The title image is not edited with Photoshop … I have actually made it up!!
But that was not so sure …
Friday:
The way up to Chirripó. Start: San Gerardo de Rivas (1250 m / 4101 feet) Destination: Base Camp (3393 m / 11,132 feet). Kilometer: 16. Miles: 9.9
Everybody told me to get up early and start with the ascent to Mt. Chirripó at 4 am.
1. because you just don’t know how long you really will need for the 9.9 miles and the 7031 feet elevation gain,
2. because you want to arrive when it is still bright day – and there are many people who spend 10 hours on their way up,
3. because you want to avoid the rain – as then everything and you is soaked and up there it is cold. The Base Camp is not heated and the outside temperature is about 44°F. And the chance of rain increases after 12 pm.
For me everything sounds very plausible and I set the alarm clock to 3:30 am.
But I don’t need the alarm. I’m fully awake since midnight. As in our village a stomach bug is wandering around. And one day before my adventure I swallow it…
I learn: once booked you can’t cancel or postpone your reservation. And since I payed more than $70 (entrance fee for the park and one night in a dorm) I’ve decided to at least give it a try. I can turn back whenever I think I can’t do it…
So, I lie in my bed, the day before the hike, and I can’t sleep. The three spoons rice are heavy in my stomach and I just feel nauseous. I breath, I relax and eventually I fall asleep. But I wake up again shortly afterwards at midnight: I am hungry! I only had one bowl of plain rice for the whole day. But every bite has been fighted with sickness and stomach pain – therefore I rather stay hungry. But for that can’t sleep.
Before I start my hike I force myself to eat one spoon of oatmeal. I barely bring it down because I’m getting sick again immediately.
Oh dear. Is this really the best precondition for SUCH a hike?
I decide to go and have a look – if I don’t feel well I can return at any time…
Outside, it’s pitch-dark, but my torch lightens my way. It’s beautiful. So quiet. Except a single rooster (either in his voicebreak or simply extremely unmusical) is practicing for the dawn.
After 30 minutes I arrive the entrance of the national park, called The Thermometer.
As the first kilometer starts steeply and by reaching the 1st kilometer point you have the temperature you will have for the next kilometers…
I am already hot – since walking already for a little time to get here.
I am thirsty (it is surprisingly warm) and drink a bit of water. Not good! My stomach wants to surrender…
Hmmm. What should I do. What should I do?
My mind tells me to turn back home immediately. But my heart swears to be on the right track! And it’s beating so happily and full of pleasant anticipation – I just KNOW that I will make it! I want it soooo much!
Today, for the first time, I am really aware of how much stronger my mind is than my body! I want it and I will do it – I just KNOW it!
And so I put my first step on the Camino. My eyes are shining – as well as the two right next to me in the bush. Huh? Since the two eyes in the bush are quite small, I do not mind. I’m only a bit startled when a bat, his flight path wrongly calculated, crashes against my forehead!
That’s kilometer 1 by day
As I go up, I wonder whether the nausea comes from the exertion or from my stomach.
‘Cerebrum, this is vegetative nervous system! Over!’
‘Yes, vegetative nervous system, this is cerebrum! What’s up?’
‘Cerebrum, cerebrum, you need to act fast! The Dia wants to rrhea!’
‘The Dia wants to rrhea???’
‘Yes, you know, the shit wants to run…’
‘Ohoooh…! Anus, this is cerebrum. Anus, this is cerebrum! Seal tightly – the dia wants to rrhea! I repeat, seal tightly! Vocal cords, this is cerebrum. Vocal cords, this is cerebrum! Please groan with pain! Sweat glands, this is cerebrum. Sweat glands, this is cerebrum! I ask for an extraration secretion please!’
Dutifully I do as I’m told – after all, one has no influence on the vegetative nervous system. I groan, I pinch my buttocks, and I produce little Niagara falls on my forehead.
As ordered by the vegetative nervous system I groan, pinch and sweat.
We just arrive kilometer 1 when my gastro-intestinal tract presses hard: ‘We don’t want this shit anymore!’
