Venezuela 

The highlights of the trip were climbing Roraima, seeing Angel Falls, and then visiting Los Roques.  If there were truth in advertising, this ad for this Venezuela trip would be something like this: 

Originally I had signed up for a trip to Chile, but it was cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of participants.  So I scrambled to find a trek that would fit into the days I had requested off from work.  I had seen Chris Sharma bouldering on Roraima in the film King Lines, and had been mesmerized by the unique environment (both rocks and plants).  Discovering a trip to Roraima fit neatly into my scheduled days off, I decided to visit Venezuela.  I knew Venezuela was neither a luxury nor a safe destination, but to visit the “lost world” would be worth the extra strife.  However, I wasn’t prepared for the tremendous amount of discomfort and dangerous conditions the trip would entail!

What the heck is Roraima?

Roraima is a geologic formation called a “Tepui". [Some sources also spell it "tepuy"]  The name Tepui ("house of gods") comes from the language of the Pemon Indians and refers to the table-top mountain encountered only in the Guyana highlands of northern South America.  Tepuis are isolated mountains that rise abruptly from the rain forest or savanna.  Since the Tepuis rise 2000’ above the rain forest, they develop unique varieties of endemic plant and animal species. The Pemon Indians live at the base of Roraima, in the ‘Gran Sabana’.

Mount Roraima is the highest and most famous of the Tepuis. It is found at the border between Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana (80% in Venezuela). Its highest point is 9219’.  Considering most of Venezuela is around sea level, you can imagine how dramatic these Tepuis appear rising up from the jungle.  Roraima is large – 20 sq miles.  It takes more than 8 hours (round trip) to hike across the top. 

The soil of the tepui is made mainly of quartzite deposited 1.7 billion years ago (Precambrian).  This is one of the Earth's oldest rocks. Over many years, water dissolved sand particles in the stone blocks, which result in odd rock formations (sort of like ruined sand castles or small towers).  The rocks are blackened by likens.  

Even though the Tepuis are near the Equator, the temperature is relatively cold.  The annual average temperature is 46 degrees F. Numerous carnivorous plants have evolved on the Tepuis due to the poor soil.  Trapping insects allows plants to acquire nitrogen and phosphorus. Many plants also grow on acidic soil.  Since the Tepuis are not connected, different species of plants have evolved uniquely on various Tepuis.

During the Ice Ages, the tepui vegetation descended to the base of the tepui, while during the warm interglacial ascended back on the top of the tepui. The most typical flowers of the tepui are the yellow Stegolepis.

In the caves of the tepui nests the Oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), also called gucharo.  This is the only bird known to use echolocation.  However, the birds do not use ultrasounds like bats.  Oilbirds use audible sounds. We also discovered small black non-swimming frogs that were easy to catch.  Other Tepui have a fauna of 3.3’ long earthworms, frog-eating shrews and caecilians.  Caecilians are blind, limbless worm-resembling amphibians that use their large teeth for consuming insect larvae.

Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired by Roraima for his book "The Lost World".  Although we didn’t see any modern day Iguanodons and Pterosaurs, exploring the top of Roraima felt like visiting another planet.  The climb to get on top of Roraima is a couple thousand feet of ascent.  Once you finally step onto the surface, it’s amazing to realize that this tepui is just one gigantic piece of solid rock.  The surface of Roraima consists of unbroken black rock pockmarked by puddles of water.  In order to traverse the uneven terrain, you must detour around bogs, hop over deeper puddles, balance on rocks, and often climb up or down larger boulders.  The entire environment is damp and misty, even when it’s not actually raining.

Strange plants cling to life between the rocks and in swampy areas.  Odd rock formations appear in the ever-present mist.  Some rock formations resemble familiar shapes such as a camel or turtle.  Other unusual rocks form spires, arches and spindly columns.  There are even caves and tunnels to explore!  In other locations jagged crystals fill dry stream beds with white sparkles. Since walking on rock does not leave footprints, it is very easy to get lost or end up walking in circles when exploring.  The fear of getting disoriented adds to the bazaar feeling as you investigate the surroundings. 

