Chapter 9 ~ La Campana Part 2... Night of the Tarantula

In which I will attempt to explain the weekend spent at 'La Campana', the reasons behind my lies in a previous chapter, and what is going to be happening in my near future.


So I'm assuming you must be pretty baffled at this point. I mean you already read what happened at La Campana in Chapter 7, why would there be another chapter about it? Why would anyone want to read into further detail the disastrous effects of Mother Nature and the disappointing outcome of a camping trip. Well allow me to shed some light on this confusion and be the first to tell you that until three nights ago, I had never been to La Campana. Now before everyone accuses me of lying to them please allow me to explain. Apparently I had misinterpreted the entire weekend. When I thought we were going to La Campana, we were actually going to 'Roble'. I don't know where this mixup occurred in my mind; all I know for sure is that I believed so strongly that I was going to La Campana that I had even misread the scheduled outline of the class. So please switch everything discussing La Campana in Chapter 7 to El Roble. Now if you would like to know more information about Roble you will have to refer to the internet, or what I've stated in Chapter 7, because until about a week ago I had no idea what Roble was, let alone that I had even been there for two days. It didn't help that once I found out and explained the situation to my host mother, she didn't know where Roble was either. Now that I've cleared up my little misinterpretation, allow me to share with you the real Campana.

Friday - 8:30 pm: I just finished buying supplies for my Mountain Sports class. They told us today that we are going to be making pizza while camping (I don't know how either), so we need to make sure that we bring all the necessary supplies. I was supposed to meet up with some of my Chilean friends at 7:30 for a Wine Night that is taking place in Valpo, but I didn't get home from buying ingredients for pizza until just now. I still have to pack my hiking backpack because I have left everything for the last minute as usual (I tell myself I work best under pressure, but I hate being rushed; its a catch 22 I guess). I call my friends and tell them that tonight isn't going to work out for the wine night. I have to attempt to go to bed early because I have to leave in the morning by 6:30 at the latest to meet up with the rest of my class by 7. I eat a little something for dinner and begin to pack my camping gear. Sleeping bag, tent, pad to sleep on, clothes, cooking supplies, food, water, juice, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash... The backpack seems bottomless but that only comforts me a little bit, the more I put in it, the heavier it is and I still haven't been able to adjust the straps to fit me properly. I know my uncle and I did it before I left for Chile, but I've lost quite a bit of weight since then and it was empty when we did it. I know that when the class went to Roble, the professor, Rodrigo, took a picture of my backpack to use as an example of what an improperly fitted backpack looks like for future students. I am a little happy to know that I will stay apart of this class even after I return to the US, but a little annoyed about the manner of how I'll be remembered, especially seeing as Rodrigo tried to help adjust the backpack and couldn't figure it out either. I don't have time to think about that right now, its now 10 pm and I'm still not ready for camping. I'll have to raid the cupboards to find some eating utensils and a plate that can be used to cut vegetables on. I don't think Hilda will notice or even mind, its only for two days after all. Ok, I have found everything I need and the house is empty, time to get some much needed sleep (I haven't slept much in the last week; nerves about all the upcoming trips). I lay down, close my eyes, and am about to fall asleep when Hilda comes home. Ok, now that she's home I should go out and say goodnight, so I go to the kitchen. She is eating a whole chicken and seems to be in a good mood. I decide I am hungry and join her, who was I really kidding about trying to fall asleep before midnight. She explains that she has a few friends that are staying the night here and will be showing up at some point during the night. I guess I'm just not meant to sleep at all this week...

Saturday - 5:47 am: My alarm just went off (I can't set my alarm for normal times such as 15 passed the hour, 30 passed, or even 45 passed; its just another quirk I have). I am extremely tired and woke up a lot through the night, but I know if I go back to sleep I'll most likely miss the bus with my class. I get dressed for the day and get ready to leave. I'm a little nervous because I know I have to take a Micro to get to the meeting point, and even though I'm getting used to them a little more, it doesn't mean I'm comfortable with them and I'd still prefer about any other form of transportation. I walk the ten minutes to the bus stop and I wait. After four or five busses pass I think I see one that has the correct sign in its front window (I can never be sure, they go so fast and I can't read them unless they stop or at least slow down, not to mention its still dark so it just makes it that much harder). I flag the bus down and ask the bus driver if he is going to the place I need to go (1 Norte in between 1 and 2 Oriente) he tells me yes, takes my money and doesn't give me change. I'm confused and still really tired so I just ignore the fifty cents or so that he kept and sit down close to the front. I try to keep my eyes peeled but its dark and I'm tired. Finally, when I realize that the bus is not going where I need to go, and this bus driver clearly doesn't plan on telling me, I get off the bus and decide I can just walk from where I am. I make it to the meeting point in plenty of time (the professors had told us the night before that we can be up to 30 minutes late, gotta love Chilean time). We get on another bus towards Limache, then get on yet another bus towards La Campana. We arrive around 9:30 in the morning. Time to set up the tents and get everything ready. I know we aren't ascending the mountain today so I take my time. After everything is set up, we have a quick lecture on how to properly set up a tent, then we are off on a hike. We walk around the trails and learn about the different types of trees in the mountains, which we are told are going to appear on the final exam at the end of the semester. I doubt if I'm even going to remember what their names are tonight. We continue down the path, it is a beautiful day and the views are great, it feels great to be back in the mountains, and then it happens... TARANTULA!!! Ok that may be an overstatement, it is dead when we find it. Now I have to say, my fear of spiders may be lessening, I am brave enough to walk up to it, look at it, and watch as the professor picks it up and then 'plays' with it until finding a final resting place for it off the path. Just because my fear is lessening doesn't mean its gone though, and I can't help but wonder how many more are out there, that aren't dead, that are waiting for me walk by them so they can attack. We continue on a little further and find a few gold mines...

