his second 7c, I climbed some 6c. A small point that is almost in the sky that is me.
And that is me!
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