Day 5 (Thursday, Jan 8, 09): Pu Luong (another day of hiking) (B, L, D, G)
After an early breakfast, we'll explore a large limestone cave near the village. The route can be dangerous in some places, it's important that we wear suitable clothing and stout non-slip shoes and follow the guide's instructions in full. From there, we'll continue our route in the forest via some villages with stop en-route at Pon Village to assist a primary school getting chairs and tables repaired. Our guide will prepare a picnic lunch. The dinner and overnight stay will be in another stilt house.
If we travel to Pu Luong right during the harvest, we can join the local harvesting rice around the area. Moreover, teaching English for the children and locals can be considered for this route.
Journal:
08 Jan 2009 9:10pm
Oh dear god, what word do I use to describe this day. Absurd, crazy terrifying, wonderful, fun, dangerous, stupid, wet, muddy, hilarious, frustrating, painful, beautiful, ridiculous, unbelieveable, unreal, and slide! Also, what the fuck?!?!?! I suppose an explanation is in order after that list of adjectives. We started the day high in spirits, as we ate breakfast of fried something wonderful and the best coffee I've had in my life. We ventured out of the village for some cave exploration and some long exposure shots. Little did we know what was to come. The path up and down the cave the steep, trecherous climb. Oh, and wet, did I mention wet? However, it was worth the climb, as the cave was incredible. I do no even have word for the enormous limestone structures that have formed. And I think I got some good shots. I also took my first shit in days in the cave. Then we began what was to be a steep...like, up a fucking mountain steep...hike. I still don't know how to describe it. It's a mircale we all made it out unhurt. Up a fucking mountain. Through huge, pointy rocks, plants, mud. The path was not much wider than we were and all the angle we were scaling were absurd. No one was prepared for this. I took about 5 hours, at least, to complete. The groups was seperated quickely, so it was me Emily and Ayelet for the dangerous and entertaining trip down. Climbing, crawling, and sliding down the moutain was the only way to do it alive. Walking and general balance and stablity were unheard of. It started off pretty bad but we managed to lift our moods from there. Luckily, by the time I made the mud covered mountain into a slip n slide, I could not stop laughing. And I may have started going crazy by the end. Endless, random songs stuck in my hear, thoughts of other study abroad trips, worries for the rest of the groups and "dear god, P better give everyone As". Half of us made it out before sun down. We found out later that the other half made it our just as it was getting dark. After hours of stretching and a soild dinner, we are all ready to pass out. Honestly, after that experience today, I can do anything. Never in m life would I have expected such a ridiculous adventure. And boy, I am looking forward to sleep.
Looking back:
Yea, that's basically how it went. P took a tumble or two and the people she was with literally had to drag her along. We never ate lunch that day or get to helping that school at all. Apparently there are pythons in that forest, which we didn't find out until much later. I didn't take a single picture of the expereince because I was busy holding on for dear life. I also almost lost my glasses in the forest, which would have been pretty darn unfortunate.
Oh, and that whole "after that...I can do anything" line....talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Sit tight, more craziness to come.
Random photo:
Good photo:
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