‘Quite! Now!’ I hiss into the night. (Okay, actually I said ‘Ruhe! Jetzt!’ as I would speak German with my stomach…) I wipe the sweat from my forehead. ‘It’s exhausting enough to hike up here, I really don’t need your whining!’
I inhale deeply and exhale. Then try to calm the offended organ. And with kilometer 5, everyone has calmed down so far. We can agree that I only will drink water when really necessary and only take it in very small swallows.
I breath deeply. Fine. I am happy we could clarify this because kilometer 5 will be a tough one. And I need my energy.
Kilometer 2 – 4: a bit less strenuous than kilometer 1. Steep though but there are again and again a few meters where you can catch your breath.
The only downside is the soil texture: ankle-deep clay makes the path a bit slippery. But yesterday it did not rain – so it is reasonable easy to walk on the sides.
But with my Rudi everything’s easy! Without my Rudi I will not go for a hike anymore! And for the Chirripó I recommend such a friend to everybody – from whatever material…
Kilometer 5…
A bit hard. Many steps to climb. But once managed you have a whole kilometer that is only nice…
...a nice and easy path.
And then I’m already at the middle station and Estevan. A look at my watch tells me I needed three hours. Like the last time. Only, today I am even less drained than the last time. Great – for today I will not return. I go on!
I use the toilet (that was part of the deal with my gastro-intestinal tract), chew a few bites of dry bread, drink a sip of water, and then I’ll get back on my way. I do not want my muscles to cool down.
After a little more than 3 hours and 1350 meters / 4429 feet elevation gain I reach kilometer 8. And I feel great!
Only, my back … it hurts. I think it is not necessarily the weight he has to wear, but rather that my backpack is a little small to be stuffed with so many puli’s and jackets, because it is very bulging in my back. And, okay, it’s also not especially light… Shortly I wonder if I should empty one of my two water bottles – I drink only hardly. But who knows … rather not.
But I unpack and pack again, so that the bump pinches me in another place in my back. Then joyfully I continue.
And the next kilometers are the hell!
Kilometer 8, 9 and 10: a nightmare!
3 kilometers (!) throughout (!) super steep (!) uphill!
On a terrible (!) boring (!) path!
And every meter looks the same. And the sun is shining hot through the trees. And I am thirsty. And I perspire. And to all abundance, a horde buzzing flies circle around me like I was horse dung…
Many of them die – crushed because they fly into my eye while I close it, or they drown in my mouth or suffocate in my nose and ears. This means the non-Rudi hand is shaking the entire time in front of my face.
Tedious – and strenuous!
To spare my ears I listen to music!
One of us is crying. Run to water. Stay. Lots of great tracks in my Playlist 😉
And finally, 3000 meters (9900 feet) – a new world!
A world full of sunshine ?
And forgotten is the misery of the last kilometers. So beautiful. So awesome. And also not so far to my destination. And my digestive system is better and better! (Only I still cant’t drink or eat.)
Only my back… Ouch! And the sun … thank heaven, I have brought up my suncream – I have the feeling to burn.
And although it is so beautiful and also not quite as disgustingly steep as before, I have to pause more and more often and carefully drink more and more often a tiny little sip of water. So I’m only progressing moderately fast – but there is no hurry. It is only nine o’clock.
And despite all the effort I enjoy and am so happy to be here!
And yeeeees! Here is the sign that tells me I reached 3200 meters (10,500 feet) – an the camp will be at 3393 meters (11,132 feet). Yippiiie 🙂
But then? I can hardly believe it. I have to walk down hill. DOWN hill!
Within a half kilometer I march from 3200 back to 2513 meters! Nooooooo……I have to get back up on some point!?!
Yes, and I will do it in the next kilometer, on the Arrepentidos, the path of the sins …
Kilometer 14 the worst part starts.
The last fifteenth (for me sixteenth) kilometer is not only one of the steepest, it is also located in the blazing sunshine. Two horses have bitten in my butt at kilometer 12 and my calves … no comment.
But now it’s too late to turn around. Therefore: fight it out and continue!
Every ten minutes I have to pause, fight for air, and order my muscles to go on. PHEW!
