Back to Bernal Camp

Sean wakes me up at 5:30 am for we decided last night to hot foot it back to the falls for dawn. I make it in half an hour, not bad for a fat Welsh boy! I don't stop at the view point but continue round the corner to take a dip in a pool under the falls itself. More bikini babes! A refreshing cool dip is just what I needed after a hot sweaty trek. I love this place! I walk back to camp with Will and Adriana (they're engaged and hope to marry in a few months) just in time for breakfast; slice of ham, slice of cheese, scrambled eggs and arrata (local corn pattie). It's then back on the long boats for the ride down the rapids back to Bernal Tours, stopping only for a quick swim off a sandy beach river bank and to take photos of a face in the rock. Oh, and again when the boat gets grounded, we all had to jump off to float it free. We also had to walk for half an hour overland while the boat went around and met us on the other side. We were supposed to visit an Indian village - but I only saw a souvenir shop. Whatever! I decide to go topless and catch some midday rays for the duration of the walk.

The Checks think I'm very brave doing the jungle thing and touring South America with no grasp of Spanish. In fact, most people think the Angel Falls trip is an adventure, hence think what I'm about to undertake is very extreme. Actually, when I think of it, everyone has commented on how brave I am and it's even been mentioned that the British in particular have a sense of adventure. The Checks make a point of saying goodbye and give me their email address to hear how the jungle went. Sean and Monika, Will and Adriana also leave the Bernal Camp - I'll miss them all.

Only the Brits Mark and Lisa and Steve, another Canadian, are left. This is, until Susanne arrives. A short, large breasted Venezuelan girl - man, I love bikinis! I go out with them for another tour of the falls. Susanne is quite bubbly and takes a shine to me, holding on to me whilst walking down steep downhill bits. She catches her bikini bottoms in the back zip of her denim skirt and asks me to sort it. It's wedges in pretty good and I fail. Still, I got a good unexpected view of her arse! The waterfalls have dried up significantly over the past 2 days, however the BIG one is awesome still. On the walk back Steve has the gift of the gab and inadvertently steals Susanne away from me. I can not compete. He is further triumphant on returning to camp as his multi-tool has a pair of pliers which he uses to release the stuck zip. Defeated I head to the shower to wash some clothes. On my return I gross everyone out because I took a photo of a toad in the toilet with a huge blood sucking tick on it's side!

Speaking to the owner of the camp, she lets me stay for an extra night or two for free as long as I pay for food. Cool. But she's concerned about my one-way ticket as there's nowhere in Canaima to buy a return! Ulp! She gets on her Walkie Talkie and says she'll sort something out. (this whole conversation in Spanish of course!) After dinner, which always comprises of meat in sauce, rice and salad, we head to the beach and start a fire. I spend most of the night chatting to Lisa whilst Mark, Patrice and Steve find wood and tend to the fire. After the couples leave, only Susanne, Steve and I are left. I feel awkward for the other two seem to be getting um, close. So I head back early to my hammock. Shame, because I was really enjoying staring at the stars in the sky.

Posted by Steve Eynon