Olifina: Love And Trouble

2. Mountain Experience 101

We were at the top of the mountain and all I could say was that I wasn't trying this again. I had almost frozen to death on our way up.

Thanks to the advice from the taxi driver, I bought an extra pair of boots. He told me about the slippery cobblestone steps and haphazard paths that led up the mountain.

I almost slipped and fell at a point if not for the little branches from the tree beside me which I held onto for grip. There were little streams of water which we had to cross. Some people among us knew the way up, so the rest of us followed their lead.

At one point, we were all tired and had to stop to catch our breaths. Too bad there were no stalls up the climb as it had been at the base. I regretted not buying something to eat even as the saleswoman persuaded me. After eating at the hotel, I thought that would be enough to take me up the mountain. So I only bought a bottle of water. It quenched my thirst though.

We continued our journey in two batches. The first one which I joined, consisted of the people who couldn't wait to continue the journey up the mountain, and the second batch which was more populated than the first, were people who wanted more rest.

On reaching a pretty narrow canyon which had a small metal signpost in front, we slowed down and took turns passing through the scraggly gate which marked an entrance.

It took us a few minutes of climbing steep ascents before we reached the place where we were asked to pay an entry fee of 50 pesos.

We all had our money so we quickly paid and continued our climbing. There was an old man among us who had to stop and rest. We stayed there with him for five minutes before we continued again.

As soon as we got to the top, we turned right venturing into the ruins of the temple. It felt really good to finally reach our destination. Trust me, I felt pretty relieved, the pains in my legs had magically disappeared.

"Rufina, hey, come let's take a picture." It was the woman from Guatemala. How was I going to tell her that I didn't want to take a picture because that would mean me putting on my phone and having to receive messages, worrying messages, from home.

She kept staring at me expectantly. Damn it, it would be very rude to deny her. Besides, she kept me company for most of our climb up the mountain.

I put on my phone and took a picture ignoring all the messages popping up on my screen. I could save the worries for later, right?

When we were done, I walked around the place absorbing the magnificent sight. That was my first time climbing a mountain.

'Wow,' I gasped, "the view from up here is beautiful". I quickly brought out my phone to take more pictures.

I suddenly felt the grasp of a monkey-like creature on my body and jumped, dropping my phone. I wasn't expecting any animals at the temple. Turning around in fear, I almost fell I tried to get the creature off my body. One of the men who had climbed with us pulled the animal away but not before it left a bite on my neck. That evil little thing! If I could just get a hold of its neck, I would have pulled its head off.

"They're Coatis," said the old man. I continued staring at the animal which looked like the combination of a monkey and a racoon. My phone! I turned back and looked down the mountain in search of it. Hot tears formed in my eyes. My phone was gone.

That animal had caused me two damages at once. Someone get me a knife! The woman from Guatemala rushed to me seeing my rage.
"Oh, look! It bit you, let me take care of that."

In anger, I removed my shoe and threw it at the animal. It dodged, running away shouting. The Guatemalan woman tried to calm me down but I couldn't calm down. That animal must pay.