Belize Day 4: Actun Tunichil Muknal cave adventure

Eating termites. Swinging from vines. Exploring a sacrificial cave. Sounds like a scene from the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. And that is exactly what it felt like. This was our adventure into the ancient Mayan cave of fear called the Actun Tunichil Muknal.

The guide Juan Carlos and driver picked us up at our hotel in a beat up Chevy van. The rig looked like it had seen a lot of hard road. It wouldn't be long before we learned for ourselves why it looked that way. Juan stopped in town to pick up a young couple that would be joining us, Ryan and Susan. The van then rolled down the two-lane highway till it reached a dirt road turn off.

From there, we drove over a washboard dirt road through a valley surrounded by jungle. This part of the ride definitely would test the fillings in your teeth. Pot holes the sizes of craters. Creeks flowing over the road. Yet as I prayed my capped teeth wouldn't fall out, I noticed something unique outside the window. There were families washing their clothes in the stream. Children in little uniforms walking to school. Toucans with bright color beaks flying into the trees. There was a rural beauty to this area, a feel like you traveled back in time to a simpler lifestyle.

We reached the end of the road, shaken but intact. Juan handed us our helmets and lights that would be needed in the cave. We slathered on the bug spray to protect our fair skin. Then we began our hike that would take us deep into the jungle to reach the mouth of the cave. We encountered three streams to cross. There were no bridges. You just have to wade through the water and try not to slip on the rocks. Luckily, no one took a header into the water.

Juan came upon a tree with a large termite's nest. He poked a stick into it and extracted some of the termites. He told us that they were eatable and then proceeded to pop one in his mouth. This would definitely count as a bizarre food. Then Juan offered all of us a taste. Diane was brave enough to eat one. She said it had a woody carrot taste with a touch of bug spray. Hope it won't be on our dinner menu anytime in the near future.

We passed a tarantula and coral snake as we trekked further into the jungle. We discovered a long vine hanging over the slope of a hill. Like little kids, we all took a swing on it while making Tarzan like sounds. Then we arrived at the mouth of the cave. The opening had an eerie looking face with a river flowing out of it. Maybe that is why they call it the Cave of Fear. This definitely was going to get interesting.

We climbed down the side of the hill and into the river. Juan warned us the water would be chilly. After spending all summer in the cold rivers of Oregon, we thought it felt downright comfortable as we swam into the cave.

Inside there was a rock ledge to climb up out of the water. Juan asked on a scale of one to ten, what kind of experience we would like to have. Like fools, we all said ten. This would take us through some challenging paths. We found ourselves in a section where only one person could squeeze through with water over our heads and the current pushing against us. We moved deeper in through water, over rocks, under rocks, and need I say it, through rocks. After 500 meters, it was time to climb upwards.

The cave wall had no ropes or ladders. We just had to use careful placement of feet and strong fingers to pull ourselves up. Resting on top, Juan asked us to do something very peculiar. He asked us to remove our shoes. What? Uh, weren't we like climbing on rocks and shoes might protect our tender toes? He told us that sole of our shoes would contaminate the sacred Mayan area. Good thing he told us to wear socks before the trek.

We worked our way into a massive opening in the cave. It looked as long as a football field and at least three stories tall. As Juan shined his light, we witnessed ancient Maya pottery, ceremonial items, and human remains littered everywhere. The history of this cave is the priest came here to make offerings to the rain god, Chac. They would bring pots filled with food to be left for the Gods. They would also make human sacrifices. Some prisoners. Some virgins. Juan tells us the virgins were not sexual virgins but spiritual, people who were pure to their gods. The offerings were to help bring rain for the crops.

As we journeyed further, we saw a huge carving of a Mayan head. There were impressive geological wonders of stalactites and stalagmites. The photos we took did not really capture the wonder of this place.

Nearing the end of the cave, Juan had one last thing for us to see. This would require more climbing. Strangely enough, someone had put a metal ladder there for us. This was the only one in the entire cave. We climbed to the top. Slid through a tight opening in the rocks. There we came upon a completely intact skeleton of a teenage girl called the Crystal Maiden. She is the last known remains found in the ATM.

We climbed out of the cave and hiked back to the van. Thank goodness the driver was still waiting for us. The only problem was that the van wouldn't start. It made an awful grinding sound. We all stood there soaking wet with slightly worried looks on our faces. Juan stuck his head under the hood. Wiggled a few wires. Still it wouldn't turn over. He climbed under the rig and said something about the drive shaft. We heard some banging. A bit of profanity or maybe it was a Mayan prayer. I'm not sure which. What I do know is the van sprung to life. We all piled in and head back to town

Looking back, I have to say this was one the most amazing experiences in my life.

Next: Xanantunich