Happy birthday queen Sabine!!!

I had decided that I would practice walking up to the day that I would finally make it up to Mount Roraima. I started today at the indigenous community Mana Krü close to the house of the mother of Luis. I parked the car next to the gymnasium and had chosen the mountain with the three white crosses on top for a start.

The inclination was very steep and I needed all strength to climb up the really steep parts. I could not avoid that in some moments I had to have a break as my legs were about to start shaking. Half way up the hill a small dog appeared and defended his territory barking at me with all his energy. He was on his way down and I was on my way up. We respected each other and continued. I had to take two breaks of three minutes each before I made it to the top. I had needed a little bit less than 30 minutes and wanted to continue walking now because this was not enough practice. The mountain top was just the highest point of an extensive ridge which allowed walking for another hour before going back down.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

The cyber was closed today and so I could focus on my search for more backpackers. First I went to the terminal and had a drink. The walk definitely had made me thirsty. On the way to the terminal I passed the endless queue of cars waiting to enter the gas station. Same procedure every day, even on a Sunday. No sign of backpackers at the terminal, so I went back to the city center and to the street of the Gringo posadas and the Gringo tour operators. At the end of the street I could see a group of three backpackers and drove straight towards them. Someone already had pitched them and had a conversation with them. It was Gabriel the mobile tattoo artist who had a job somewhere inland and had rented a car to get there. He had offered the Argentinian backpackers to take them; they wanted to rest first on a nice campground for some days.

I waited for my turn to speak and then asked about their interest to climb Mount Roraima. They confirmed their interest but with no fixed date. At least I had the feeling that I might have the chance to find my own group in the next days. I had to let them take their rest and drove to the main square. You could feel it was Sunday today, at the square, on the streets, at the terminal and at the shops that were closed, not at the queue for the gas station though.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

It was a difficult day today in this small border town city with nothing to do. I possibly drove four or five times to the terminal and back to the city, but it was Sunday, bloody Sunday. I hated Sunday’s when I was a child exactly for that reason,  the city was empty, shops were closed and everybody had to stay home because it was Sunday. The time did not want to pass, at least not for me. I was looking at the clock trying to force it to go quicker and let the night come and make me tired and make me sleep.

Happy birthday queen Sabine!!!

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.