But then I am suddenly there…
…and the Crestones wave their welcome Kiki.
I needed 6,5 Stunden for the 16 kilometer and 2143 meters elevation gain 🙂
Yes, that was quite exhausting. But, I think I would like to go on after a short rest! Because up there there are a lot of hiking trails – and I could still explore the surrounding area …
But first check in and rest! But the moment I’m ready to get on the road again for more adventures, it starts to rain. Well. Perhaps it is better not to adventure it today, but to rest.
And resting is even better when you are showered.
Squeeeeeeeak!!!! I was not prepared for THIS water temperature! It has no more than 14°C!
Wuwuwuwuwuwuwbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrr! After the shower, fingers and lips are blue. I dress just everything I find in my backpack. Unfortunately not quite as much as many others when I look around. Have the feeling to sit in a ski hut. Most wear hats, scarf, gloves and thick jackets. I get my blanket.
Please note: Costa Rica can be really warm, maybe we even could talk about being hot… But up the mountain? Bring your hat, scarf and gloves!
And then I’m HUNGRY! I wonder if I could just have plain rice instead of heavy lunch? And yes, I can.
The rice tastes delicious and is not heavy in my stomach.
In the afternoon, I spend time chatting with my roommate, Andy – a Belgian actor – in the dining room. We plan to put the alarm clock at 3 am to hike the summit of Cerro Chirripó – the highest point of Costa Rica – or the summit of Cerro Ventisqueros – 8 meters lower than Cerro Chirripó, but with the better view – to marvel the sunrise.
At 7 pm I am done. Three hours of sleep, the steep climb, the diarrhea, the few eating … HUNGER … I give myself again some rice and then fall into the ice cold bed. I just leave everything on I own and have luck: it is just enough to not freeze…
And tomorrow: the summit!!!
Saturday, the plan:
Summit of Cerro Veintisqueros. Start: Crestones Base Camp (3393 m) Destination: The summit (3812 m). Kilometer: 3.
Then go downhill. Start: The summit (3812 m) Destination: Home (1250 m). Kilometer: 19
Overall kilometer: 22
In the night I am more awake than sleeping. Coming and going of my room mates, the snoring, light on and light out, and and and…
No matter. At 3 am the alarm rings and Andy and I stand up. Wow-it-is-really-cold-outside! And dark.
We have decided to go to Cerro Ventisqueros. From the Base Camp (3393 meters) it is 3 kilometers to the 3812 meters high peak. You can imagine: a bit steep! My legs have turned into stones over night, and I drag myself along with difficulty. No worries, I just have to get warm!
Cerro Ventisqueros – we come! Only my stone have to turn in legs again…
After one kilometer I am warm – but my legs still heavy. My heart nearly bursts and my lungs collaps. There is this pressure in my head and it gets more and more and … upsadaisy!… I am going to black out! Quickly sit down!
Geez! That was a near miss! After a few minutes I get up and march further. But after only a few steps those black dots infront of my eyes get more and more and… Quickly sit down!
After the third Quickly sit down I have to admit that I can not do it, and decide to turn back with a very heavy heart.
Gentleman Andy wants to accompany me, but I convince him to go further so that at least he could see the sunrise.
So he stomps further and I frustrated back. I am disappointed about my failure!
‘I should have fight it out!’ I blame myself.
But my shaky legs claim the opposite. I’m angry with myself that I was too weak and too little motivated to go further.
Wait, wait. Why I am angry with myself? I reached 3393 meters – with only half a liter of water, two days of hardly eating, diarrhea and three hours of sleep. And with this pressure in my head – maybe the altitude could be a problem too..?
Typically Kiki. Instead of being happy and proud of what she has done, she is annoyed and ashamed of what she has not …
I feel all this as cheap excuses, but still I use the kilometer back to the hostel not only to forgive me, but also to be proud of my performance – instead of being ashamed of the not reached peak.
