As soon as we went off trail, I knew that the rest of the journey ahead was not going to be as pleasant as it had been earlier. No more steps for us to climb and no more railings for us to hold on to, there were only rocks and pebbles awaiting us in the dark of the cave and with the few torches that we had, it really does feel as though we went back in time to the cavemen era.
I seriously did not anticipate rock climbing when we first went into the cave, I can’t remember climbing anything back when I was a kid. It was only after our trip ended that I realized that I didn’t take tour4 on my last visit. We had to climb up a slope with little support, other than our limbs and the guide, we also had our friends to help us hold our stuff while we climb and then threw them up later when they are about to climb. This system worked well with the 10 of us, we took turns climbing and it was at the first slope which I felt very grateful to my parents for having exposed me to outdoor activities like rock climbing when I was younger. The climbing tricks I learnt at OBS proved to be very handy as I slowly made my way up the slope. My friend was slightly shaky on the slope as she slipped and almost fell into the darkness below. Luckily the guide was there to block the path and she landed quite safely. The rest of us were rooted in our positions, each letting the shock settle in before going to her and checking for bruises and such.
We stepped into the river for the first time after all the rock climbing and the cool water was such a relief for our sore legs. We walked in the dark for who knows how long and the stalactites are sharp and it really hurts if you bump your head at it. Thank goodness I’m not very tall. Kekeke
We reached an open area somewhere in the jungle as our half way mark. After resting and taking photos, we went into the dark again, this time, the real challenge starts.
After wading through the water, we had to climb up again and then slide down a slope. After that, we had to go into a hole in the ground. Literally! Like going into a manhole. I had nightmares about this part after my last visit. When all of us had safely descended into the whole, we continued our cave exploration and the darkness was unbearable! I seriously felt as though I was blind if it weren’t for the torch lights.
We had to crawl in the water military style due to the lowness of the stalactites. It was a painful experience, the river bed were filled with sharp rocks and pebbles and putting your whole weight on your knees and elbows generated excruciating pain. The worst part was, we had to do it 5 times!! The horror! After the first, we didn’t want to crawl again but we were forced to for it was our only way out from the cave! But there was one part where we crawled on a big slab of marble stone, now that was painless and rather enjoyable. ^^
Our tour ended as soon as we saw sunlight and the shadows of the rocks in front of us. You have no idea how relieved we were at that sight. The guide let us rest for a little while before taking us out from the cave, but not before having a little splash with us.
The overall experience was awesome and fun! But all 5 of us agreed that this was a one-time thing and we are most definitely going back there anytime soon. We all came to a conclusion that, cavemen were awesome to have lived in caves.
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