Post 63: Salto Angel + the next day

F.A., 

This is a few days late, but our trip to Salto Angel (Angel Falls) is one we will not soon forget. 

11/15/11

We awoke around 7am and repacked all our necessary items into one bag for our excursion to the Falls. We departed around 8 to the other side of the lagoon to meet with a group of fellow travelers our lodge had set us up with. We hopped onto a small jeep crammed full of people. I offered June a seat and stood as we made our way up the hill for the boats. Joking ensued and we eventually made our way to a boat, for the first of what would be several hours of riding down the river to the base camp.

Our group was made up of two German couples, two British guys, an Italian couple and a few ladies from Poland (or Latvia?), all of whom were very friendly and welcoming. Our guide Henry spoke very good English, a major plus to all of us. The boat ride was a very long one, against the current, through beautiful jungle landscape, and mountains which dwarfed us in comparison. About half way through we stopped at a pink sand beach to eat lunch and let our asses recover from the soreness imposed by the hard wooden seats we had been sitting on for hours. An hour or so after we could see Angel Falls in the distance. The last bit of river was full of rocks and massive boulders which we had to assist by hand in navigating around.

We arrived at the base camp around mid-day and dropped our stuff off in the hammock of our choice before leaving for our hike to the falls. I took a spill on some wet rocks in the beginning of our trek but luckily didnt injure myself. The hike was longer than expected but rewarding as we finally got a view of what we had spent so much time and effort to see.

My nerves were on edge at this point because it was a moment I had waited for and planned all year. We swam around for a few moments before I grabbed June close and looked her straight in the eyes and asked her to marry me. I did not bring the ring with me, for fear of it getting lost, but it was the moment that counted most. I got the answer I wanted and couldn't have been more happy if I tried. When we finally left the water, June told the group and everyone congratulated us on our engagement. It was pretty awesome to be able to share to moment with others.

The hike back was a little easier, but I did fall once again on some rocks. Many people we encountered along the way seemed ill-prepared for the trek, and it is hard to imagine how they made it. I am glad we bought the gear we did, it very much came in handy.

Fire roasted chicken for dinner, great conversations, hammacka-sutra, and many laughs were the highlight of our night deep in the jungle with everyone. Sleep was a bit of a choir in itself in the hammock. The temperature dropped drastically overnight and it was a lot colder than I had anticipated clothes wise. When I finally did manage to sleep, I was awoken by the sudden onset of heavy rain. I am still getting used to hammocks.

11/16/11

The next day we took the boat back to Canaima Lagoon. Luckily, it was only about an hour or so this time, as we rode the current the whole way. We eventually arrived back at our lodge and packed up. Unfortunately for us, it poured as we were departing for the airport. I made a feeble attempt to cover myself with a trash bag provided to me by one of our host, who pronounced I was now to be known as "Hombre Plastico", or the Plastic Man! The boat ride across the lagoon in pouring rain was an adventure in itself, and unfortunately all for nothing as we ended up waiting at the airport for another few hours until we finally got a seat on a plane. There was no real rhyhm or reason to who went on which plane, but in the end we got a single engine prop all to ourselves, and the pilot of course. We took off from the short run way and looked over Canaima lagoon one last time before flying for a good hour over vast open land full of tepuys, waterfalls, rivers and lakes. Our landing at Cuidad Bolivar was smoother than I was been expecting. The ride was unlike any I had ever experienced, and unforgettable, much like the places we had seen and people we had met in the proceeding days.

After a few hours on a bus, we arrived in Puerto Ordaz for our flight to Caracas. The bus dropped us off across the highway from the airport and we ended up hijacking a shuttle from a local Best Western. Much to our luck, as it saved us money. Being a gringo does have its advantages.

The flight was delayed (of course), and we did not end up getting into Caracas until around 1 in the morning. There was no shuttle waiting for us and we were hounded by taxi drivers wanted to charge us ridiculous prices for a ride which was a little under a kilometer away. June requested help from a friendly Conviasa baggage handler (Juan San Juan) who called our hotel for us and stood with us while we waiting for our ride. He spoke no English but we managed to explain our situation and make it to the hotel. Without him, we would have been lost.

More soon...

Gavin (y June)