RORAIMA Trek     Third day

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We spent night in a place called El Hotel. Quite a good bivak place under overhanged rock with a view to Roraima and Kukenán plateau. Was a little bit cold but we expected to be colder. Feliciano gladly accepted a glas of tea flavoured by Czech rum as "aqua roraima". The morning was even more fascinating. Sun rays beamed Kukenan first ....

... and then were slowly filling thousands of pools. The water is realy everywhere. Next interesting thing is silence. No bird warbling or cricket twittering. So unusual that ears becomming "to ache".

We wanted to visit place called triple point but Feliciano didnt agree (we have 4 day trek only). Finally we persuaded him, but we should be "fast". Breakfast was cancelled and we started immediately at 7 a.m. The trail was winding among the small water pools through tiny rocky miniridges or directly accross the water. The blue sky was fantasticaly mirroring on a water surface of the pools.

In a hurry we forgot to take water. "Blamed" by Feliciano that there is no more water further on we drunk water from ugly puddle. Of course, there were many nice streams later on (and we replaced water). Sometimes is better to believe more to own mind than to advices of experienced :-)). Our target was on the opposite corner of the Roraima plateau, approx. 10 km via one big rocky labyrinth.

We crossed small bushed valleys with small trees. On one place we were climbing through big boulders, on other was big flat rocky "plate". Sometimes rock had bizzare shapes caused by erosion and surrounding was like "moon landscape".

Before our final destination we visited "crystal valley". In reality, it was just 30 meters section around tiny stream. But crystals were everywhere. Trail passed through crystal field and we felt sorry to pad (crunch) them. It is forbidden to take crystals (100 USD fine) and sometimes national park guardians are checking backpacks.

Just before noon we reached our target destination - TRIPLE POINT - "end of the world", where borders of Venezuela, Brasil and Guayana meets. We are lucky and sun started to shine again. Place is marked by concrete white painted geodetic spire. Every side is located in different country. We are making photos in "venezuela" and "brasil". The sign on Guayana side is removed. Venezuela claims to this teritory (was venezuelan in the past).

On fast walk we are returning back by the different way via El Laco(?) - kind of nice water-hole in the rock with waterfall. It started to rain (as usual on Roraima). Return way is becomming a little bit monotonous and boring. On 2 p.m. we're back in our tent (El Hotel). I am making picture of gorgeous "water mini-gardens" alá japanese Ikebana.

After light lunch we started to descent. Rumble doest not bring good news. Just below Roraima edge I took photo of the "meat eating plant" (dont know exact word) which we surprisingly not saw on top.

Heavy downpour started. After three hours of descent, totally wet throuh we arrived at Base Camp. Without rest we went along down. Was becomming a real hell on earth. Water mass falling down from heavy clouds, lightings on left and right... and we're still going on a bloody ridge as the highest points in surrounding. Trail changed to bleary stream, it went dark and only lightings showed us way ahead. "Horror on the ridge" lasts two hours. I have never seen so many lightings in my life! Tired to death we came to Kukenán camp side and erected tent. The last remaining rum vanished from the bottle.....

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