We haven't posted now for several days...sort of worn down. Friday took the boat to Santa Cruz with the service group, a shorter 10Q ride. This was the most arduous territory since San Antonio, probably more so. San Antonio is very steep stairs and walks, but Santa Cruz adds in trails and riverbeds. You can hike up a veritable goat trail for twenty to thirty minutes just to get to one house, and then the same to get back down.
How does one live in such a place?! Just to get there is a challenge, and then to bring in food, drinking water, and other supplies? I just can't imagine. And many of these houses aren't just shacks, they are relatively beautiful homes by any standards. Labor is cheap in Guatemala, so much of the carrying and carting has to be hired out.
I was paired with Drew, and he had us hiking a dry riverbed to get to a house at the bottom of a valley. That was the roughest yet. I had to stop and rest often. The thinner air and intenser sun at this altitude really makes every effort that much more difficult.
We had started the territory from the boat dock and worked our way up the paved street to the town. The street is concrete pavers as many are here, very steep with multiple switchbacks as it meanders up the mountain to the town. About two thirds of the way up, our territory went off to the left, a twisting, turning walkway between the houses. To reach many of the houses in the city requires going up or down a stone or dirt path that can be a challenge in itself.
The path we followed became a newly concrete paved walk that led down into a valley. This apparently is a federal government infrastructure project, nicely done but still in places treacherous because of its steepness. (Cats fighting outside on the veranda as I'm writing this!) The pavement has thick crosswise grooves to slow down water and to prevent slipping. Every so often there is a turnout to channel water into an uncovered catchbasin. This walk ended abruptly at some steep steps. Although this is some of the best walk construction that I've seen here, it would never pass Code or OSHA in the States because it would be considered too unsafe.
After finishing the territory (i.e. too exhausted to continue and no clear boundaries) we miraculously found the rest of our group and hiked back to the main road. We came out about midway between the dock and the town. Raquel and I, with Lydia, were too worn out to go any further, so waited until the others climbed up to a cafe and sent a tuk-tuk to get us.
I have some photos on my phone, but have had trouble transferring them to my tablet. I will see if it's easier with our laptop.
How do you keep enough drinking water along with you? Do they have thermoses and ice cubes?
ReplyDeleteToday I tested my foot out on the sidewalk along N Point and did both sets of stairs to keep working on building up my foot. Didn't work too well. A lot of swelling and icing. The temps are s'posed to dip down about 20° tomorrow so I'm going to try a different pair of shoes. It's pretty comfortable just around the house on the flooring, but cement and store tiles. Sometimes I think I'm going to be a gimp until the new system. But at least I've got a better mental outlook than I've ever had in my whole life. I'm really working hard to bring use of my foot back. Id like to try the kettles at Greenbush. That's not cement or tile.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is starting to get rid of some of my stuff in the interim. I've taken pictures but I don't want to unload my stuff for next to nothing. And when I went on Craigs list to get started, I couldn't figure it out. I must admit, there is so much to pray for that I have been forgetting this!
You must really be whittling down your weight . . all that walking! You look trimmer from the behind, lol! Well, I am building up physically and emotionally, who knows, I might make it there in a year or so. I spent so many days at the beach walking along the shore and in the water to keep down inflamation that the thought of winter is really getting to me. It will all become more real to me when I actually start selling things off. Wish it could be before your tourist season starts, but not this year I'm sure.
Again, I miss you guys so much! The kids look sooo good. This is so good for them, and you. Keep up the posts, they are very encouraging!
Oh, I brought large-print Bibles to Chuck and Joanne and spent today's study reading and discussing the first three chapters. Chuck really liked it and tried extra hard to read well. For the first time all of our Bibles were the same, except Annette D's. Her Bible on jw library was the old one!
ReplyDeleteDouble checking on old blogs to see if I missed any comments. Wasnt really expecting any this far back.
DeleteHad the same issue with a study; had to have them add the Revised NWT to their downloaded and make it primary. I've got NWT-Rev, NWT-Ref, Byington, Am.Standard, King James, and NWT-Spanish.