Overnight my batteries had recharged and were back at 10%. I was still very weak, my legs were hurting, I had not eaten for a week and my stomach had the size of a marble toy. Throughout the seven days of my adventure to Mount Roraima I had not really felt hunger and this morning was not different. My diet was over now, I had lost five kilos or more, my body was clean and I had to force myself now to eat, I was not sure what and when but I had to eat something today. First I drove to the bus terminal to have a drink and at the same time have a look if I would not meet someone from group Gregory on the way home.

I drove back to the main square, parked the car and connected the computer to the free internet, started to catch up with the queued up work from the project and at the same time have a look if I would not meet someone from group Gregory. I worked for an hour before the heat started to enter the car. I became thirsty and went for a walk around the center, entered one of the many breakfast bars and had a Maracuja juice. I went back to the car and continued with my work on the project, became thirsty again and went for another walk around the center.

I walked around the corner onto the main street and suddenly saw my friends the photographer and the journalist from group Gregory getting out of a taxi. I was already pretty close but they had not seen me. I stepped on a bench and shouted “all members of group Gregory please gather here at the bench”. They turned towards me, recognized me and had the surprise and a big smile in their face. I walked to them and gave them a big hug. They had arrived together with Rammstein and Dreamcatcher and wanted to check in a posada because they had bus tickets only for tomorrow. I was suddenly reunited with more than half the group here in Santa Elena de Uairen, Gregory arrived with the Guacharaca’s and Omar with the cooks. Everybody needed money for the extra expenses here, the posada, for lunch and dinner and the bus ticket. I walked with my friends the photographer and the journalist to the bank to withdraw 3000 Bolivares, 20 Reales or 5 Euro each, the maximum for the day. You even had to stand in line outside the bank in the heat of the midday sun for more than thirty minutes for the withdrawal of this ridiculous amount. Everybody had his own bank card and group Gregory was all over the city to withdraw 5 Euro.

I had made up my mind with respect to my lunch and decided to have a soup at one of the snack bars at the food mall just a few yards away from the group’s posada. Gregory arrived as well, sat down and ordered a soup. When I saw Gregory’s cup I immediately realized that I could not eat that much and asked Gregory to negotiate for me a smaller cup with just the bouillon for half the price. Eating felt good, very good but at the same time I was full quick, very quick. My batteries were back to 20%.

Everybody was having a rest at the posada; I went back to my car and continued with my work on the project Rio 2016, became thirsty, wanted to have a Maracuja juice but decided to have an ice cream from my favorite ice cream bar. I felt full, completely full. Late in the afternoon everybody arrived at the main square, sat in the shade and waited for the sun to set. I was not hungry but joined the group for dinner. Omar guided us to a small square where only at night a handful of mobile snack bars opened for dinner and offered mixed meat plates from the grill. I tasted sausage, chicken and beef but I was full, completely full.

Group Gregory

Operator – Gregory

Guide – Omar

Cook – Cleidymar

Cook – Keila

Carrier – Julian

Carrier – Jesus

Doc McCoy – Alejandro Izaguirre

Chekov – Yanjos Ave

Uhura – Maria Jose Lopez

Rammstein – Omar Rivas

Dreamcatcher – Joselyn Godoy

Photographer – Gianfranco di Campo

Journalist – Mariolga Gomez

Ecuador – Juan

Belgium – Sylvie

Guacharaca – Claudia Valenzuela

Guacharaca – Yolanda di Sevo

Guacharaca – Yuli Viloria

Gringo – AlexK