Awesome (Sarah)
Okay so the spiders in the cave were the size of my hand and faster than a speeding bullet.
The sound of a raging thunderstorm approaching the landing strip over lunch did slightly make me anxious but I was totally unprepared for the fact that our pilot was a dancing-with-death flying stuntman / part time comedian.
Talk about 'scream if you want to go faster' the louder we shouted the more he swung those wings, we will never need to go to alton towers again.
Wow, that was trully one of the most exhilarating and frankly breathtaking days ever. I need a whisky. xxxxx
Friday, 26 June 2009
We go flying (Hugh)
Two pairs of binoculars purchased fresh from Snow & Rock. Low quality, admittedly, but I didn’t expect both to have broken on their first outing. The first pair, courtesy of Monty, has evolved seamlessly into a pair of telescopes. I am actually rather pleased with this development. By cutting the neck cord, I have now doubled their original utility as advertised, since two kids can now look at parrots without causing argument, whilst the third child copes with the remaining tool in the original stereo format.
Unfortunately, the remaining binoculars were apparently also not functioning properly either. Jemima marches up – “this pair is broken too Mummy – everything is really small”. Turn them round, chief.
The day started out with us eyeing up a heli, but they never left us alone with it long enough to make a clean getaway.
Later found a plane.
I was rusty, but this did not dim my confidence.
We were soon airborne, and flying through tepuys in pretty good weather, only a few clouds breaking up the view.
We landed at Kavac, a fake tourist village, but were then led by pretty genuine looking locals through some savannah, then up a river and into a cave. This cave contained said river, a few ropes guiding us up the torrent to end up at a spectacular waterfall.
Monty did well; they wouldn’t have allowed adults into this place in the UK. It was only on the way down that we spied some seriously big cave spiders, one of them scuttling after Sarah almost as if the guide had a remote control.
Lunch was in one of the fake huts, and was good. The flight back was just breathtaking though – up to 8000 feet to get over the scarp of the gran tepuy, then close enough to Angel Falls to get the wings wet.
I think the pilot (yeah ok we picked one up in Kavac) really fed off the screams, and his days in ‘Nam were coming back to him by the end as we buzzed the Canaima falls then the hotel before landing a lttle breathless back at the airport. Just awesome.
Unfortunately, the remaining binoculars were apparently also not functioning properly either. Jemima marches up – “this pair is broken too Mummy – everything is really small”. Turn them round, chief.
The day started out with us eyeing up a heli, but they never left us alone with it long enough to make a clean getaway.
Later found a plane.
I was rusty, but this did not dim my confidence.
We were soon airborne, and flying through tepuys in pretty good weather, only a few clouds breaking up the view.
We landed at Kavac, a fake tourist village, but were then led by pretty genuine looking locals through some savannah, then up a river and into a cave. This cave contained said river, a few ropes guiding us up the torrent to end up at a spectacular waterfall.
Monty did well; they wouldn’t have allowed adults into this place in the UK. It was only on the way down that we spied some seriously big cave spiders, one of them scuttling after Sarah almost as if the guide had a remote control.
Lunch was in one of the fake huts, and was good. The flight back was just breathtaking though – up to 8000 feet to get over the scarp of the gran tepuy, then close enough to Angel Falls to get the wings wet.
I think the pilot (yeah ok we picked one up in Kavac) really fed off the screams, and his days in ‘Nam were coming back to him by the end as we buzzed the Canaima falls then the hotel before landing a lttle breathless back at the airport. Just awesome.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
El Sapo (monty)
we went on a boat trip and we went under a waterfall it was realy fun we got wet. then we did a strong person photo.
Eliza
25-6-09
We got up really early in the morning, at four o’clock and we went on two planes and they were both half an hour and when we were on the second plane I was sick and I did it in daddy’s lap top cover twice.
When we got to the place I was sick again in the bar and then I sat down for a little while and then I burst out to the loo and I was sick five times. Then I had a four hour big sleep and it made me feel better, Then I had lunch and it was chicken and rice. Then we went on a boat and it was really fun and I saw a tincy crocodile.
Then at an island we walked under a waterfall and we got very very wet and it was so fun that I was about to faint. Then we climbed up a hill through the rain forest and found a multicoloured frog that looked like it was made of plastic and daddy poked it. It bounced and it nearly hit me. We carried on and there were lots of big steps that we had to climb up. We were at the top of the waterfall and we found a really big hole and I nearly fell in it.
