"An Around-the-World-Ticket for Two, Please."

What goes up must come down!

Posted by Sarah O'Neill , Thursday, 16 September 2010 04:33

Not too early a start for day two, got woken up at 8.30, if you don't count the cockerel crows! After breakfast, of toast and pinneapple jam, or eggs, we said goodbye to the two day trekers, and also the guide at the back, which worried me! No Lara and no back guide for me, must keep up today! We soon realised that today would be different! All that travelling up meant we had to go down! The beginning was steep!!!!!! However, I much prefered this than yesterday! Rhian, Patick and Patric did not! They weren't wearing walking boots, and were sliding all over the place. The heavy rain the night before meant that it was like a mud 'slip and slide' down through the jungle! We all slid a couple of times, which was quite scary, but with my boots, I was ok! I managed to keep up with the others fine, and it was the other three we were waiting for today. We made our way down through the jungle and followed the river, which meant lots of river crossings, which I was not great at! Balance is not my thing, especially with a heavy bag on my back. Lek made us all sticks to help us in the sliding mud, out of bamboo, with his big knife! This helped a lot on the river crossings too!

We came to a huge waterfall and the boys went swimming. Although I had my swimmers on, the splash from it was refeshing enough, and the water pool was quite rough, and I did not feel confident enough to brave it, neither did Rhian. Ben had a great time splashing around, although swallowed a mouthful of water in the process! We carried on heading down throuhg the jungle, which was nice! I was so much more able to do this! However, it wasn't all easy, and at one river crossing I did have a wobble - and thought I couldn't do it, which was a problem as I was half way across! Lek and Patric waded in to help me, they were both wearing flip flops, which was so nice! Later on I also fell in, slipping off a rock during a river corssing, which was not fun! Grazed my elbow and wounded my pride! Got up and soldiered on!

Lek told us lots about his tribe, and living in the jungle. He found a Massive beetle that he climbed a tree to get and show us! It was huge! Ben had a hold, but I was too chicken! He also found a smaller one, and kept the both, I think they might be worth money for him, and we took them with us in an old water bottle! Later he got out the smaller one to show us, and the boys out it on Ben's head for a photo! It flew away when they tried to take it off his head, and Lek chased it, but it got away! He seemed a bit disappointed, but said it was ok!

As we travelled through the jungle Lek found us fruit to eat. First we had papaya that he found and cut up for us. Then later, we came across big melon looking things in the trees. Frenchie (as we fondly called him) shook the trees until one fell down, and Lek cut it open and handed it out. It was quite like a grapefruit, so that's what we think it was. Frenchie said 'pamplemousse' which I seem to recall is grapefruit too, if I can remember any french at all! As we followed the river the land seemed to flatten out and we found a road which we walked along.

We arrived at the camp, which had elephants walking around, and lads of rafts for the white water rafting! We were on the river bank, which was very rough, and loud! The hut was much smaller, and was just a bed area, and a sitting area, no fire, and no kitchen. Went for a shower, which was even more 'rustic' than the previous one!!!! Was literally a pipe half way up the wall, which you had to hold yourself, and if you held it too high it wouldn't come out -freezing as well!

Had another good evening with everyone around one of the tables after dinner. Went on a little later, but still all in bed by half eleven! Went to sleep to the sound of crashing water over rocks, will be rafting that tomorrow!