When hiking to an edge of the tepui, the view is a sheer rock wall which drops 2000’ down.  Clouds formed a white barrier beyond the precipice, which resulted in the illusion of standing on the edge of Mars (or some other planet).  At times the clouds would soften you I could glimpse the expansive “Sabana” in the distance.  Although the base the base of Roraima is a thick green jungle, the Sabana further on the horizon is high plains cut by rivers.  No evidence of human habitation could be viewed from Roraima’s summit.  To say it was unworldly is a vast understatement. 

When camping on Roraima, the tents are set up in caves in an effort to minimize rain exposure.  Even though we were protected from the rain, the climate is cold and damp.  Since it gets dark at 5:30 PM, there was lots of time to kill in the evening when it was easy to become chilled.  Thankfully, the Brits brought a small set of speakers which attached to an I-POD.  The highlight of my Venezuela trip was dancing in the cave on top of Roraima to the R& B tunes with Helen, Lynn, John, and Richard.  We danced for hours – until everyone’s batteries had been expended.  We were shakin’ our hips to Shikira and getting “low, low, low” with Flo-Rida.  The uneven rocks on the floor of the cave made the dance moves more challenging, but we had a blast.  Afterwards, getting into my sleeping bag while I was still warm was much nicer than previous nights trying to drift off to sleep while cold and damp. 

Click a picture to see a larger view and explanation.

 

 The trip

My first day in Venezuela began on a sour note.  My arranged transportation deposited me at my hotel, and instructed me NOT to leave the hotel under any circumstances.  "Caracas is too dangerous for a lone woman tourist to be strolling around".  This would be my first experience with being locked in Venezuela’s hotel compounds. 

Since my room was not ready, I went to the hotel restaurant to kill some time.  When I paid for my food, the waiter gave me incorrect change by a huge discrepancy.  I attempted to retrieve my money, but the waiter mysteriously disappeared.  The other workers just shrugged their shoulders and would not intervene.  Welcome to Venezuela!  I spent an extremely boring day in bed reading books while waiting for the rest of my group to arrive.  At least I was well rested at the start.

Our local guide’s name was Giddeon.  KE does not provide group leaders, only local guides (who may only accompany your group for certain segments).  Shockingly, the guide did not speak Spanish (although he claimed to “understand” it).  Giddeon was from Guyana and spoke English and a local dialect.

 YOUR $$$ TO KE ADVENTURES DOES NOT GUARANTEE A TRANSLATOR!!!

Our travel group consisted of one Bulgarian, one other American, and 12 Brits/Scots.  Other than the aloof Bulgarian, it was a great group of flexible travelers.  Thankfully there were a lot of fellow vegetarians in my group.  During our first dinner we were introduced to a unique Venezuelan custom.   Dining is best accompanied by extremely loud music.  So loud, in fact, that you must yell to the person sitting next to you.  The decibel level is such that communicating across the table is impossible.  Due to the ear-splitting music, our group did not get well acquainted that first night. 

The following morning we were introduced to another Venezuelan custom – departure tax.  Since we had numerous internal flights, the taxes would add up.  When we finally flew home, the international departure tax increase had all of us changing more money!  [All total, I had 12 flights in twenty-one days]. 

When I boarded the aircraft, I was surprised that I had been given a first class seat in row number one.  It was then that another distinctive Venezuelan custom was revealed.  First class seats = last class service. The beverage service began at the back of the aircraft and slowly made its way forward.  By the time the flight attendants were at my row, the plane was descending and they hurriedly pushed the cart away.

We had a surprise waiting for us upon our arrival in Puerto Ordaz.  The tour company planned to transport our group of 15 + guide in two Land Cruisers.  You read that correctly.  Eighteen people + luggage in two Land Cruisers.  How did we do it?  Can you say “mooooooo”?  There were bench seats in the back of the SUVs, and we sat crunched side by side.  The drivers drove at amazingly high speeds; apparently Venezuela does not have any speed limits.  To make it more exciting, no seatbelts were provided.  Several in my group remarked that they could not watch the road ahead – it was just too frightening.  Thankfully I had my I-POD with the noise cancelling headphones, so I listened to Podcasts.  Meanwhile, the discomfort from the thin seats was almost unbearable.  There was one rest break for a speakers-blaring-full-volume lunch.  It was 8 PM and a torrential downpour when we finally stopped for the night.  My nerves were shattered and my bum was aching.  I can’t believe a legitimate tour company would subject their clients to such dangerous and uncomfortable conditions.

