Cave of Wonders

 “What is caving?” you may ask.  According to the email description invitation, it would be an underground hike.  Sure, we would have to wear headlamps and might get a little dirty, but nothing strenuous.  False.  Headmaster Gabor is of the hard-core variety of fella and the spelunking expedition he led was no exception. Spelunking has long been a life goal of mine and the evening's adventure fulfilled my every wish.

After making our way out into the Buda Hills, we suited up and trekked to the cavern mouth.  The professionals come to guide us actually had suits appropriate for the conditions, while we amateurs simply assumed our dingiest garb.  Though it was a frigid autumn evening, with temperatures outside in the single Celsius range, the cave maintains a constant climate of comfortable earthy scope.  Our “moderate intensity” experience began by splitting into smaller groups, assigning guides to each and descending the long ladder into the depths.  While I consider myself a seasoned purveyor of the wilderness, what followed was anything but moderate.  We climbed up and down, winding deeper and deeper into the abyss.  At times on hands and knees, else flat on stomach or back, we wound through crags that did not seem large enough to permit passage.  The ground was not always level, but could be bypassed by exerting pressure on both walls and working one’s way forward by hook and crook.  Some ledges needed surmounting others begged to be alighted.  Progress was attained single file at an inching pace, which was fast enough for us.  Our guides were very encouraging and optimistic, though I bet they were laughing internally all the while; we stumbled like the blind, or rather worse, for it is common for blind spelunkers to excel in the caves.  I took the benefit of battery-powered flashlights for granted until I knocked mine from my helmet and plunged myself briefly into the all-encompassing darkness (relax, I found it again).  Along the way, our guides challenged us to feats – climb onto that shelf and clap your hands and feet, wiggle through this hole, etc. – making the experience a struggle for both body and mind.  The hardest part, I think we agree, was a v-shaped gully wide on top but too thin to climb along the bottom.  The key was to attack it sideways, one arm supporting the body, and worm through.  We felt quite related to our nematode neighbors afterwards – and likely resembled them too, given the coating of earth and clay we took with us.

Against anyone’s better judgment, my camera followed me into the darkness.The need for longer f-stops also leads to some blurriness. Apertures are finicky that way.Forgive and enjoy.