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KAI FITCHEN | Adventure Journal

making mountains metaphors

KAYU Adventures – Travel & Tours
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KAPE 2 KENYA ’12
KAPE 2 ATACAMA ’14
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Welcome to My Journal!

I post things that matter most to me and it’s been a long, and wonderful learning curving getting here. Share. Be inspired. lets Make Mountains Metaphors

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K2K ’12 Archive
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Tag: Vision 2030

The Search Begins: KSA Leopard Initiative

It’s incredible how 2020 evolved. Before we arrived in Jeddah, the world was in a total shutdown! This is new territory for all of us and it’s strange to think that we were even able to travel at all! But just before that, I lost my car in a fire while guiding on Table Mountain, […]

Read More The Search Begins: KSA Leopard Initiative

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KAYU Adventures

I'll be leaving for an expedition to Saudia Arabia in the next few days for a conservation mission in the Sarawat Mountains. That's exciting enough, but in the meantime, I've launched a travel and adventure business named KAYU Adventures. It is definitely not the best time to be in the tourism industry but we're aiming to iron out all the bugs in the coming months to be ready to fly when things get going. If you have experience with websites or you'd just like to help, please give it a look and drop me a DM via KAYU or on IG. There are still things to refine for a global audience so let me know! Link in bio

At 2pm (CET) tomorrow I’ll be talking to @goodwallapp for their #bettertogether series. We’ll be chatting about adversity and how we deal with it. There are likely to be a lot of mountain climbing metaphors, so brace yourself 🤗... you can watch live and there will be a Q&A 💪🧗🥇🌍♻️

I’ve been influenced by many strong and powerful women over my life, however Marine Drouilly (@mdr_conservationist ) has definitely been both my partner in c(l)imb as well as a complete inspiration and role model over the last 6 years. She has constantly blown me away by her ability to stand up for what is right while preserving her dreams. On this #internationalwomensday , Marine has gone from growing up in French country side to working on bears in Alaska, zebras in Zimbabwe, jackals in the Karoo, lynx in the French Jura and many more beautiful yet threatened creatures. Her compassion is fierce and so is her drive, thus recently she archived her PhD (with full marks) and secured her dream job for @pantheracats where she will be THE regional coordinator for cat species in central and west Africa! .

Back to back days in and around #capetown. It’s been a pleasure to enjoy the mountains with so many interesting and fun people from all over the world. Including moving 60 pax from Mumbai off Paarl Rock with @adventureworksza ... it’s all been a time of learning and moving 🌟

The classic barefoot full exposure shot 😂 Pic @jedjohnson001 .

It’s been too long since @jedjohnson001 and I had a big day out. We both, eventually, decided to slog our way up Exposure in F Major in Du Toitskloof. Its a proud line, not hard but exciting. The crux was the approach and descent, but we got to test out @andycourt22 and @teodor__iliev ‘s abseil points, which are WILD- thanks oaks- my knees thank you 🙏 .

We succeeded, well mostly, to avoid the gale force winds of the MC 🤗 I guided Edyta, now a regular hiking buddy, on one of my favorite hikes on the #tablemountain 🌈 Crowd free and tired legs are a good way to start the weekend 🌟

Throughout the many mundane tasks that make up our lives there are relatively few number of experiences that define us and make us. Yesterday, Celestial Journey was that event. .

It’s been a busy couple of weeks working with @vertigo_adventures ! One of the highlights has been getting to know Johan ( @borgstam ) over the last 2 weeks. We sampled the lesser trodden crags and walls where we were able to get away from the tourist hubs and focused on getting into some of the best areas in the western cape. We definitely worked hard on certain pitches but the jokes and conversation were always flowing (like the milkshakes and pale ales!) .

@borgstam experiencing the granite domes of Paarl and just living the vertical life 🏔🙌

Back to back days in the mountains! Guiding Edyta up one of my favorite trails on #tablemountain . We knocked off Kasteels, the reservoirs, and echo valley. We saw a handful of hikers and you wouldn’t believe that we were on the mountain during “silly season “ 🏔🏖🧗‍♂️🧗 .

The North Peak on the Drakensberg Mini Traverse. Its a ramp souring to above the 3000m high escarpment. We crossed the source of the Orange River as well as coming across a Vulture colony on this day, snapping photos of what I never thought to be such an elegant animal (pics to come) 🦅

The Amphitheatre. A short hike with a little bit of ladder climbing will give you this view. It’s a thin 3000m up here and with the Devils Tooth in the back with this sea of cloud, it was an epic way to kick off the Traverse 🏔👣👣👣👣

Exploring the northern beaches and wetlands around St. Lucia. We didn’t see them but I’m told that Hippos wander the streets come nightfall- wild! .

The king of the savanna 🐘I was kakking off a bit when this giant got up close and personal (not sure how the ranger in front managed to stay so mellow!).

All things big and small 🦎 South Africa 🇿🇦 has it all 🙌

When you’re really looking forward to having a cookie 🍪 .