KE ADVENTURES – NEITHER SAFETY NOR COMFORT OF CLIENTS DURING TRANSPORT IS A PRIORITY

The next day’s driving was interrupted by a few stops for waterfalls (but it still totally sucked).  Eventually we reached Santa Elena.  This run-down shanty town differed immeasurably from the “quaint village of San Francisco” listed in the itinerary.  Once again I found myself embraced by the Venezuelan custom of locking guests into hotel compounds.  When some of us attempted to stroll into town to look for an Internet Café, we were told “no” and the gate remained locked.

Day 4 was to begin the six day trek to Roraima.  By now our group had become accustomed to the Venezuelan time clock.  When we were told to be ready at 9 AM, we knew it really meant 10:30 or so.  But even after loading into the trucks, there were more diversions (buying liquor) before heading to the trail head.  By the time we reached the National Park entrance, it was afternoon and the sun was blazing full overhead.  To our dismay, our guide could not find sufficient porters to hire in order to transport all our food and equipment.  Our group was too large.

 DO NOT TRAVEL WITH KE ADVENTURES—GROUP SIZES ARE TOO LARGE!!!

Our late start meant we could not make it to the proper first night’s camp site.  We stopped at a clearing meant for the final night’s stay.  It was dusk and raining upon our late arrival.  Our group stood around waiting for our guide and porters.  Eventually everything arrived (after dark) and we were able to set up our tents and enjoy a hot meal.  After dinner, our guide instructed us on how the “leave no trace” ethic included solid bodily waste, and how plastic bags fit into the equation.

The tents turned out to be effective with regard to waterproofing, but insufficient with regard to space for two people.  We had to cram our day packs above our heads, which meant I could never lie on my back with my legs straight out.  It rained a lot during that first night.  In the morning, the Bulgarian woman was gone. One rainy night in a tent and shitting in a bag was enough for her.  She left with a different group who was heading out, and had already departed by the time I ate breakfast.

The next section of the trek required crossing two rivers.  Due to the rain during the night, the rivers were running high.  Our group stood around for a few hours collecting bug bites while we waited to see if the flow level would recede.  The first river crossing turned out to be no big deal.  However, I fail to see why some of the Brits took off their pants to cross the knee-high river.  The water was not too cold, and the air was certainly warm.  I personally crossed in long pants; I always wear long trousers on treks due to insects.  Bug bites are just not sexy.

After crossing the first river, a stone chapel came into view.  The quaint chapel was built of carefully aligned stonework, and was securely locked.  It is a complete mystery why a chapel would have been built so far from any human habitation.  We never found out the story……

The second river crossing was much more exciting.  Thankfully, another group had left a rope tied on both sides of the river (our guide did not bring a rope).  We stripped down to our socks in order to gain a better grip on the rocks.  At times the water was up to our crotch and the current was strong.  But the water was warm, and it wasn’t like you were going to be swept up in rapids or anything.  If you did fall down, you might go a little down stream-- but you’d be able to catch yourself before you were out of sight of the group.  It was hot and buggy, so while I was waiting for the rest of the group to inch across the river, I went for a swim.  There was one member of our group in her 70’s and one who was 84 years old.  They crossed the river as a team.  Hillary and Peter are my heroes!  They might have been a little slower than the rest of the group, but they always kept going and they always made it!  Surprisingly, I never heard them complain about anything on the trip!!

The remainder of this second day of trekking was a gradual ascent of a grass-covered treeless plain.  It was very hot and humid, so when it began to rain I was not bothered.  But then the rain changed to a deluge.  It was as though someone was pouring a bucket of water directly over your head.  I’ve seen moments of rain this hard, but never such a torrential downpour sustained for hours.  When our group arrived at Roraima’s “base camp”, we crammed into the only space we could find which was semi-sheltered from rain.  Eighteen people stood upright side by side, since

 KE ADVENTURES WAS TOO CHEAP TO PROVIDE A DINING TENT OR EVEN A TARP TO PROTECT US FROM THE RAIN

Eventually we were able to erect our tents in the muddy swamp or on an incline (across the raging stream from the other tents)..  My tent was directly on the trail on a nasty slant.   The heavy rain had transformed the trail into a stream.  The stream ran directly beside my tent, just inches from my head.  I spent a sleepless night wondering if they stream would intensify enough to engulf my tent entirely.  I tied my boots to various points within the vestibule.  The noise of the downpour and risk of a rising stream made sleep nearly impossible that night.  I felt like I had to be on alert to unzip the tent and swim for my life at any moment.

