Sunday Adventure

This morning my friend Martha and I woke up at 7 am to meet a group to go spelunking. One of our advisors here sent us the link for a program. We weren't quite sure if other students would be there or what exactly we were doing. We were told it was a semiaquatic, 40 Euro excursion. This trip was phenomenal.

Our group consisted of 3 guides, about 10 other people who knew each other (all spanish adventurers), and the two of us. We set off, with the guides in one of their cars. We drove out of dry, desert-like Alicante and to green mountains.

After a quick lunch, we started hiking. Martha and I thought we would hike a short while before entering the cave. Little did we know that we would be trekking up the entire side of a full-blown mountain. One full hour of sweaty complaints and we had reached the entrance.

We slithered into our neoprene suits and snapped on our helmets. AND WE WERE OFF. For the next two and a half hours or so we climbed, swam, jumped, slipped and slid all over the inside of the mountain. It was incredible.

After exploring every corner of the caves, we exited, only to have to trudge back down the mountain.

But don't worry, it kept getting better. We wandered up part of a different mountain to find a beautiful 'ermita'. This little church served us well. We bought bottles of water from a sweet old man sitting outside and used the perfectly stocked bathrooms (a rare find around here).

But we're not done yet! Remember that we rode with the guides. Needless to say, Martha and I were literally aching and ready for bed. The guides were not. We drove up into the mountains and on back roads while they attempted to find a new path on the mountain. In this adventure we found wild fruit they picked for us and old ruins. It was a movie. Martha and I were just laughing and smiling. I could not believe how perfect the entire day had gone. It was nothing I could ever imagine.