Volcan Telica
Without thinking too much about it, which is how I do most everything when I travel, Alizee and I booked a two day trek to Volcan Telica. On the trek we hiked up the volcano with about 15 kilos on our backs, set up camp at the top and slept in tents right by the active crater. Having already done quite a long, very hard hike in Guatemala last year up a volcano, I thought nothing of this 4 hour trek up to the top of Telica. What I didn't take into account with this trek was how hot it was going to be. When I am talking hot, I mean hot! We hiked for 4 hours in direct sun on a 90 degree day. I am usually pretty good when it comes to hiking and other exercise, even though I don't do enough of it, but this hike was brutal. The heat was so grueling and I did not want to get sun stroke so I took my time and drank 4 out of my 6 gallons of water before reaching the top.
Once we reached the top, the view was beautiful. I stopped and just breathed in the moment as much as I could. I have been trying to do that a lot on this trip. I continuously remind myself that I am so blessed in my life to have this opportunity to see such beauty all of the time. So blessed to be able to travel and experience different cultures and nature in so many countries including my own. In my time that I spend with just my thoughts, I take myself back to my life in the states, and even there, the three weeks before leaving for Central America, I went to Mexico for a weekend, camping in Joshua Tree and took a 24 hour road trip moving to Seattle. Being on top of this active volcano really made me think, reflect, and appreciate my life and how amazing I have chosen to make it.
Tired and hot, the group of us dropped all of our things and laid down on the grass for a nap. The feeling after having accomplished something and than being able to relax is beautiful. I think that is why I love yoga so much. To have an intense practice and then lay meditating, still on my mat is a feeling of euphoria. Laying in the shade on the top of the volcano after the days hike was a very similar feeling.
After a little relaxing, we set up our tents and headed to the crater to see the lava during the day. I was really surprised as soon as I saw the crater. I had expected a pool of lava, even a small one, as I had seen in all of the movies. What I saw was much different, three small holes within a small crater with in the large crater were glowing red. Although not the big lava pit I had expected, this was still very very cool. To see the activity that is going on in the very volcano that I am standing on and later sleeping on was incredible and quite scary all at the same time. Then there was the sound, INCREDIBLE! Once we got up to the crater, it sounded like an airport. Like hundreds of planes taking off and landing all at the same time. I have never heard anything like this! And this makes you think, what the heck is going on in there and WHY did I pay to sleep on top of this crazy, yet beautiful gift from Mother Nature! I think to myself, "I'm crazy and I just hope to come out of this alive!" The other thing that happens when you hike close to an active volcano crater is the sulfur. Pockets of sulfur spurted from all sides of the crater, covering the air full of smoke. It is a crazy and very stinky phenomenon.
After dinner and watching the sunset (there were many many clouds in the sky so the sunset left much to be desired, but still on a volcano so very cool), we went to see the crater at night! This is what everyone had been waiting for. The moment that made hiking up in the heat totally worth it. Looking over into the crater was amazing. The lava showed itself in an almost solar system form. The three larger dots we had seen during the day we glowing more red than ever before, then surrounded by hundreds of tiny dots making spiraled, patterned shapes. It was beautiful! Standing there in awe, covering my mouth from all of the sulfur, all I could think about is how beautiful the world is and how crazy it is that I am able to do this in my life.
A fire and roasted marshmallows followed, then aside from the rock under my head I slept like a baby waking for the sunset the next morning. The sunset was everything I could have hoped it to be. The best part about the sunset was seeing the crater of the volcano full with smoke looking large and majestic. Thus the trip was over aside from the hike down, which was much easier than the hike up. What an amazing time :)
No comments:
Post a Comment