Going Caving (in the very vaguest sense of the word)
I walked back into the town and hired a bike from the local tour company to go off and see the nearby caves. It was a nice ancient design with the crank all wobbly and off center. One gear so you had to push it up hills and a real bonshaker when going down them at speed. After a 8km ride along dusty roads, constantly waving at children laughting at the crazy Mzungu I got to the ‘caves’. Edward showed me around telling me a facinating story about how the cave came to be (its a big breast!). We walked into the jungle for 2 minutes and there it was, although to be accurate it was just a limestone formed overhang, no dark passages to explore, although the slightly camp Edward might have a sugestion for that :p We walked a bit more loking at a few more ‘semi caves’ and they really didn’t believe in cutting back the foilage, I think the fat americans would have a few problems getting through. I agreed to a quick walk around the nearby crater lake too (I had another £1.50 burning a hole in my pocket) and we set off up the hill. Had a good view of the town and saw a dry crater and one with a lake in the middle. The second had a big hill at one end too which I took the option to climb, didn’t make any difference as to how much it would shortly rain and when it came we were nearly at the top. Glad I brought my umbrella I can tell you, it pissed it down! We splooshed back after a few pics and then i sat waiting out the rain with a couple local women watch me unsuccessfully try to attach my umbrella to my backback so I could leave in the rain. It kept me busy for a while and I risked it when there was a lull and raced a local guy back in to town. He always caught me on the hills! The guest house was full so I moved into the drivers room which would have been a good saving if only someone hadn’t cancelled and gotten me moved back into a double. Dinner is a social affair there and most of the guests sit down together and pass the dishes around. Monday night was Germans, Danes, Dutch and me. At least I speak pretty good international English.
Tags: rain, camping, Travel, jungle, locals, umbrella, dishes, caves