At daybreak the rain subsided and we began the climb of Roraima’s sheer rock wall.  Thankfully Roraima has something called “the ramp” going up the face.  There is a diagonal strip of vegetation (trail) leading to the top of Roraima, so getting to the top does not require technical climbing skills or gear. The ascent does require a lot of physical effort as well as a severe drenching when hiking under/through waterfalls.

The strenuous climb took most of the day.  The uppermost portion of the climb was the trickiest.  It entailed climbing up loose rocks while being pelted by a waterfall of great height – so the water really thumped you hard.  After struggling, we finally we stood on the top of Roraima.  When we arrived it was very misty…..so shapes were revealing themselves as you walked closer and disappearing when you moved away.  It was very exciting to finally experience the bizarre landscape and strange plants.  The foggy visibility added to the mysterious feeling of the weird and wonderful environment.  It took another hour to reach the caves where we pitched our tents.  As the group rested, I made some solo explorations and played with some frogs.  I had to be very careful not to stray too far from the caves.  It was very easy to get disoriented and lost.

The next day we went for a five hour hike on Roraima’s surface.  The ground is solid rock, so hiking involves a lot of balancing, broad stepping, and jumping.  We visited several rock formations which have names like the “turtle” and “camel”.  One area was filled with white rock crystals.  We explored some caves and fragile-looking rock arches.  Giddeon pointed out various species of carnivorous plants.  We visited the “window” at the edge, but could only view clouds.  Then we explored an area called “the Jacuzzi”.  It is a spot where a stream has cut deeply into rocks--forming pools.  Since the water is cold and the skies were overcast, I opted out of the frigid soak.  Although it was raining, we later decided to climb the highest point on top of Roraima.  There was nothing else to do but go back to the cave, so might as well climb. We were already soaking wet;  staying dry on Roraima is an exercise in futility.  We warmed up by scrambling to the top or Roraima’s highest point, but weren’t rewarded by any views except more white mist.

That evening we danced to tunes in the cave.  I wonder if we’re the first people to throw a dance party on Roraima???  I’m sure we had more fun than most, since there’s not much to do in the damp, cold environment.

Although we were going downhill, day five of the trek was brutal.  We departed camp on Roraima at 07:20, and didn’t stop until 17:00.  Caution was warranted when descending the “ramp”; rocks were slippery the trail is steep.  I witnessed numerous slips and Helen twisted her ankle.  Thankfully both rivers had dropped significantly, so no ropes were needed to cross.  That’s good, because

 KE ADVENTURES FAILED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SAFETY DEVICE SUCH AS A ROPE TO CROSS A MAJOR RIVER

The last night on the trail was eventful for what we discovered overhead while eating dinner.  By shining our head lamps above our heads we could spot giant spiders crawling in the thatched roof of our dining hut.  These were tarantula-sized monsters probably 5 inches across—very creepy!!!!

After the six days of trekking, we were off to the next trip objective – Angel Falls.  Our first hurdle was getting a small plane ride out of Santa Elena.  We waited for hours beside an air strip in the oppressive heat.  As was so common on this trip, there was no explanation of what was going on.  What were we waiting for, would there be a plane, do I have a reservation?????  It was all a big mystery.  What ended up happening is our group of 15 flew in three different planes at three different times and eventually connected at the destination (separated by as much as 5 hours). 

Canaima is the jumping off point for Angel Falls.  Canaima is a combination of a National Park, Indigenous Village, motel area, and third-world shanty town.  Beside the village is a gorgeous lagoon with ringed by dramatic waterfalls.  The water in the lagoon is stained black with tannins, but we swam in it anyway.  There was a nice air conditioned hotel with views of the lagoon, but that was not for our group.

