Uncle Traveling Matt: Mount Sorrow's Revenge

July 13, 2006

Mount Sorrow's Revenge

Thursday morning, time to go—however it was still raining heavily and things weren't looking good. At midday our bus arrived on time, which was promising yet apparently it stalled in the middle of one of the rivers on the way up, which shattered our optimism some what! We departed on time and did get through the first river ok, but by the time we reached the second river the water level was too high. We couldn't go back either since the first river had risen also. Luckily, in between the two rivers was PK's so we went there to wait and see.

The plan was to leave at 2pm, but at 2pm the rivers were still too high. So then it was 3pm, but at 3pm it was still no go. Then it was 5pm, then it was the whole idea was abandoned for the night. The rivers were now at 1.1 meters and full of crocodiles as well I might add, so getting stuck in the middle of them wasn't the best plan, lol!

So we were stuck there the night, the problem being we weren't the only ones and there wasn't enough beds to go around. Prudently our guide realised this early on and booked out beds for everyone on our bus, himself included. God knows where the other people slept, two to a single bed or on the floor?!

Friday Morning, buses with snorkels and 4x4's to tow us though the rivers arrive. By this stage everyone had given up on washing since our clothes where all wet and I didn't didn't even want to touch my towel as it was kinda brownish by now [originally it was blue]. We smelt like rising damp according to the Irish girls (group #2) and feral according to the English girls. We were hopeful of getting away, as the rain eased over night. But at 7am the rain started and the rivers were rising again and everyone was in a panic to get on the their buses and the hell out of there before it's too late! When we finally got across the rivers and onto the main [sealed] road, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—We have escaped from Cape Tribulation!

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Posted by Matt at July 13, 2006 8:40 PM