Breakfast at 8am was hearty to get us going for the day. Nothing like the typical swiss muesli and yogurt with some bread and nutella on the side!
The girls were all together for the morning with me and Pete (another chaperone). The boys in the second group.
Our agenda - CAVING!!!
Moutatal has what they claim to be the third largest network of caves in the world. There are over 200km that have been explored and still much more that remains untouched. We of course, were only getting a taste of life underground.
Geared up in jumpsuits, helmets with lights, gloves and gumboots we headed off to the cave entrance. There, we were divided into two groups to follow guides. My group was supposed to be a little faster paced and challenging - we have no way of determining if this was true!
I regret to say I have no pictures, but really, there was no way I was going to bring my camera into the caves.
Let me explain what was involved lest you think we were walking into some large space:
For the first few minutes we were on a major, defined path. At some point we turned off of it to get some real experience. I would have to describe parts of it like rock climbing, but in the dark, with wet rock, with other rock walls all around and with no safety harness. We shimmied on hands and knees at times, stooped over low and even did a plank position over a pool to get across without getting wet. We went down and up slippery rock surfaces, gripping with fingers and once in a while a rope or chain for assistance. There were moments when the thought of the weight above me almost made me scream, but mostly I loved the experience. We even tried finding our way as a group in pitch black. With me in the lead I think we moved a total of 5 meters. oh well! The girls with me seemed to embrace the challenge and have a good time. They decided at some point that the mud in the caves was good for their skin and that was it: they had war paint all over their faces!
It was tiring and rewarding and 3 and a half hours and a full bladder later, we got out, peeled off our layers, went home and showered! (gratefully, I was rewarded with a hot shower this time)
The afternoon activity, as the groups switched over once again, was an orienteering class. They had to learn how to read coordinates on a map of the immediate area we were in, and then the task was to find a number of sights on the map, and answer questions. Pete and I left the kids up to the task and just enjoyed a chilly but beautiful walk around the village.
Views of the area:
In the evening we went for dinner to a Mexican Restaurant - I am not sure exactly why! - and again it was 11pm before we made it home...
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