By Sylvia E.
Remember the days when your only hopes were that the next storm would bring more and bigger puddles? I've never been transported so fast and back in time with emotion than today (to be explained in more detail).
Today was the day...THE BIG SHABANGANANG! We woke up at the usual hour and ate eggs and bread for breakfast. At 7am, we took a group picture at the Giant Kapok Tree in front of the lab and split into Maquisapo Groups.
Of course, I lead Team 1: Fast & Furious...Harry, Kevin, Jeff, Emily, Leonard, Kelsey, and me.
Of course, I lead Team 1: Fast & Furious...Harry, Kevin, Jeff, Emily, Leonard, Kelsey, and me.
We did Maquisapa - Harpia - Chorongo - in 4 hours and 10 minutes with 5 leeches on Emily's pantlegs (which Jeff and Kevin set on fire with a lighter). We have boots filled with swamp water, 3 bee stings on Leonard, 1 bee sting on Harry. Both Harry and Leonard hallucinated (they heard the voices of non-existent people). Oh, and we saw lots of spiders, butterflies, insects, etc. Kelsey also saw a snake slice across her path on the walk.
LET ME TELL YOU...Maquisapa is like no other path! Because of the distance from base camp and the length, it is not very well kept (at least relative to the other paths), but I absolutely LOVED it! About 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through Maqui there was no trail...just a swamp (1 foot of water deep) - just high enough where you can definitely sink in that last 1-2 inches and fill your boots with souvenir water - you could also do this by angling your foot wrong with the intent of moving forward by pressing on your forward foot! Anyway, it looked like it came straight out of a movie or Discovery Channel or a National Geographic special. Just forest and murky water.
That swamp was my life's rain puddle and I could not be any more happy experiencing it today with a good pair of Michigan Duct-taped-Banana Spider Rainboots and some good company.
[Giant side note: there was also a tree in the way that we pulled out of the way and an even bigger tree that was way beyond our immediate help but blocked our trail...because of how unkempt the trail was, how in-frequented it was -- we had to keep sending scouts and re-find the trail several times and determine if it was a continuous trail...which kept things exciting.]
We also kept wondering where the other group was since we never saw them (they were supposed to meet us in the middle from the opposite direction). Apparently they went off-trailing with Jose the tour-guide and took 6 hours to complete. The rest of the day was filled with relaxation, swimming, napping, reading, working out, showers.
(Fast & Furious Maquisapa Group returns in 4 hours and 10 minutes!)
This is the first time in a long time that I am VERY MUCH ENJOYING LIFE & APPRECIATING IT! AND I ACTUALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WAKING UP EVERY MORNING AND SPENDING THE DAY WITH FAN***TASTIC PEOPLE IN THE MOST AMAZING PLACE.
Also -- STARGAZING IN SILENCE...WORTH IT!
Love. Deet. Rice.
Sylvia E.
That swamp was my life's rain puddle and I could not be any more happy experiencing it today with a good pair of Michigan Duct-taped-Banana Spider Rainboots and some good company.
We also kept wondering where the other group was since we never saw them (they were supposed to meet us in the middle from the opposite direction). Apparently they went off-trailing with Jose the tour-guide and took 6 hours to complete. The rest of the day was filled with relaxation, swimming, napping, reading, working out, showers.
This is the first time in a long time that I am VERY MUCH ENJOYING LIFE & APPRECIATING IT! AND I ACTUALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WAKING UP EVERY MORNING AND SPENDING THE DAY WITH FAN***TASTIC PEOPLE IN THE MOST AMAZING PLACE.
Also -- STARGAZING IN SILENCE...WORTH IT!
Love. Deet. Rice.
Sylvia E.
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