When we went back down we passed a house-cave were an old Peruvian man used to live. He made the path behind the waterfall and lived there for ten years in a hammock until he died there.
Sarah
If you study the photo above you will imagine my maternal horror when a second later Hugh decided to walk along the log towards Jemima.
Pavlo the guide and I froze in terror as the force of gravity initiated a fulcrum effect sending Jemima hurting at full speed towards the torrent below whilst the far end of the pivot rose sharply in a catapult ¬like manner threatening to send Monty over the cascades like something out of an Incredibles cartoon.
Luckily with her well honed skills of self preservation, Mima leapt off in to the shallows redressing the balance, bringing Monty safely back down to earth with a thwack.
I had no idea Venezualan guides could laugh so long and so heartily as Pavlo can.
Then we went on top of the waterfall.
Eliza
25-6-09
We got up really early in the morning, at four o’clock and we went on two planes and they were both half an hour and when we were on the second plane I was sick and I did it in daddy’s lap top cover twice.
When we got to the place I was sick again in the bar and then I sat down for a little while and then I burst out to the loo and I was sick five times. Then I had a four hour big sleep and it made me feel better, Then I had lunch and it was chicken and rice. Then we went on a boat and it was really fun and I saw a tincy crocodile.
Then at an island we walked under a waterfall and we got very very wet and it was so fun that I was about to faint. Then we climbed up a hill through the rain forest and found a multicoloured frog that looked like it was made of plastic and daddy poked it. It bounced and it nearly hit me. We carried on and there were lots of big steps that we had to climb up. We were at the top of the waterfall and we found a really big hole and I nearly fell in it.
When we went back down we passed a house-cave were an old Peruvian man used to live. He made the path behind the waterfall and lived there for ten years in a hammock until he died there.
Sarah
If you study the photo above you will imagine my maternal horror when a second later Hugh decided to walk along the log towards Jemima.
Pavlo the guide and I froze in terror as the force of gravity initiated a fulcrum effect sending Jemima hurting at full speed towards the torrent below whilst the far end of the pivot rose sharply in a catapult ¬like manner threatening to send Monty over the cascades like something out of an Incredibles cartoon.
Luckily with her well honed skills of self preservation, Mima leapt off in to the shallows redressing the balance, bringing Monty safely back down to earth with a thwack.
I had no idea Venezualan guides could laugh so long and so heartily as Pavlo can.
Fun at the airport
Wednesday (Hugh)
If you have to catch a flight with my dear wife, there is one thing that you need to know. She likes to be last onto the plane.
If, against protocol, your taxi delivers you in good time at the airport, you must initially spend that time milling around aimlessly looking at shops. The indication “go to gate” is a signal to sit down at a café or bar, depending on the time of day, and order something that will take some time to cook. Once the family is safely ensconced in this position, you remember that something of great importance is required for the flight or the trip – perhaps a book, or on this occasion, a Nintendo DS game. Leave your husband helpless, with all the bags and at least one child. Ensure that your ‘phone is switched off so that you are completely uncontactable other than via tannoy. As the clock winds down, return eventually to the family, ambling slowly, perhaps texting a friend as you stroll, to find your husband in a state of helpless stress. You then join him in the headlong dash for the plane.
But this is my sabbatical, an opportunity for me to unwind from the pressures of work, business travel and the daily grind. I am determined to be unconcerned during this trip, no stress for me. All arrangements will lie in my wife’s hands – I will follow meekly and muted, “high” and chilled out on a permanent weekend.
But I couldn’t do it. I snapped early, I’m sorry. I was in (on) the loo when the tannoy announced that our flight was closing. Thank God for my limited German. For anyone watching, it would have been inspired comedy, my running headlong from the bog with the door swinging, pulling up my trousers on the run yelling instructions ahead to pick up our possessions and run for it. Sarah and Jemima led the way, then me with Whizz and Monty, two packs and a guitar.
We made it, of course, we always do, but I’m taking charge again. We have 16 more flights to take on this trip, and I don’t have enough adrenaline to cover all of them.
Thursday (Jemima)
We woke up at 4:30 in American time as it would be around 9:30 in the morning in England. We took lots of pictures for our first proper day, here is one of them. Had breakfast at 5:00 as we had an early plane to Puerto Ordaz, then Canaima on another plane to go and see Angel falls in a boat. As probably you know Angel falls is the highest water fall ever recorded in the whole world. Angel Falls is 979 metres high (almost 1 kilometre!) and was named after the America pilot, Jimmie Angel, who flew over it in 1937 only to crash onto the top of Auyantepuy. Unscathed, he, his wife and two fellow passengers decided to descend the Carrao river and 11 days later managed to regain contact with civilisation. We are hoping to re-enact his adventure.
