Hot Springs

So as volunteer teachers we are fortunate and blessed enough to be taken on an excursion every month. Yey for us. So this month was a little something called the ‘Hot springs.’ Bearing in mind this was the only information I had been given about the excursion, along with having to bring my swimming costume (or bathing suit as my American fellow teachers would say) my mind was hard at work trying to imagine what Hot springs was. A sunny resort with deck chairs and cocktails came to mind until someone mentioned crocodiles live there in which I then thought of some awful swamp that had the name ‘hot springs’ to make it sound more appealing. Thankfully it was no swamp, and although crocodiles do live there they only come out at night (something my student told me that I had to pretend I already knew as they are already thinking there teachers isn’t very knowledgeable in the animal department) After travelling off road for a while through dainty little villages we come to an arrangement of trees surround a beautiful oasis of that bluey/greeny clear water, which I guess is a Hot spring.

Me being me was silly enough to not have got into my costume before we set off and with it being in the middle of know where found myself once again bearing the ‘shack of terror’ aka a wooden hut with a hole in the ground for a toilet. The stench was unbearable and the worst part was I needed a wee. With no other signs of toilets (real toilets) around and the fact we were spending the day there, I had to face my fears and go for it. So whether it is just me or the fact that maybe I am out of shape squatting over a hole seems to prove extremely difficult for me. Braving it up and reluctantly leaning one hand against the ant ridden wall I allow myself to wee. Not going into too much detail but how one is meant to aim into this ridiculous small hole in the ground is beyond me, I was just glad there was a spring full of water to wash down my legs. If you get my drift. Awkward.

So with that hideous experience out of the way I could enjoy my day (avoiding drinking liquids as much as I could) I was able to play on a rope swing into the water for the first time and it was amazing. Again and again I went on it, and 2 days on I am definitely feeling the wrath of it in my achy arms. (Remind me I need to start doing some sort of exercise to get fitter) Swimming underwater and looking at the beautiful fish and rocks. It looked better than I am describing it, honest.

Yum

Drying off before lunch

So then comes the ultimate experience. A tree that had a branch that went straight across the spring 25feet high in the air was a place where brave folk would cling onto to pull themselves up so they could dangle high up over the whole spring and then let them sleeves go plunging into the water. I saw 2 people do it and thought that I would give it a try. Thinking subconsciously that I would not dare do it, I allowed my self to at least climb the tree to the bit where the branch started to move out mid air over the spring. Once people saw I was close to branching out the cheers and encouragement started. Not wanting to let people down I decided to go a little further. Literally having to straddle this tree branch and hoist my self-up inch by inch there was no turning back. 

Mistakably I looked down, in which I then froze, heart beating increasingly fast I was absolutely terrified. 

The worst thing was I kept having to hoist my self further and further out onto the branch. If i had fallen where I was I would have fallen on rocks. Like an amateur 'tight rope walker' turned 'tree branch straddler' I hoisted myself further and further out onto the branch (regretting the huge bowl of peanut butter I had had for breakfast that morning, in case the branch broke) I was finally at a safe spot to fall. Getting into the right position was no easy task, putting my head down in front of me and wrapping my arms around the branch.

 Then swinging my body round so I am holding onto the branch upside down.  

 Arggh. I then let g of my legs and was dangling 25 feet above ground screaming my head off, running the whole ambiance of the hot springs until I finally had no other choice but to let go. 

 Did I feel better after doing it? No. Would I do it again? No. Am I over the whole ordeal. Time will tell.

Untill next time...