Last Sabbath I was able to go hiking up Rain Mountain again. It is a short hike, about 30 minutes to get to the top, and since we live right at the base of the mountain it is very accessible. From the top of the mountain you can see the whole village, the campus, the airstrip, the river. And all the wild life: all the banana trees, coconut trees, cassava fields, papaya trees, and several farms. As I look down from the top of the mountain I am again amazed and awed at the simplicity of life here in the jungle. I love it.
This last Wednesday was a national Guyana holiday. Pagwa day (not sure what it is). Anyways on this day people go around and spray each other with ash or powdered lime, or chalk, any type of powder. Since we hadn’t given the kids a holiday since Christmas we decided to take the day off and go to a water falls that is 1 ½ hours walk up river. We left at 10:30 which was later than we had wanted to leave, but we made good time and got to the one hour point in 45 minutes. The thing that took the longest was waiting to get a boat to take our cameras, food and other stuff that needed to stay dry, to the other side of the river. Several of the kids and I swam across. The waterfall was gorgeous. It had lots of water and power. The rocks next to the falls were calling me to climb them and so I gave in and answered the call. It was a bit challenging getting over to the falls because there is a fast current that you have to cross. I looked at it, and looked at it some more, and I watched several people cross, then the guys on the other side promised to get me so I started across. I made it most of the way, but the guys did come get me so that I could actually land. The climb up the rock was very steep and dangerous, but it was very fun. There were good hand holds and all my steps were secure. At the top there were many different caverns in the rock. And a couple of wells of water in the rocks.
The nature in Guyana is so beautiful. So many different adventurous things to do. After these last two hikes I’m getting really excited about the mission trip we are taking the students on. We will be walking to a village that is 2 ½ days walk away, I’m sure it will take us longer since we are going to be a big group, but I’m really enjoying the walks that we have taken, and I want to be able to walk to a destination. I’m also looking forward to getting my warashi made so that I can have a Amerindian back pack!! (can’t you see the airport security when they ask me what it is and I tell them it is a warashi (war-she).
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