 KE ADVENTURES BOOKS LOW QUALITY, BUDGET ACCOMMODATIONS

Our run down rooms did not have air conditioning, running water, or a toilet seat.  [The water did start trickling out of the faucet after dark].  The assembly line method of mealtime at these accommodations was interesting.  At the designated time, we were seated at a very long table with spaces for around 30 people.  Eventually the entire table would be occupied by other groups.  The food would then be served en-mass.  By this time, all the vegetarians had become severely protein deficient.  We weren’t getting any beans, nuts, tofu, or other normal sources of protein.  The meals provided consisted only of carbs—pasta & rice.  Unlike other organized trips, we never had snacks (especially trail mix or nuts) provided.  So finally one night the assembly line produced a fish entrée – a protein reprieve the vegetarians desperately needed.

 KE ADVENTURES FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE NUTRITION – BOOK THIS TRIP AND YOU’RE GUARANTEED TO LOSE WEIGHT

After a sleepless night in the virtual sauna, we were off in the “motorized canoes”.  These were actual dugout canoes made from the trunk of enormous trees.  One canoe was large enough to hold our entire group + day packs.  However, nobody needs to paddle these canoes.  Big outboard motors mounted at the rear of the canoe power the boats upstream.

Although there was one 30 minute section where we had to get out of the canoe and walk, the skilled boatman used the outboard motor during the rest of the 3 ½ ride upstream.  It was astonishing how the boats could travel through the rapids and between rocks.  The outboard operator had to tip the propeller out of the water to keep it from hitting the rocks.  At the same time he’s tipping the propeller up, he’s also required to steer side to side.  If the propeller hits the rocks, the metal blade gets sheered off.  One steering mistake and the entire wooden canoe could swamp.  If that happens – bye bye passports, money, and everything else.  Not only was the canoe ride very exciting, but we passed other Tepuis and smaller waterfalls along the way.  Since I had been seeing so many waterfalls throughout my trip, I was concerned that Angel Falls would be anticlimactic. 

We arrived at hammock camp in the afternoon and began the final hike to Angel Falls.  Although Angel Falls is the most famous tourist destination in Venezuela, the trail leading to the viewpoint has zero maintenance.  We were surprised to find a rocky, wet, and steep trail through the jungle.  It took an hour of scrambling to reach the Angel Falls viewpoint. 

Miraculously, even though I had seen at least 40 waterfalls thus far on the trip  --Angel Falls was still impressive.  Angel Falls drops from the top of the tepui to the bottom (as with many others we had seen).  However, the volume of water pouring down Angel Falls resulted in a breathtaking cascade of mist and waterfall.  The top of the falls is actually composed of two separate streams, but they quickly tumble into once column set against a backdrop of red/orange rock.  I was mesmerized by the torrent of water;  I sat and stared at the falls for several minutes.  My photos don’t do it justice;  Angel Falls is much more impressive in real life.

Angel Falls is the world's highest waterfall at 3,212’ with a clear drop of 2,647’. It is located in the Canaima National Park, in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State. The height of the falls is so great that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is vaporized by the strong winds and turned into mist. The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep River. 

Sir Walter Raleigh described what was possibly a tepui and he is sometimes said to have discovered Angel Falls, but these claims are considered "far-fetched”. Angel Falls was sighted in 1912 by the Venezuelan explorer Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz, but he did not publicize his discovery. They were not known to the outside world until the American aviator flew over them in November 1933 on a flight while he was searching for a valuable ore bed.

Returning on 9 October 1937, Angel tried to land his Flamingo monoplane "El Rio Caroni" atop Auyan-tepui but the plane was damaged when the wheels sunk into the marshy ground.  Film shot from the plane’s cockpit as the plane lands (and crashes) still survives.  He and his three companions, including his wife Marie, were forced to descend the tepui on foot. It took them eleven days to make their way back to civilization.  News of their adventure spread and the waterfall was named "Angel Falls" in his honor.

Predictably, the Angel Falls view point complied with Venezuela’s policy to be completely devoid of tourist infrastructure.  The view point was at the edge of a slanted piece of rock.  There was no guard rail or barrier of any sort to prevent a tourist from plunging to their death over the edge.  I could just picture someone backing up just a bit too far when posing for their photo – and plummeting 100’ to the rocky stream bed below.   Had I known what was in store for me later that evening, I might have willingly thrown myself over the edge.