The onset of rain helps me a bit about the disappointment. I am sure that the sun (despite rain) will decide to go up – but perhaps more secretly and not so breathtakingly beautiful …
Back in bed I can smile again 🙂 And then I sleep for a refreshing hour! When I wake up at 6 o’clock my hunger is so huge and my legs so shaky that I decide it’s a matter of sink or swim and buy me a breakfast. A Gallo Pinto later, my body decides for ‘swim’ because I feel warmth and strength rise in me!
Well, in that case I could…
Learn to fall. And then to rise.
I decide, now strengthened, to try again the climb! However, not climbing the steep 3 kilometers to the Cerro Ventisquero but rather the 5 (supposedly) less steep kilometers to the actual peak, the Cerro Chirripó.
Plan B:
First to the summit of Cerro Chirripó. Start: Crestones Base Camp (3393 m) Destination: The summit (3820 m). Kilometer: 5,1
Afterwards going downhill. Start: The summit (3820 m) Destination: Home (1250 m). Kilometer: 21,1
Overall kilometer: 26,2 (+ the 2 kilometer from this night)
A bit tired, but strengthened with rice and beans! Cerro Chirripó I come!
Wow, the path is just beautiful! Only a bit up and a bit down hill – my legs and my butt like 🙂
Two hours you need for the five kilometers to the summit I was told at the front desk. Hmmm. I am doing so well – I think I can do faster. As there, right in front of me, there is the peak!
HOW one can be deceived. The path does not stay that beautiful. It becomes steep and steeper. And breezy and breezier. And cold and colder.
And then there is the already known phenomenon: after a long climb, it goes just as steeply and just as long downhill. Three times in a row! And the air is getting so thin again. And my legs, how can they be so heavy?
Step by step, I gasp ahead, the summit before my eyes, like the carrot on the hook before the stubborn donkey.
And it gets even steeper. Slowly the courage leaves me. All on my own I fight against the wind and exhaustion. To the right of the path a canyon, to the left the rock wall. And in front of me? I have to leave my Rudi back. Too steep to use my walking stick. I need both hands and feet to climb up the rock wall. And I still suffer from vertigo …
But fears are there to be overcome, so I mobilize all my strength (physically as well as mentally) and climb the last kilometer to my goal …
That’s the beginning of my horror – later I just can’t take pictures as I need both hands to hold on.
…and there it is!
In 3820 meter Costa Rica’s highest flag is blowing in the wind…
…and I stumble with it. Without the clouds I could have seen both the Pacific and the Caribbean cost.
I am content with the sight on the sign and am proude 🙂
But only very briefly, because the many clouds contain water – and this is now discharging …
I climb back, and four hours after leaving the camp I reach it again. The two hours you really need for the summit!
I’ll get my remaining things and start my descent. Hopefully I am strong enough. I have already (including the night action) 12 kilometers behind me and 16 before me.
I start my hike. I need lots of breaks. I am so exhausted. But I am so happy that I almost burst! But I am also sad. I am in such a good vibration of my own – I can not imagine going back to the valley. So I laugh while tears run out of my eyes. I feel so exhausted and at the same time so strong. I am so terribly tired but awakened. I feel I am in the best moment of my life; as well as in the most terrible. I am so infinitely small in this world and yet I AM the world …
I laugh and cry. There were so many years, so very difficult. So many years I had to remove stones from my way every day. Happiness appeared to be an unattainable state. Self-esteem a foreign word.
And society? They were not satisfied with me either, and together with myself we would criticize me.
Grandfather: “Kiki, how much is three times seven?”
Kiki perspires. She is scared to give the wrong answer. In her head is only a big black hole. She doesn’t know.
Grandfather: “What will become of you if you don’t even know THAT?!?”
But I don’t want to criticize myself anymore! That just changes nothing – except that I am feeling bad. And that robs my energy to do something. So I have decided to feel good (enough). And if I feel good (enough) I accomplish my goal with enthusiasm and joy.
I wrote this song – and it was already posted. But it fits so well at this point and maybe there is the one or the other new reader who has not heard it yet. Or someone who would like to hear it again 🙂
Kiki – Leben
And the further I go, the lower I come, the more grounded and stronger I am. And so I trudge cheeful singing on and on, no more stops are needed, and I arrive 5 hours after leaving the camp my home …
