GMV - Part 2

Next day.

Morning breakfast - Great food again. Off for 3 caves today. All require swimming. After a short mountain jungle hike, we swim 500m thru the cave entrance. Hung Ken cave. Once in the cave river, following the guides I climb up the rock bank into the black darkness.

Grabbing stalagmites, and jagged limestone rocks, accepting the guides’ hand. We wear life vests and full clothes. Long pants and shirt, Cambodian boots. We scramble over sharp rocks, all the while being in awe of the environment. The caves are massive. 35m tall, even wider; but the trail often requires tight turns and passages to move forward. After a stretch, the cave floor flattens to a sand bottom. It’s picture time. The guide has the cameras in a water tight container. After returning to the camp site, we eat another prepared lunch. Hot soup and plenty of food.

We repeat this adventure again after lunch going to a famous cave Tu LAN. One particular famous National Geographic photo is from here. These caves are the real deal. Require tight squeezes, intense climbs up rope holds. Slow, cautious foot placement or an accident is guaranteed. Without the guides strong hand and the rock outcroppings, I’d never make it. I survive again, wow this is adventure. Good morning Vietnam - GMV!!!

In the deepest part in Tu Lan our guides have us turn off all lights. Absolute complete blackout. Ten minutes later I can only barely see the outline of my hand. It’s still, cool, a different world. Pondering the millions and millions of years the earth takes to form these wonders puts the short human life span in perspective. It’s timeless here in the dark.

The final cave of the day is Hung Kim cave. We have to swim 3 times at different points during our journey through it. Countless waste deep crossings. Headlamps leading the way, helmets, gloves protect my hands. Bats everywhere. Sometimes flying a few feet in front as I swim, eating insects. I’m in the Lord of the Rings.

This last cave today includes a swim with our full back packs. The tight squeeze thru parts of the cave trail are a challenge, ducking swimming climbing.

We finish with another jungle climb and a dozen small river crossings. A new camp site that the porters have prepared awaits us.

I live. Where’s my expresso? Oh well, there’s instant coffee. That will repair my body for another day. More caves tomorrow.

No leeches on me, but some of the others pull them off .. pausing for pictures.

We change to dry clothes and share a jungle meal overshadowed by another cave. There are over 400 known caves in this area, but there must be thousands more to be discovered. Rest up, another big jungle climb is planned for the morning.