If you have to catch a flight with my dear wife, there is one thing that you need to know. She likes to be last onto the plane.
If, against protocol, your taxi delivers you in good time at the airport, you must initially spend that time milling around aimlessly looking at shops. The indication “go to gate” is a signal to sit down at a café or bar, depending on the time of day, and order something that will take some time to cook. Once the family is safely ensconced in this position, you remember that something of great importance is required for the flight or the trip – perhaps a book, or on this occasion, a Nintendo DS game. Leave your husband helpless, with all the bags and at least one child. Ensure that your ‘phone is switched off so that you are completely uncontactable other than via tannoy. As the clock winds down, return eventually to the family, ambling slowly, perhaps texting a friend as you stroll, to find your husband in a state of helpless stress. You then join him in the headlong dash for the plane.
But this is my sabbatical, an opportunity for me to unwind from the pressures of work, business travel and the daily grind. I am determined to be unconcerned during this trip, no stress for me. All arrangements will lie in my wife’s hands – I will follow meekly and muted, “high” and chilled out on a permanent weekend.
But I couldn’t do it. I snapped early, I’m sorry. I was in (on) the loo when the tannoy announced that our flight was closing. Thank God for my limited German. For anyone watching, it would have been inspired comedy, my running headlong from the bog with the door swinging, pulling up my trousers on the run yelling instructions ahead to pick up our possessions and run for it. Sarah and Jemima led the way, then me with Whizz and Monty, two packs and a guitar.
We made it, of course, we always do, but I’m taking charge again. We have 16 more flights to take on this trip, and I don’t have enough adrenaline to cover all of them.
Thursday (Jemima)
We woke up at 4:30 in American time as it would be around 9:30 in the morning in England. We took lots of pictures for our first proper day, here is one of them. Had breakfast at 5:00 as we had an early plane to Puerto Ordaz, then Canaima on another plane to go and see Angel falls in a boat. As probably you know Angel falls is the highest water fall ever recorded in the whole world. Angel Falls is 979 metres high (almost 1 kilometre!) and was named after the America pilot, Jimmie Angel, who flew over it in 1937 only to crash onto the top of Auyantepuy. Unscathed, he, his wife and two fellow passengers decided to descend the Carrao river and 11 days later managed to regain contact with civilisation. We are hoping to re-enact his adventure.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Travelling (Jemima)
Today we woke up at 4:30 in the morning everyone thought they were going to fall asleep any minute now but happily no one did apart from daddy who did in the taxi. The taxi came at 5:00am and we got in. Balloo thought he was coming with us so he jumped in but we eventually got him out so we drove off having to say goodbye to Kjasa our au pair; here is a photo of us when we left our house.
Ebony was sad and put her chin on Mummy’s footrest. We got into the taxi and we had a short half hour journey. When we got to the airport we went along corridors, upstairs, downstairs and then we got in all the queues and then finely got to all the shops and we had a drink in one of the cafes. Then suddenly the speaker said that our gate was nearly closed so we had to run about three times around the building. Then finally we reached the gate just as it was closing and got in.
We got on the plane and settled down, the plane took off and we all played on our Nintendos and then when we got there we saw a club car with nobody in it so Monty drove off in it so we had to chase him and jump on. Here he is on the car with us.
Now we are transferring to Caracas. Just the ten hours then.
Ebony was sad and put her chin on Mummy’s footrest. We got into the taxi and we had a short half hour journey. When we got to the airport we went along corridors, upstairs, downstairs and then we got in all the queues and then finely got to all the shops and we had a drink in one of the cafes. Then suddenly the speaker said that our gate was nearly closed so we had to run about three times around the building. Then finally we reached the gate just as it was closing and got in.
We got on the plane and settled down, the plane took off and we all played on our Nintendos and then when we got there we saw a club car with nobody in it so Monty drove off in it so we had to chase him and jump on. Here he is on the car with us.
Now we are transferring to Caracas. Just the ten hours then.
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Goodbye
We had to say our last goodbyes today as it was our last day before our big holiday. The sad thing is is that Mrs Shar our maths teacher and Priya Shar in Elizas class our leaving while we are gone. they are going to Brunei so we will probably never see them ever again.
Eliza is getting excited
I'm very excited about seeing the bigest waterfall in the world.
I'm very very excited because we are going to stay in a RV.
This is the packing.
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