GYPSY GIRL'S GUIDE

Tikal sunrise, 2004

When I read Jenn's comment on my last post, it got me thinking about the places we go without a solid plan or interest. Sometimes you have the opportunity to be somewhere you never thought of before. You had no time to prepare, read or visualize how it would feel to be in that situation. Maybe you got to that place as a result of a leap that had nothing to do with a desire to explore that particular area. It could have been a business trip, a move for financial reasons, a job, family matters or you could have simply taken the wrong bus!

When I went to Tikal, a couple of years ago, I found myself in that situation. I had been traveling in Belize for a few weeks and I was very close to the border near Tikal, Guatemala. I wanted to see the largest of the ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization, but I was a bit thrown off by the the jungle factor. A minor thing, but that was stopping me.

When I got to the lodge I was a bit unsettled. Despite my Brazilian origin, I'm not what you'd call a jungle girl... I freak out about insects and I think that all animals are out there waiting to eat me on the trail! So you can imagine how my trip started off well when I found a giant spider by my bed on the first night. The good side though, was that it turned out to be a very short night. The big plan was to watch the sunrise from the top of one of the temples. So there I was, up and ready at 4 am. Did I mention I'm not a morning person either? But good enough excuse to leave the room!

Tikal National Park is pretty touristy during the day. The trails are very open and well maintained. So I'm not playing hero here! I'm pretty sure that most jungle adventurers think of it as a walk in the park. And it is. But to me, it was a very scary walk into the unknown... It was dark, hazy and there was no one around. My problem was that I couldn't really see what I was walking into.

When I got to the big temple I was supposed to conquer (I believe it was Temple IV), there were a few other people getting ready to climb the five precarious ladders and many more limestone steps leading up.

After much gasping, an unforgettable reward. A group of about 20 of us sat in humid air in silence, absorbing the mystic experience and the view of a jungle that stretched as far as the eye could see. Finally, the sun began to rise lighting up the tops of tress and tinting the sky with a warm glow. Hundreds of birds, insects and howler monkeys created a trancelike screeching soundtrack. We greeted the new day and watched the world come to life.

Suddenly, I was not afraid anymore. I was in a moment of wonder. The fear I initially felt was not meant to be the experience, it was only a sensation.

What is stopping you?

"Behind every experience there is an experience-r who knows what is happening. When I find a way to stand where the experience-r is standing, I will be at the still point around which the whole world turns". The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life (Chopra, Deepak)