So, we got lost

El Valle is built in the centre of a (long extinct) volcano crater which makes for a pretty spectacular setting, the perfect spot for hiking and exploring.  So we got lost.  Not really a surprise, given we went hiking in a remote area of a foreign country. It started when we tried to locate the path.  We knew we were close, then about 15 minutes later we decided we’d missed it.  Eventually we did find the spot that we were supposed to finish the walk.  No problem, we just started there instead.  The walk took us through beautiful rainforest, filled with the sounds of birds and the creaking of bamboo (which initially tricked us into thinking there were monkeys playing in the canopy).  Initially it was easy to follow, white arrows showing you which were to go.  Then as we ascended it got more confusing.  We reached a junction with two equally established paths leading away from it.  Tossing an imaginary coin we turned left.  As we kept heading up the mountain we started to see crops, rather than the untamed forest we had been in.  Then we arrived at someone’s house.  Ooops, wrong path then.  We did an about turn, and this time took the right hand path... until we ended up at someone’s house, or actually a few houses with a small track winding between them.  Doing our best lost tourist impersonation we hesitated at a junction with about 6 different options until a local saw us and waved us over.  He asked us where we were going, and I frantically searched my phone for the name of the walk we were supposed to be on, surely I had a photo of it somewhere.  He then suggested somewhere, I enthusiastically agreed that it was where we were headed.  He then invited us into his garden, and took us up to his house which had the most amazing view over the valley.  He pointed out the mountain to our right as the head of the sleeping indian (this was indeed where we were trying to get to) and then gave us what sounded like complex instructions and some indiscriminate waving of his hands.  We thanked him sincerely and walked down between the houses he had gestured towards, arriving finally at the house we had got to when we went up the left hand fork.  

Feeling more confident now that this was the right direction we kept going, and going, and going.  The path took us around the back of the mountain and then as we turned back towards the front we left the tree-line and were nearly buffeted off our feet by the strength of the wind which gusted in an unpredictable manner.  Pushing through the wind we finally reached the peak.  Excited to get there I expected to walk over and down the other side only to find the ground end abruptly in a true ridgeline, with vertical cliffs at least 100m high on the town side of the mountain.  Having reached the peak, enjoyed the view and had a sip of our carefully rationed water, we decided to continue on the path, rather than more sensibly heading back the way we had come.  The next half an hour was spent trying valiantly to remain upright against the pressure of the wind and the not quite vertical decent down rock and gravel.

Once we were back in the shelter of the trees we breathed a sigh of relief, and were able to pick up speed again as thirst pushed us on to the nearest shop.  Learning point for the day - assume we will get lost, and bring enough water for a 5 hour hike, even when going on a 1 hour walk.

We also headed up to the zoo in El Valle, which was an interesting combination rescue centre, and plant nursery.  The main reason to go is to see the critically endangered Panamanian Golden Frog, as it’s basically your only opportunity to see one in Central America.  The zoo itself was saddening at times given the size of the cages, but we were hugely entertained by the spider monkeys who played around their enclosure, using their tail as a 5th limb as they swung on ropes, slid down poles, or demonstrated proper use of monkey bars.