The Lost City 3

So I wrote part 3 and it only went and deleted so excuse me if ethusiasm is lacking!!

So as I say up at 5am, Frank wet, all wet, set off on day three. Within 30mins or so we found ourselves at a river. Well, I don´t think you could call it that, more like a force to be reckoned with! There had been torentual rain all day and all night which meant the river was very high and extremely powerful. Our guide took one look and told us to carry on. A few hundered yards later we find ourselves looking up and seeing what can only be described as a wooden frame hanging from a piece of rope over this DANGEROUS river. Ok, apparently this would be how we would cross the damn monster. I am thankful that there were no parents there to witness our "river crossing". One by one we made our way into the frame, backpacks and all, whilst our guide pulled us from the other side, on the piece of rope. There was a moment where I was suspended over this river and I thought if I loose my footing, concentration or that the extra chocolate bar I ate last night had made me that bit too heavy, within seconds I would be dead. The adrenaline side of me thought "WOW here I am suspended over this emense river/waterfall - amazing". Luckily we all made it over alive, however no hanging around to thank our lucky stars, it was onward march.

Today was the best day so far, I think it was because we had aclimatised to the endless walking. We marched through waterfalls, waded through rivers, jumped over rocks, slid down hills and finally made it to our orange break. Orange breaks were the best! However I was knackered from all my Indiana Jones intrepidness and went for a lie down. Apparently every mozzie in the jungle decided it would be a good idea to have a nibble on my back. Covered in bites. B***ards! Nothing a little bit of Orange and afterbite couldn´t sort out.

We powered on through, singing, slipping, laughing, walking and what seemed like days later we arrived at camp 3. Infact we had made such good time that there was a possibility that we could get to the Not- So- Lost- Lost -City after lunch. In the excitement we ate our lunch in our WET clothes, only to discover that the rain was coming earlier today and that we couldn´t find the city! Damn, quick, freezing shower and into DRY clothes. You´ve never seen me move so fast. After all the excitement I needed to have a lie down before supper. Usual evening antics, rummy, gin rummy, crazy eights! wow crazy fun. Unfortunately Vincent one of our group wasn´t feeling too well... little did we know this would hit us later...

Day 4: Up and early to get to the City. An hour of walking which included 1,200 never ending teeny tiny slippery steps that werent even the size of your foot up to the City. Round the corner of a mossy wall and there we were......................... eh? Where was Starbucks? No way! Had we really walked 4 days for this?

I think we all felt a bit let down and as Frank put it on our return " Put it this way, if the Lost City was half an hour from here (our hostel) then I wouldn´t bother going". Let down would be putting it nicely. Having said this, after realising that we weren´t going to be able to stock up at Topshop and continued up even more teeny tiny steps, it got better and better. Finally when we reached the top, if you like, and the views were incredible! We could even see the camp where those people got kidnapped by guerillas 8 years ago. Yes, that made me shudder to.

After a 2 hour or so tour around the city, we made it back down the flippin´steps which by numero 20 I really started to loathe. Back to camp 3 for some lunch and onward march to camp 2. The whole way Frank, Flo and I flew over rocks, waterfalls, rivers and the rest as we were so desperate to get into DRY clothes. After a while I started to feel delirious and I wasn´t sure if the lost city had affected me spiritually or that I was actually a bit unwell. I hadn´t eaten all day and started to feel it was the latter. Upon arriving at camp Frank went to lie down as he felt unwell. Within 10 mins I saw him jump out his bed and projectile all over the place. Uh-Oh. Bed for me and a little prayer to God that I was going to make the night alive. Apparently not. Within a few hours both Flo, Kristie and I were chundering everywhar. Food Poisioning. Disgusting. I missed home. Little did I know that actually that wasn´t going to be the worst night ever, however up until that point it certainly was.

The next day we all get up really early, feeling AWFUL and decide sod doing it in 6 days, we´ll do it in 5 and just pace our way back to the pueblo where we started. It is amazing what your body can do. Flo, Frank and I were more than worse for wear, but you have never seen people move so fast. Al, Flo and I, although feeling like we could die at any minuite found the whole experiencia very entertaning. We laughed the whole way back to the pueblo (6hrs of walking). WHAT A FEELING! We only gone and done it. Three of us who had never trekked in our lives, had completed (FIRST may I add) one of the hardest treks you can do, all with a smile and the occasional vomit. Wow how could I feel so good and bloody awful at the same time?

Stopped for lunch, which of course no-one could eat, and then into the bus back to Taganaga. As it had been five days we had totally forgotten all about the bloody off roading and the 4 hour journey ahead of us. Oh dear. 5/10 sick people in an off roading dodgy mini van was not the best idea. Luckily again, we all made it alive. Just. It took me 3 days to fully get over the food poisioning only to go and get constipated... but thats not for now...

THE END