Lost in the Clouds

---

Perched precariously over the cliff edge, I watch the clouds wisp by below as I puff on a 5 cent, hand rolled cigar. Sitting on the boarder of safety and danger, with hundreds of feet of air dangling beneath my feet, fills me with a sense of being alive. The soothing echo of the 1000 ft water fall and the calming sound of wind rustling through the trees as it blows the shifting clouds over the ridge combines with the melodic chirps of tropical birds. The ample rainfall allows for a very lush environment in this humid, cloud forest. Thick, soft layers of various mosses cover the ground and rocks around where I sit. Orchids and other colorful flowers dabble the mountainside. In the shoulders and nooks of pines and other trees, tropical plants have taken root, adding another layer to the vegetation. The clouds part for a brief moment, allowing a spectacular view of the green valley below. A sense of contentedness, tranquility and bliss fills my body as I enjoy my mystical vista, perched in the clouds. A crack of thunder in the distance. We should probably head down.

The last hour of trail to the view point deteriorated into a barely recognizable level, only distinguishable from the wilderness and animal trails by small pieces of trash, usually plastic bags tied around branches, marking the way. We got lost on the assent a few times and had to backtrack until we found a marker, the happiest I've ever been to see a piece of trash in the woods. On the descent it seemed easier to follow the footsteps we created on the way up and we gained speed going downhill. Some how we ended up on an animal trail and having not seen any trash for a while we had to choose a plan of action. Instead of back tracking up hill, we decided to branch out and look for the trail or pieces of trash. Andy with Terra following behind, took a ridge way to the right. I was fairly certain that the trail was to the left so I continued in that direction. Eventually they were almost out of earshot, so I wandered in their direction telling them to come left. They abandoned their ridge, and found it much harder cutting across the mountain side. When we reconvened, we headed downhill to the left. The forest grew thicker and we had to climb over and duck under logs and branches and trample over and through the smaller vegetation. We saw a wild armadillo munching on wild mushrooms, who didn't seem to mind us observing him until Andy approached him trying to get a closer picture which caused him to duck into the thick underbrush. While following an animal trail, Andy nearly stepped on a very poisonous snake with his sandals. A dangerously close call being lost in the woods. Shortly after we finally stumbled upon a well maintained trail, but mistaking it for a different trail we headed right when we should have gone left. It took us about a half an hour before we realized our mistake and turned around just before it started to rain. We hid our cameras in our back pockets and quickened our pace, but the rain increased its furry. Tera wasn't complaining, but I could see a dissatisfaction on her face and she later admitted that she almost cried. After another hour of hiking we came to a familiar fork in the trail and it was greatly relieving to know that we were definitely going the right direction. Stomping and sliding though the mud, we continued to wander toward the truck. My sandal broke, so I had to continue barefoot. The feeling of soft, clay filled mud, squishing between your toes is very pleasant but the jagged volcanic rock, not so much. Arriving at the car, completely soaked, I was greatly relieved that my camera still functioned. We changed ¡nto some dry clothes and headed back to town for some warm, well deserved dinner.

---

Photos

The Mountain Path
While we were still on the trail

Waterfall
Peaking through the trees

Comments

[Roana]

I really like the descriptions in this one!