It's important to have specific dreams. Dream Big. Dream without fear. — Randy Pausch
Sunday, March 25, 2012 (DAYS 21 & 22)
Slowly catching up on my journal entries while the memories are still fresh, I have found, is a fine art form, the perfect balance between the quiet moments of reflection and being a willing participant in the day’s adventures, this is my new routine–for a new chosen life.
8:15am and I feel as though I’ve become lazy in the last few days. Previous to arriving in Poptun, I had daily courses full of physically challenging activities and I was beginning to miss this. Thankfully, opportunity called and I am there to accept the charges and answer without hesitation. This morning I find myself surrounded by four other Americans as we trek through the jungle to Cueva del Rio, a local cave in Peten that has a river flowing through it. The group brings local ties as Ryan and Lisa are from Boulder, CO and are the second crazy couple I have met in the last twenty-four hours that are bicycling round the world. Completing successful tours through Europe ending in Turkey and now taking on Central America, I am still in awe of these hardcore enthusiasts that are on a different level of experiencing the world. Dan, a biologist from Haines, Alaska, is familiar with both the area and the Finca with visits almost ten years earlier and has come back to this quiet paradise that has seen little change over the past decade. The last of our entourage, Saskia, a teacher and artist from Northern California that grew up in Spain and still carries much of her Spanish influence with her, she has also become our unofficial translator with our guide, Manuel. One of the perks of volunteering at Finca Ixobel is the ability to take part in any of the various excursions that are offered at no charge, as long as I am not working. Lucky me, I have the day off and the opportunity to save the Q75 ($10 USD) exploring the region with new friends.
Slowly catching up on my journal entries while the memories are still fresh, I have found, is a fine art form, the perfect balance between the quiet moments of reflection and being a willing participant in the day’s adventures, this is my new routine–for a new chosen life.
8:15am and I feel as though I’ve become lazy in the last few days. Previous to arriving in Poptun, I had daily courses full of physically challenging activities and I was beginning to miss this. Thankfully, opportunity called and I am there to accept the charges and answer without hesitation. This morning I find myself surrounded by four other Americans as we trek through the jungle to Cueva del Rio, a local cave in Peten that has a river flowing through it. The group brings local ties as Ryan and Lisa are from Boulder, CO and are the second crazy couple I have met in the last twenty-four hours that are bicycling round the world. Completing successful tours through Europe ending in Turkey and now taking on Central America, I am still in awe of these hardcore enthusiasts that are on a different level of experiencing the world. Dan, a biologist from Haines, Alaska, is familiar with both the area and the Finca with visits almost ten years earlier and has come back to this quiet paradise that has seen little change over the past decade. The last of our entourage, Saskia, a teacher and artist from Northern California that grew up in Spain and still carries much of her Spanish influence with her, she has also become our unofficial translator with our guide, Manuel. One of the perks of volunteering at Finca Ixobel is the ability to take part in any of the various excursions that are offered at no charge, as long as I am not working. Lucky me, I have the day off and the opportunity to save the Q75 ($10 USD) exploring the region with new friends.
Our group makes the two-hour hike in just over an hour and a half through areas of dense jungle where the sun struggles to reach the canopy floor amid the enormous leaves that hang overhead. The burning muscles of my legs and exhaustion from the heat have once again found me, and I continue to feel alive as I think, this is how I’m spending my Monday morning. Expecting to walk a bit on dry ground before reaching the waters inside the cave, I am surprised to see water already peeking from amid the sharp jagged rocks that slope downward to the entrance. This brings excitement and anticipation to our group, as we are eager to cool off in the refreshing waters.
The first step, and my entire shoe sinks ankle deep to the rocks below, fully submerged, the drenched materials and socks add weight to my steps with that strange squishy feeling, as I look up, I notice Manuel lighting a long white candle that he plucks from a series that are strewn over his shoulder. Unsure of this gesture since each of us came prepared with our fashionable headlamps, he places the lit candle in a small crevice along the cave wall, creating a mysterious ambiance that adds to this incredible experience. I feel like Indiana Jones. Unable to help it, I briefly turn and look past Saskia behind me searching through the darkness for a large tumbling boulder that should be barreling down upon us. Nothing. My smile hidden in the shadows is caught I’m sure by a few since we all seem to be beaming in absolute awe of swimming through a cave as candles dripping with wax provide just enough light to make visible our surroundings. More candles continue to be lit and left in carefully selected locations that have been used for years with the amount of dried wax still clinging to the rocks as we venture deeper into the darkness. Stomping through puddles, wading through chest deep waters, shallow dives from rocks as they open to flowing pools, fingers clenching to rocky surfaces while crossing small series of fast moving rapids, and we still have not yet reached the halfway mark. At one point as I’m swimming in a broader open area I flip over and float on my back. My headlamp accentuates the cave ceiling as I slowly float, taking in the entire moment.
Thirty-minutes later, and our descent reaches a 20 foot cliff jump into darkness below. Our guide is the first to make the leap, carefully selecting his landing area in the waters below, suddenly he disappears. Absent of light, all we hear is the splash of his collision with the water somewhere below us, unsure of his exact point of impact we wait with held breathes. Seconds later, he emerges from the beneath the water, each of us shines our pivoting headlamps downward to locate him where he is wading in the water pointing to the area that has the appropriate depth for a safe landing. Ryan is the first to join our guide, and without hesitation he disappears. The selective order has been determined by our position on the limited space in which we have accumulated, and I find that I am next in line. Stepping forward, I look down as my feet inch closer to the edge. I peer down and the perception of depth is nonexistent. The absence of light creates deceptive shadows from the headlamps and candles behind me. Ready to take the plunge, I hesitate, almost forgetting I remove my headlamp and hand it to Lisa behind me. Once again I move towards the edge, feeling the rocks beneath my feet I look downward to regain my bearings for my landing. In a moment where time appears to stand still and become silent, I leap forward with a deep gasp. Both fear and excitement swell up from within me for brief milliseconds while being suspended in the air as I fall, unsure when I will hit the water below, splash, I have made contact and sink downward before I start kicking for the surface. The adrenaline races through me as I take my first deep breath upon breaching the water, oh how I feel alive.
One by one the rest of our group successfully takes the plunge and the chatter from this experience is overwhelming as smiles and congratulatory remarks are passed around. Manuel continues to lead us deeper into the cave, where we arrive at a huge open room with a ceiling that must be forty or fifty feet in height amid a large pool of water. I cannot help but feel that this is our own personal secret destination since we are fortunate enough to be alone in this space. The excitement is uncontainable as I dive in and swim to the farthest reaches of the cave walls. Upon reaching the rocky barrier, I look back and in the distance where Manuel has lit a series of candles placing them on the rocks that act as a shoreline for this amazing pool. Steam continues to rise from the warmth of our bodies and the mist along with the series of candles provides a euphoric sensation of swimming more than 650 feet below the surface of the earth. Before returning through the cave the same direction in which we arrived, the simplicity of life overwhelms me and I feel as though I am not strong, but living life strong.
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