early in the morning, Thursday June 25 ....a disappointment

Yesterday was a disappointing day. The point of this excursion is to walk up a tepui, a four-hour trek through the rainforest. However, there was no small boat waiting at a village to take us to the beginning of the trail down a narrow canal, so we couldn't go. We took the tin-roofed boat into the small channel, a beautiful ride where tree branches scraped the boat and it had to be steered between the lush banks of the forest, but a tree branch crossed our path, ending the journey. We stuck a tree branch in the water to see how deep it was and it was considerably deeper than person-high. That ended our chance to climb the tepui.

felled by a tree

Instead, our guide, Tito, took us to another spot down another canal. Our route to shore was perilous, our feet balancing on underwater tree branches to keep us only knee-high immersed in the river. Or not balancing. I failed to negotiate the tree branches and fell in. It was funny but I kept myself from laughing because I was in no mood for hilarity. I was sour about not going on a 4-hour Amazon walk (the boys were more philosophical than I). I had eaten a huge breakfast - two cheese-stuffed arepas and eggs - and then a big lunch of potato salad and a cheese sandwich. I was stuffed and needed to walk!

But now today's breakfast is about to be served. It is cloudy, drizzly-droppy, the mountains disappeared behind clouds. My clothes are still wet from my accidental river dip, which by the way, was only the first to occur. On the way back to the boat Sylvano, then MS, both lost their balance. Only Andreas and our guide survived.

Having fallen into the water and clambered up hills of volcanic rock strewn with the occasional flowers and low vegetation, I get a good view of the tepuis. This is what we get instead of climbing one. It IS a beautiful view, just not a walk through the Amazon.

I am still surprised at all the rock in the Amazon. However, I am not unhappy to be wet on this hot, sunny day.

After everyone has shot their photos we go back to the boat and this is when Sylvano slips in front me and the MS behind me, though I don't see him because I have just walked right on into the water. Easier that way.

a view, my wet socks and volcanic rock

So we power back to a new camp near a small waterfall - more like light rapids - right in the middle of the river with a current that disallows us to actually swim in it. We are safe only near the bank, more pocked rock. Andreas jumps right into the water for a swim, venturing futher than the bank while holding onto a life preserver, but MS and I decide to go find rainforest to walk through. I don't really know what is going on as our guide, Tito, isn't forthcoming with information, even in Spanish.

MS and I clambered over rock and crouched through fern thicket. We skirted alongside the forest but had trouble finding a way in. Either the trees seemed impenetrable or the earth was swampy. We finally gave up looking for a route through the forest. I am sporting the very sexy mosquito-chic look. My legs are generously dotted with little red welts. Everyone is very impressed.