Holes and Hot Springs

Today, we woke up at 5:00 a.m. We had a mission: replant the rainforest. We rode out in vans, in trucks, and even the back of said vehicles. We were prepared for a fun, laid back planting of trees. We were so wrong.

We learned a little about the area we were in, and that after planting a few hundred tree sprouts, it only took a couple of years for a brand new forest to be standing, with hundreds of new species that they did not plant in the first place, 50% of which were airborne. So with our motivation set and teams built, we took our giant shovel pick things (macanas) and bags of fertilizer and went from spot to spot digging holes and planting little trees. 300 times. In the sun. With most of us already being sunburnt. But with all that aside, we made systems and got it done, and had fun! Until the system broke apart and everyone was running around demanding holes to be dug when they had already been dug in other open spots and a donkey hee-hawing following us everywhere we went. BUT, finally, we were scrambling around, and bam there were no more trees to plant. We followed a path and got back to our bags just in time for it to start raining. Being muddy and sweaty and other unmentionable things, we all got back in the cars feeling tired yet satisfied with our contribution to the rain forest.

After all that work came the relaxation. We went to the hot springs that were naturally heated by the volcano. We took a short ride there, greeted by two very excitable chocolate labs. We then proceeded to take a hike down the trail until we reached the first hot spring, which was at the bottom of a small waterfall. Thinking it'd be cold, people took their time getting in, but once we all realized it was naturally warm, everyone jumped in. We stayed there for a while and then went on another hike to another spring, which was through the forest, which happened to be led by a trail of mud. We all took our shoes off and let our toes squish in the mud, it was awesome... We reached it, at the bottom of a bigger waterfall, it was breathtaking. But colder. Sadly. Then it started to thunder and we had to get out, which was disappointing. We took the long hike back with the mud and went back. 

It was a nice way to end a long, week long trip. And as the last blog post, we end this with a thank you to the parents for supporting us to go on this trip, and to all the teachers along with us for sticking with us the whole way through.

We'll see you tomorrow!

-Johnny and Jesse