Angel Falls

From Cuidad Bolivar, Venezuela we were able to arrange a tour to Angel Falls. The tour lasted 3 days. We arrived at the airport early and left our big bags with the tour company. The plane we took into Canaima national park was the tiniest plane I have ever seen, 5 passengers and the pilot. I sat in the front seat next to the pilot. Somehow before takeoff Josh's seatbelt got locked out the little door. We prayed and said our last i love you's just incase. An air vent was next my ear letting the air in so the plane was very loud, but otherthan that we had a fairly smooth ride. Exhillarating.

When we arrived at the drop off point in cainaima we were quicky ushered toward the river boats to head toward the falls. The boats looked like long thin dug out logs with a regular speed boat motor attached. We were told that since it is no longer the rainy season the river would be very low and points and we would need to jump off and push. To see the falls we had to travel upriver for 5 hours! After that trip we did not soon forget how hard those wooden benches were. Anyway the river was low in spots and there were rapids that would have to classify about 3 or so. The guides started shouted at the men to jump out and push when we got stuck. On one terrifying occasion the guys jumped out and not a secound later Dusty lost his footing and slipped. One of the ladies and the end of the boat caught his shirt and was trying to help but actually ended up nearly drowning him by holding him down. He broke away from her unhelpful help and floated downstream. He was able to stop in a calmer pool a little ways down. We picked him up with greatest casualty being the loss of his favorite Tigers Cap.

Eventually we made it to the camping sight for the night, across the river from the falls. Angel Falls was impressive, not having the ammount of water that it does in the rainy season it's tale was a mist before it hit the pool at the bottom. We slept in hammocks beneath necessary mosquito nets. Sleep was sound but too short, the next morning the guide woke us up at 4 am to start hiking to a viewpoint closer to the falls. The hike was shockingly strenuous. The jungle around the falls is very thick and the path toward the falls was a tangle of roots. After 3 hours we made it to a closer viewpoint. The view was impressive, but I would recommend hiking boots.

After ariving back our slave driving guide hurried us through breakfast then ushered us back to the boats. This time the ride was much more enjoyable, except for our bruised butt cheeks. Going downstream it took maybe 3 hours, the rest of the day our slave driver disappeared and i relaxed my blistered feet in a hammock at the basecamp near some other impressive waterfalls.

Day 3 we checked out these glorious waterfalls near our basecamp. We walked right under some and on the top of the ridge where they fell from, wet and slippery at times the loud crashing of the falls was worth the short hike. A quick plane ride back, and that ties up the Angel Falls adventure.