AWW 10.01.2007: Extra +

The Unfortunate Incident of Jim and the Brambly Hole

Far be it from me to enjoy adversity in others fortunes, but 'Unlucky Jim' stole the limelight from the usually reliable Ian, and the dermatologically challenged Mike. At this point in the route, we came across a narrow passage through some serious brambles, which somehow had been missed by Stan and his secateurs on his recent recce!! Having assessed his ability to crouch and the profile created by his rucksack clad body, Jim decided to reverse through these brambles. Having only vision in the rearwards direction, he failed to notice a cavernous hole to the left of the path, and once his weight shifted to the foot on that side, which was almost in mid-air, his body had no alternative but to follow downwards! He was dragged back to the surface, considerably soiled and sporting a multitude of abrasions and scratches, which caused an immediate bout of envy in the aforementioned Ian and Mike.
Luckily, the sartorial elegance of the group was preserved, as Hilke had, (amazingly) a spare pair of trousers in her rucksack, which she donated temporarily to ameliorate Jim's muddy discomfort. I will draw a discreet veil over the changing proceedings, and have censored the photo that Myriam took of the defenceless Jim attempting to preserve his modesty, with only one foot in the replacement trousers! The photo above says it all, and the one below shows part of the damage sustained undergoing first aid procedures at lunch..