GC1W7ZW: R.E. HEDGES 1973 (SE1, London)

Found on 2010-05-14 at 19:00:00
Placed by: LostInTheWoods!
Size: Micro (Difficulty: 1.5 / Terrain: 3)
Location: London, United Kingdom
Geocaching.com: GC1W7ZW

Working nearby in Victoria Embankment I've been looking at this cache for a long time, being one of those caches that require a little more preparation and time than my usual lunchtime dash affords. Since the other half doesn't work Fridays but was coming in to pick up her new Android phone, I got her to bring in some of my gear and planned to strike this one off the proximity radar.

The wife arrived and we met in Starbucks where I promptly changed in the toilets, we filled up on latte's and were on our way just after 6pm. I must confess I had been here once before but upon realising what it was I decided to give it a pass - DNA. Although I love taking chances, I preferred to at least have someone there to ring the ambulance. Of course - bringing the wife perhaps not such a good idea after all. Although I had explained it, the realisation came for her when we got to GZ and then she was not happy when I leapt up onto the wall and sat there waiting for lost roamers and restaurant patrons to disappear.

I explained that all I needed to do was head south and that it really didn't look like much of a drop, so although she was quite nervous she was ok to let me go and so I made my descent. It was quite tricky at first to get both legs over but after a couple of times it starts to feel quite natural - and I did have to go a couple of times!

The first time I traversed halfway down and looked around for any kind of nook or cranny but to no avail. So I got back up again and decided to check the hint - then it became much clearer. When I explained the hint to Mrs Fitz, well this is when the hysterics started - she just didn't want me to go further and she began to raise her voice in that way that women do in public when you're trying to get them to calm down and everyone is enjoying the fireworks. She began to wail, she didn't want me to go back without something to grip onto, and we stood there for a good 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure that the roamers making there way down towards us and back again probably thought they were looking on at some kind of suicide bid and a desperate wife trying to talk her husband out of it!

So I suggested I go back down the ladder and have a quick look again, and so I did, she seemed more calm when I stuck to the ladder, but as I was climbing back up to the top again, for some reason I felt the impulse to stretch across and it was much easier than I had assumed. Obviously Mrs Fitz was once again beside herself but I assured her I was wedged in tight and there was going to be no slippage. Once there the cache was an easy grab, I passed it to Mrs Fitz and she got it signed then back again.

A few seconds later, back over the wall and into her embrace - all was well but she was not happy. I had valued the cache more than I valued her - so she said. I tried to explain how I love her more than caching but that "a mans gotta do..." and all that. She did not accept this but as we walked onto the next cache she got back in the mood again so you'll be pleased to know that all's well with _TeamFitz_.

Thanks for the superb cache, even though Mrs Fitz might not agree, I enjoyed the rush.