Hiking From Lichen to Lizards

Stephanie and I were awakened at 5:30 when Demetrio brought coca tea to our tent. Stephanie immediately said, "Oh we are getting so spoiled!" A breakfast of porridge and a delicious Spanish omelette was served in our dining tent, where the table was set, complete with a colourful, woven tablecloth and a fresh flower centrepiece. We were quite surprised when we learned that our toothpaste and sunscreen had frozen overnight in this tundra-like ecosystem, where the trees were covered in lichen.

Today we had to make up an extra four hours so we were eager to hit the trail. Luckily we were hiking downhill which would be much easier on our cardiovascular system, but we soon found out hiking downhill was much harder on our muscles.

Our dusty hiking path was about 18" wide and we picked our way over boulders and river rocks like mountain goats. We walked in community with the local people who were carrying goods hither and yon on their donkey trains. Every time a donkey train was spotted, we would scramble to find a safe spot where we would then take off our sunglasses (in order not to scare the horses) and flatten ourselves on the INSIDE of the trail. The passing horses were beautiful as were the dark-eyed, long-lashed Peruvian cowboys with their checkered shirts and wide-brimmed hats.

All day long the Olobamba River crashed below us, fed by mountain streams which we crossed on rickety bridges cobbled together from logs and burlap with small rocks and gravel piled on top.

At one point, the trail narrowed to a 12 inch path of slippery, silken sand and cut its way down a sharp descent along the edge of a deadly precipice - far below, massive boulders and the tumultuous Olobama. I could hardly believe I actually had to hike this trail, but there was no other way. About halfway down, my feet slipped out from beneath me, but my poles kept me from going over. I later realized that I was walking on bald tires; I had worn off the treads of my hiking boots walking the Camino.

Soon thereafter, we entered the beginning of the cloud forest where we saw bamboo forests, delicate wild orchids, sparrow-sized hummingbirds, hundreds of flitting colourful butterflies and we were treated to a symphony of bird songs and cicada hums. Ruth Ann and I even saw a cute, little lizard. After about six hours of hiking, I commented that I was dying for a 'cerveca' and five minutes later, we stumbled into this little mountain residence that was serving...CERVECA!!

Playa, a small village of 35 families, was our final destination. As we entered, Carrie and I started handing out school supplies, a gift to us from many students and teachers at our school, Keatsway. Children, frantic to receive a pencil or an eraser, soon swarmed us. Carrie and I had to work as a team and use our best teacher organizational skills to bring a sense of order to the chaos and ensure a "somewhat" fair distribution.

Janet had been waiting eagerly for this village, as San Dennis had promised her a 'normal' toilet. Much to Janet's dismay, the toilet was far from normal. There was simply a hole in the ground with spots for your feet, which were really just a suggestion, as they did not work for tall people. The door did not lock so you had to hold it shut with your head and there was a small bucket of water for 'clearing out your business". We did have to explain to our guide, Dennis, that a 'normal' toilet for us would entail some sort of white porcelain with a handle, chain, or even a button!

That night we fell into an exhausted sleep and despite the misinformed rooster that started crowing at 2:30 a.m., the bunch of horses that plodded by our tent early in the morning, the dogs barking, and chickens pecking at our tent, we had a great sleep...thanks to our invaluable earplugs!