And even though they say not to enter, we enter a few, looking for bats and whatever else we can find. The only flashlight we have is the one on my cell phone, so we can see about as much as if I were holding a candle in the middle of a hurricane. Still its fun and something new. We don't find anything and get to the end of the trail, stop for a break and play a few team building games, and a few games that remind me of grade school. They are fun and a good way to pass the time. We return to camp and make our pizza, from scratch, using nothing but the pans we brought and the little propane cookers we have. It takes a while and the pizzas are small, but they still taste great! Now lunch is over and we have an hour or so for a little nap or some more games. Half the group chooses games and the others go off for some much needed sleep. I went with the games knowing I wouldn't really be able to sleep. After the break its time for some repelling. We walk up a different trail and the professors set everything up and we begin to repel. Its just as much fun as the first time we did it in Las Chilcas. The first time down is a little nerve racking, but after that its a great rush of adrenaline. After that its time for dinner, rice with veggies (I'm in a vegetarian group because I didn't mind only eating veggies a for a few nights). Then its time for a bonfire, some mind racking games, one of which I can't figure out, but I'll have the entire hike tomorrow to do it, and then bed. We have to be up a little before 6 am tomorrow for the big hike...

Sunday - 6:07 am: I feel exhausted. Sharing a small tent between three people in the mountains with no heat doesn't provide much comfort for sleep, especially because last night while I was gathering wood for the bonfire, I encountered my second tarantula. It was under a little crevice and looked like it was in the attack position, or maybe the defense position... either way it was enough to stop me from gathering more firewood and join the rest of the group. We all get up and begin preparing our breakfast. Its freezing outside but I know that in a few short hours I'll be hiking up a mountain in the sun, wishing I were still cold. We eat, wash our dishes, and brush our teeth just in time for the professors to tell us its time to start the hike. Its a little passed 7:15 and we begin on the main trail. We walk for about 15 minutes and then we stop at the entrance to a trail off of the one we are currently on; we are instructed to stretch...

I have never really stretch before a hike before and am a little confused but I do it anyway. The hike begins. It starts out at a little incline but I know its going to get much worse. We are told that the overall hike will take about 4-5 hours to the summit, and then another 3-4 hours to return. We try to play some games and sing some songs to pass the time, but we are running out of breath and wearing out fast. Then we come to our first stop and the view is enough to make anyone want to continue.

That is where we are headed. It still looks so far away. I drink a little water, eat a granola bar, and then continue on. The trail gets increasingly more challenging the further up we go, but hiking in a group keeps everyone motivated to continue. We stop at a few more places and then about two-thirds of the way up we encounter some campers, complete with horses and tents, and one of the horses and I have a stare off...

The views are increasingly better each time we stop, and they are more than enough to keep us going. The air is getting thinner the higher we go, and I have decided to relieve Freddo (one of the guys in my group) of the backpack. I regret it immediately because we have now encountered the hardest and most dangerous part of our hike. the trail is gone and its just small boulders and rocks/dirt from here on out and I have just added an extra 10 pounds to myself, which doesn't sound like a lot, but after hiking all day, not sleeping the night before, and when breathing is difficult, the backpack is a bad idea. Not five minutes after I take over the backpack we encounter this sign...

My morale is getting low, my energy is crumbling like the rocks falling down the mountain side, and the only things keeping me going now are my fellow classmates, the view, and the thought of being able to say I've climbed that mountain to the peak. Well, after all the sleeplessness, all the pain in my thighs, all the sweat and all the lightheadedness, we make it to the top; and I'm not joking when I say that it was more than worth it! Now pictures can't do the view justice, but here are a few to show the reward that followed the last few days...

You could see everything, from the Andes Mountains to the Ocean. It was even possible to see a mountain in Argentina.

Now the decent was pretty bad too. 3 hours of walking down hill, jumping from rock to rock; it was painful on the knees and feet, but I would do it all over again in a second. And as I sit here, typing this message, my entire body sore, I can't help but feel proud, knowing that I did something that not just anyone could do. I am happy to report that by the end of the hike, Cesar (one of the professors), never gave up on helping me figure out the one mind-trick game we had played the night before, and I have now figured them all out. So if any of you are in for a little riddle of a game, just let me know. I did not run into any more tarantulas on the journey and survived the one live tarantula I did run into. I feel sufficiently prepared for Machu Picchu, which I will be leaving for in 4 days. I am going alone, as I've said, and even though I am a little nervous, I know that after this last weekend I will be just fine in Peru. It should make for some great stories, if not anything else.

As always I want to thank all of you readers (I know this was a long entry, and written a little differently) and I hope you all find yourselves healthy and happy. I hope you all enjoy the pictures and rest assured I have hundreds more for when I get home. I want to especially thank everyone in my mountain sporting group who hiked with me this last weekend, you all pushed me and helped to make it to the end! Until the next time...
No Vemo Pronto
S.R.