Hiking in the jungle

It was one of those moments "Should i really do this?" It was a 3 hour van ride, and a 4 hour motor dugout boat ride. It was the night before and i reasoned "I'd rather do it and regret it, than not do it and not regret it." I had never been in the rainforest! It had always been a nonserious dream of mine! And here was the golden opportunity! Sure, I had a 6 month old and I had no idea what it would be like, but...

So i went.

The three hour car ride was alright. He slept, woke up, didn't like where he was, so he slept some more. Then we played on a beach while we waited for the Surinamers to load the boat. It takes forever, of course, because they're carribbean, but it was good because we got to chill.

Then we got on the boat, it was a dugout with a motor attached, but it was pretty comfortable. I could touch the water from where i sat, and there was enough space between my mother and i wehre i could sit the babe down if he wasn't asleep. But he was tired. So he slept for two hours, maybe more. Then when he woke up he was happy and played .And when we got there, he was so happy!

My mom said it was the tree energy. The guide said i couldn't go hiking with them to the waterfall the next day. She said it was a rough hike... My mom told her i was an athlete, and mentioned i had a baby carrier and wasn't going to be cradling him like i was in the boat. The guide said, ok. But if i need to stop, one of the guys will take me back.

Suffice it to say, i didn't turn back. He was so happy the entire time. He slept peacefully and when eh was awake he was looking up at the trees and laughing when i was singing. When we got to the waterfall, our final destination, the guide was so excited she took our picture. "The youngest hiker!" she proclaimed, and brought white rum to the local chiefs as a sign of respect.

He was happier in the jungle than he was in the apartment in san francisco. Am i projecting? I don't think so. He didn't cry at all, even when we slept outside under a mosquito net on a springy mattress. I'm so happy I went! Otherwise i would have just been hanging out in an apartment in the city, wondering if it would have been okay. And it was!