Venezuela #2: UP!

One would expect the top of a table mountain to be relatively flat. The tepuys of Venezuela quickly debunks that myth. The top of Roraima tepui looks like someone dumped a 50,000 piece lego set on his dining table, then set an enthusiastic 3 year old to work. Random rock formations: Lumpy hills; Steep hills. Small puddles; Big pools. Small cracks; Deep, heart-stopping cracks which your insane trekking guide expects you to surmount in a single leap.

We explore a valley full of quartz crystals. The biggest ones have been poached, and there is now a strict bag check at the endpoint of the hike.

We find tiny black frogs. I can probably fit 15 of them on my palm. They've evolved to crawl instead of hop, and they swim like a dog paddles =).

We find a few of the famous carnivorous plants. There is so little nitrogen in the soil that most of the plants here supplement their diet with insects. This is the "Lost World" of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the dream that drove the characters in Pixar's "UP!".

Standing at the edge of the table top, we gaze benevolently at the clouds and villages below. Ah, these unwitting witnesses to our magnificence, they can only aspire to the heights to which we had risen that day. Yet we are swiftly reminded of who's boss, when the heavens unleash a few drops, then a torrent of rain upon us, and we scramble helter skelter back to our campsite, the "Hotel Basilio".

The indigenous Pemon Indians know every crevasse of this bizarre moonscape like the back of their hands, and they found safe campsites in the cliff faces which are protected from the freezing wind and rain. We are supremely grateful to our guides for keeping us from the elements.


We spent 2 nights on Roraima. The landscapes were incredible. But it always rained in the afternoon and night, and my feet were always damp from splashing into unavoidable puddles. If I were a tiny crawling frog, or maybe a duck, I think I would be supremely happy.

As it were, I had no complaints when it was time to head back to civilization. Our hotel (Posada Los Pinos) had BEDS!!!! Showers! Laundry! WiFi! Hammocks! A Roof! And did I mention BEDS!!!!

I kinda miss the group though. They are good people.
The Venezuelans: Andrea (circus performer), Andreas (yoga instructor), Claudia (admin worker? fervent photo taker).

Ivan (USA. Youngest, fastest hiker).

Olaf (German who makes $$ translating German-Spanish, and works from hostel rooms while traveling and kite surfing in S.America).

Yakkla and Nina (Slovenians. Apparently Slovenia is very nice, small yet has mountains, beach and cities. Spared from the wars).

Paul (Briton working for National Park. He has travelled all over: seen elephants in Kerala, worked with Mother Theresa, dived in cenotes).

Lorraine (park ranger in Banff. Invited us to visit her at Lake Louise).