 To temper our joy at witnessing the world’s highest waterfall,

 KE ADVENTURES ARRANGED FOR US TO SLEEP IN THE HUMAN INCUBATOR

Our sleeping arrangements consisted of 40 moldy hammocks hung right next to each other.  The floor was dirt (as was the coating of our picnic table and bench seats).  Don’t even ask about the toilets.  The hammocks were so close together, that I was completely touching Peter beside me.  When I attempted to change positions, I would knock both Peter and Lynn (who was on the other side).  With so many people side under one roof, there was continual noise throughout the night (people getting up, snoring, talking).  Even with ear plugs, the pungent odor of mold made it difficult to drift off to sleep.  During the early hours it began to rain, and I was very cold hanging in the hammock.  Sheets and blankets were not an option;  I attempted to provide warmth by covering myself with my rain jacket.  It was in this damp, cold, fungal-spore-ridden state where I contracted pneumonia.  Forty-eight hours after the human incubator I was taking antibiotics for pneumonia, but weeks later I was still clearing my lungs from the Venezuelan tropical disease.

 Next up on our travel agenda was to head to Los Roques.   But first, we had to make several annoying air travel hops and stay in the obligatory hotel compound.  Giddeon left the group in Ciudad Bolivar, so

 KE ADVENTURES DID NOT PROVIDE A GUIDE FOR THE FINAL THREE DAYS OF THE TRIP

We ran into difficulties almost instantly.  According to the Venezuelan custom of confusing tourists, our boarding passes were printed with a gate which did not exist.   The ticket said Gate 5 B, but there was only a Gate 5 A.  To further bewilder us, the door screen indicated “Barcelona” at gate 5 A.  Thankfully Lynn (group member) spoke Spanish, so we were able to determine that the flight(s) from Caracas to Los Roques were delayed.  A few group members were lucky enough to board an early flight, but the rest of us were left waiting in the terminal for hours.  However, we actually didn’t mind the delay.   We were in an air conditioned area and there were options to buy food and sit down in a chair – conditions far superior that anything we had faced thus far on the trip.  Eventually we all made it to the island of Los Roques.

The itinerary described Los Roques as “unspoiled paradise with quiet waters, lagoons, beaches of white coralline sand and incredible colors”.  The human incubator had taken it’s toll (quite a few of us were coughing), so we were looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the sunny views.  However, without a guide and with no hotel information for Los Roques, we braced ourselves for another miss-adventure.

We discovered that our hotel was right on the beach.  However, it wasn’t a swimming beach.  It was a boat dock area.  When we attempted to go out in the water between the boats, guys in speeding boats shouted “PELIGRO, PELIGRO” at us (danger).  The view was scenic, but we were forced to view it standing upright.  The hotel was completely devoid of any comfortable beach or room chairs!  As may be expected, beach towels were also not an option.  Maybe it was just as well since there were biting insects (day and night) on Los Roques.  [Perhaps that had something to do with the lagoon which took up the center of the island which appeared to have pipes dumping the town’s effluent directly into the water].  Although the beautiful turquoise blue ocean water contrasted brilliantly against the white sand, staying on the island was anything but a tropical paradise.

Hotel staff would not let us check into our rooms until after 4 PM, although the rooms were clearly ready.  We were forced to push four beds into one non-air conditioned room (guys), while three women were in my room (two sharing one bed).  This was certainly not the relaxing end of the trip we had envisioned.

In order to swim, sun, snorkel, kayak, or anything fun – you have to charter a boat travel to an outlying island. The following day I paid for snorkel gear rental and our group took a twenty minute boat ride to another island.  The boat dropped us off to 7 umbrellas and 14 upright chairs.  Two people were obligated to share each umbrella and the chairs did not recline.  What a great way to spend a day – fighting desperately not to acquire a sunburn while sitting upright on a hard plastic seat.  As the boat sped off, I was thinking “this is going to be a very long seven hours.”

While the rest of the group members were content to swim directly in front of the umbrellas, I yearned to discover the sea life.  In order to get to the snorkeling area, I had to walk to the other end of the island.  I grabbed my gear, but I should have brought water.  By the time I had walked that distance, I was hot and thirsty.  I donned my mask and lowered myself into the water.

