My friend had recommended I visit la Gran Sabana region, but I'd read that the area is better seen with a tour and I'd discovered that I wouldn't be able to book a tour as there were no groups to join currently. My friend came to the rescue and put me in contact with her friend (current firefighter and former tour guide) who lives in Canaima and San Francisco de Yuruaní.
Many inquiries, questions, changed plans, and phone calls later, I was finally able to reserve a seat on the bus to San Francisco de Yuruaní that night at 9pm. However, when the ticket agent saw me waiting at the terminal quite early, he told me he'd found a spot - not a real seat - for me on an earlier bus with another company. I didn't have much time to think, so I ran to a call centre to let my friend know about the change, then jumped on the bus.
It turned out to be a long, uncomfortable, delayed ride of disorganization. This was my 'seat' - the folded dirty pillow placed between two seats at the back of the first floor bus, amongst the cockroaches.
We didn't end up leaving Ciudad Bolivar until 7:40pm. If only I'd stuck with the 9pm bus!
For the first hour I was able to sit in a seat until we reached Puerto Ordaz where the bus filled up completely. From 11pm-5am I was on the pillow, smack dab in the middle of a particularly obnoxious group, trying not to think about cockroaches crawling all around, and getting little doses of sleep here and there.
Plus, due to the lack of organization on part of the company, the bus was pulled over for multiple hours as the drivers ensured everyone was sitting in their assigned seat and arguing with a Brazilian family of four with two kids, saying that there were no seats assigned to them specifically. Though they had rightfully paid, it was a last minute thing, similar to mine in a sense. When you're taking a night bus, these types of things are not the kind of things you're hoping to encounter!
I don't know where the Brazilian family wound up sitting - probably on the floor on the upper level - but they were at least able to stay on the bus.
A few people got off the bus and I was able to sleep a bit in a seat until my arrival time of 8:45am - late by nearly 3 hours.
It was a surprise to see 90% of the bus' passengers get off at the same time as me at this small town. It turns out that there's to be a race and runners are in town to compete. That also explains why it almost wasn't possible for me to reserve a seat to get here now.
I found my friend's friend waiting for me. He was so kind, and he treated me like I was one of his own friends. He let me stay at his place, he showed me around when he didn't have work, and arranged a basic schedule for me.
The town is divided by this highway:
If this race hadn't been here when I was there, I imagine the town would have been rather quiet and empty. Instead, there were 800 participants here. Looking at the town, it certainly doesn't look like it can support so many visitors.
The runners will start running at either 10pm or 12am, with some running 10km or 50km, and others 120km.
exp
A tepuy lookout point, including that of Roraima, which I'd like to come back and climb when I have more time and when my knee won't be a hindrance. I've read that the hike affords views of otherworldly plants and crystal lakes.
We slid along these rocks/natural toboggan. The was my second time in a place like this - my first was in Taiwan.
The runners trickle in after completing their run...
Yesterday was a day of waiting because there was too much rain to go out and see places and too dangerous to be on a motorcycle on the highway in the rain. I caught up on journaling and reading while the mosquitos continued to feast upon my flesh despite my efforts to keep them away.
The next day I hired a driver and we went to Salto Kama and the Mirador del Oso.
The driver said he was surprised that I wanted to see places in nature because it was usually 30-40 year olds who were interested in that. Well, I'm not very far from that age bracket!
...and it's raining again...
At night my friend's friend burned something in my room which made mosquitoes drunkenly slow enough to kill them and we counted at least 18 in the room. Since the bathroom window is just a big hole cut into concrete, it's tough to control what goes in and out of the room. I was just glad to have 18 less mosquitoes to think about tonight! I was then able to focus my attention on squishing the 20 plus mini-ants crawling on my bed.
When I saw this insect I couldn't tell if it was real as it looked so still and perfectly painted.
Spicy insects!
On a motorcycle again.
This time we went further out, passing a few villages, but not much else. We waited on a small watchtower in the hopes that views of Roraima and other tepuy would present themselves, but it started to rain and the clouds kept the scenery largely hidden. After a few hours of waiting while trying to hide from the rain and winds we headed back along a muddy downhill section to reach the red dirt road.
The local version of Gatorade:
At night we went to nearby town San Ignacio de Yuruaní where they hold an annual celebration with dancing, drumming, food and drink - but the most interesting part is at midnight when the fire has burned for long enough to have ash and glowing coals and people take turns going over the remains of the fire, barefoot of course.
Special wood is used and the fire can only be put in a specific area. They say that it's safe to pass only between 12:00-12:15am. If you pass between then, you won't get burned. You also need to believe and have faith in yourself, that you'll be able to pass. If you cross the ash after this time, you're more likely to get burned. Those would be first or second degree burns, FYI.
The ash and coals were glowing red like this, but when I used the flash on my camera it looks white, but don't be fooled!
It's a family event with grandmas, inebriated men, teenagers, and kids. People come from different villages to watch and participate.
Some people walked or danced over the hot spot, but most ran quickly. Some went solo, others held hands and ran with others. A lot of kids went!
Just approaching the fire, the heat and smoke is so strong, you have to turn away to protect your eyes.
Everybody encircled the fire to watch, and cheers broke out as drums pounded away in the night.
One guy went through at least 4 times that I saw. He was soaking up the attention each time he crossed. After 12:15 some still passed, but noticeably fewer. The crowd started chanting "On your knees!" to the guy with frequent mileage.
This was a cool and unexpected event to see. My friend's friend passed the ash and coal once tonight, this being his third overall time.
The whole night I'd been playing ping pong in my head, considering if I should pass the ash and coal. I really wanted to, but I decided not to because I knew I had 2 days of bus travel ahead and I also wanted to make sure future hiking on this trip would be possible. I did laugh thinking about strict, careful doctors in Canada, and imagining me having to explain how I got burns on the soles of my feet. I can just picture the looks of disapproval.
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