Let's ROCK the world - Eine Kletterweltreise

13.4.2011 - 16.4.2011

Auf der Busfahrt von Coban nach Lanquin waren wir das erste Mal von Bergen umgeben.
In der Kleinstadt nahe den Pooltrassen von Semuc Champey angekommen, wurden wir wieder von Hostelagenten umzingelt. Die bekannte "Zephyr Lodge" hatte kein Zimmer frei (glückliche Fügung des Schicksals), somit ließen wir uns auf der Ladefläche eines Pickup in eines der angepriesenen Hotels außerhalb Lanquin bringen.
In einem Neckermann-Reisekatalog könnte die Beschreibung des "Las Marias" lauten: "zweckmäßig eingerichtet und verkehrsgünstig gelegen". Hinzu kam ein unverwechselbarer Geruch. Kurzum, nicht zu ertragen, etwas anderes musste her.

Wenigstens kamen wir auf diese Weise for free nach Semuc!
Nach einem kleinen Spaziergang entdeckten wir das "El Portal", idyllisch direkt am Fluss gelegen mit schönen Bungalows für 20€ pro Hütte (4 Personen haben Platz) mit private Bathroom - wir hatten uns verliebt.
Adrenalindurchflutet joggten wir zu KJ zurück, die im "Las Marias" bei Coke und Schokoriegel unser Gepäck bewachte. Die staunte nicht schlecht als wir angerannt kamen und mit ihr fluchtartig das Gelände verließen. Jemand hatte uns gesteckt, dass die Jungs böse werden wenn man woanders übernachtet und so wollten sie auf einmal Kohle für den Transport, was vorher eindeutig als gratis vereinbart wurde.

Semuc Champey war für uns der Abenteuerspielplatz schlechthin.

Im Fluss stehen ein paar Felsblöcke, die man beklettern kann und dann von oben ins Wasser springt (ca. 4-5m). Dann muss man schnell gegen die leichte Strömung ans andere Ufer gelangen, flussaufwärts laufen und zur Einstiegsseite zurück schwimmen. Dabei haben wir Alex, eine Exil-Bayerin in El Salvador, die auch vom Klettervirus befallen ist, zum Mitmachen angestiftet.

Die mit badewannenwarmen Wasser gefüllten, natürlichen Pools sind gleich um die Ecke des "El Portal".
Man gelangt über einen schönen Dschungelpfad zum Ufer.

Stundenlang ließen wir die Seele baumeln und boulderten ein bisschen an den Trassen. Auf dem Rückweg stiegen wir noch zu "Mirador", einer Aussichtsplattform auf.

Und hier übergeben wir das Wort wieder an KJ, die von ihren "Nahtoderlebnissen" selbst berichten darf:

Soooooo . . . after we finished swimming in the beautiful turquoise pools Manu rushed us up to the lookout.
This was much easier said than done of course. As both girls bounded up hill in a rather elegant and gazelle like manner I, as a less well trained and older being, puffed and wheezed my way up the rocks, with promises from both girls that we were "nearly there". 45 mins later, with 3 further empty promises to end the torture, we finally made it and I'm pleased to say that it was well worth it.
The views of the pristine pools and fresh mountain backdrop were really quite magical, though unfortunately the pictures are unlikely to do it justice. Gratefully, our descent back to the beginning of the national park was much easier on the legs and only encountered a friendly lizard and a few beer swilling young backpackers on the way back down.

We then stopped for a quick lunch with the locals before persuading our hostel to take us tubing down the river, even though we had missed the usual deadline.

Whilst Sylvia seemed a little disappointed that the current of the river was not the white water rapids previously encounter in Laos, Manu and myself were happy that our first experience of this tubing thing was a nice relaxing pace and lucky to have our own private guide to negotiate our way past the women and small children of the village who were busy washing and playing by the side of the river.

It was hot that day, but didn't really notice until we walked back to the hostel with tubes over our shoulders, tired and dirty, but it had been a great day. Personally, not being able to swim very well and hiding a fear of the water, I was quietly congratulating myself for surviving the day without a floaty and better still the girls even had pictures of it with their underwater camera, so I could proudly show friends and family back home of such an achievement.

On the other hand, nothing could have prepared us for the next adventure that day, not even my runners and aerobic like outfit

We'd heard that the caves in Semuc Champey were not to be missed and could be "quite challenging", but hey, we were confident, we dressed appropriately and thought the only problem would be to get there before the caves shut for the day as we were leaving early the next day.
Manu "the educated one" was of course much wiser and chose to have a little nap for the rest of the afternoon, whilst Sylvia and I enthusiastically rushed to the caves without a second thought for our own safety or even to bring our own torches etc. Too late, the caves were shut, but the blonde hair proved persuasive, as was the extra money we bribed the guide with, who said he would take us, as long as we were quick, as he needs to leave for another job. Sounded like a great deal and we were even given a lighted candle each to add to the atmospheric nature of these bat caves.

After a couple of photos the niceties were over and we immediately found ourselves over our heads deep in cold water, surrounded only by the pitch black caves and the laughter of our guide randomly blinding us with the flash of the camera as we scrambling over rocks, up ropes and ladders, down small waterfalls.

I was scared to say the least and once Sylvia also admitted she was scared I became terrified, especially when we had to slip down through a waterfall into the dark to I don't know what.

Fortunately, tired and bedraggled we did eventually live to tell the tale and I will say, despite it all Syliva was exceptionally good at looking after me and making sure I didn't drown.