The waves made it difficult to put on my fins, but after some struggle I was outfitted to explore.  Within a short distance I encountered coral.  I snorkeled further out to sea in an effort to view more ocean life.  After a few minutes, it became apparent that the further out I swam, the shallower the water was getting above the coral.  Coral is very sharp and slices through skin effortlessly.  I started to panic;  there was no easy way to turn around and head back to shore.  Reversing direction required pivoting while carefully laying in the prone position and desperately preventing any body part from dropping below the surface.  As I was scooting in a 180 surface circle, a wave started dragging me further out to sea.  All I could do was hold my surface position in place until the next wave rolled in. At any second I thought I’d feel my skin catch on the jagged coral.  There was only a few inches between my body and the razor-sharp coral below.   As I rode the next wave inward toward shore, I rapidly pumped my fins as fast as I could … but only a few inches up and down.  I didn't dare move my arms.  Amazingly, it worked.  I was getting closer to shore.  One more wave, and I was back to slightly deeper water.  Whew, that was really close.

I made it to shore while mumbling “screw that!”  I had managed to see a few fish, but the human cheese grater effect put a damper on my enthusiasm.  As I scouted for different snorkeling locations, it appeared as though there was a coral reef under the areas where some boats were anchored.  I decided to risk another “PELIGRO” and try snorkeling amongst the boats.  It turned out to be spectacular.  I probably saw 50 different kinds of fish.  There were brilliant purple wraths and large iridescent green fish with blue spots.  The coral was a dull brown, but the colorful fish were brilliant.  I spotted what I believe was a lion fish; multihued fish were plentiful.

I snorkeled for hours until the pressure of the mask above my lip became unbearable.  In my absence, some group members had attempted snorkeling at my first location.  Unfortunately, they were not able to avoid the slashing of the coral.  Helen sported a perfect imprint of the brain coral on her knee.  Coral cuts are painful, so the bloody snorkelers gave up quickly.

The rest of the day was spent walking up and down the beach collecting shells.  I discovered several exquisite specimens, but when the boat came to collect us I was told the shells had to stay.  I was informed it was forbidden to take shells from “the National Park”.  On the bright side, I successfully avoided a nasty sunburn during those seven hours of beach time.

The following day’s activity was a futile effort to kill time until my 4 PM flight to Caracas.  I set off for some hiking and exploring, but the island was too small to purge enough time to keep boredom from setting in.   As usual, my flight was delayed and I stood at the airport “wait area” not knowing what was going on.  When I finally boarded a nine seater airplane, I was amused to see that the Emergency Exit would not latch.  We flew with the exit open.  The poor man in the seat behind the exit had to contend with high wind blowing in his face.  Shortly after take off, be bent over and kept his head buried down.  I was two rows behind and I was getting quite a draft!

 My final night in a Caracas hotel compound was because

 KE ADVENTURES OFFICE STAFF IS SO CLUELESS THEY CAN’T EVEN GIVE YOU CORRECT INFORMATION SO YOU CAN DEPART FROM THEIR TRIPS

I could have flown home a day earlier, but KE gave me wrong information.  Fortunately, I didn’t just only expensive extra night stay in a noisy room above a casino….  I was able to experience one last blaring-volume-I-can’t-hear-you dining experience at the hotel. 

 In the Caracas airport the next morning, I was informed that there had been a “departure tax increase”.   Strangely, I had to proceed to two different counters—paying 48 Bolivars at one and 112 Bolivars at another.  After going through Customs and three separate X-ray machines, I was finally on my way back to the US.  During the eight hour lay over in Houston, I went crazy sampling delicious food which had been denied during the Venezuela trip.  More than any other trip, it was great to return home!

 IF YOU WANT A FUN, SAFE TRIP WITH A MODERATE DEGREE OF COMFORT AND ORGANIZATION – DO NOT BOOK WITH  KE ADVENTURES!!!

In the post-trip email exchange, one of the other group members summed it up:  "I'LL NEVER BOOK WITH KE ADVENTURES AGAIN.  THEY LEAVE YOU TO DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH!"

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