14 Apr The Gringa, The Jungle Boy and The Rock
By Kate Ryan
Vertical Tourism
So picture this beautiful, pristine jungle area in the surrounding hills outside of Parque Altos de Campana. It’s a wild part of Panama that is quietly tucked away from the bustling city and beaches. From the top of this massive, 80 meter rock erected from the earth you can enjoy the beautiful vistas of the the land and far-off sea.
Now imagine me, this 24 year old gringa girl with almost no climbing experience, hanging from my rope and trying to scale my way to the top of this stone. I am examining this slab facing rock like it’s a puzzle. My left hand goes here in this crimp and I need to move my right foot closer to my left knee because there is a hole perfect to stand up with. I am enjoying the full rush of adrenaline and energy that moves through my head as I move my body up the puzzle. With every step and movement of my hands I can feel the complete power and energy of this rock transfering into me. At the bottom on the ground is this handsome, Venezuelan rock climbing guide who is assisting me in my whole experience. He has all the expertise and knowledge and gear to help me succeed and ascend to new heights. When I make it to the top, my heart burst from happiness in my accomplishment and I look down at my belayer and shout out, “ I love this thrill… I love climbing. “I love YOU!” Oh wow do I love this magical combination of things that provide me with such joy and wonder. To have someone who I loved in a cheesy, romantic fantasy fairytale way and who was also my guru and guide to my other new found love of climbing. To spend my time sharing a symbiosis with the wondrously wild nature of this country. Everyday training and climbing, and camping and learning about all the flora and fauna. My paradise and most beautiful daydreams were becoming my reality. So much so that it would lead to a new and unexpected journey in my life with my jungle boy and this rock.
If a year ago someone told me I would be living in Panama and starting my own eco-tourism collective of climbing, rappelling and hiking and that my business partner and teacher was also the person that I was madly in love with… I wouldn’t have believed a word of it. But here I am with my talented rock climbing man at our rock… cultivating and creating experiences for others in the exquisite natural areas of Panama. Gratefulness pours out of my heart to have found my happiness and completeness in this life. Now I am so fortunate with my beautiful loving partner to introduce this very same feeling of thrill and excitement in the lives of those who seek it with this rock. To say that we provide tours for rock climbing, rappelling and hiking doesn’t fully encapsulate what my partner and I do. We strive to introduce the feeling of exploration, adventure and education into the lives of others through the art of the climb and our experiences.
More than anything the most important thing in life is a person’s happiness and completeness. Maybe some will come and find that climbing does invoke those very same feelings of absolute awesomeness. Or maybe for others climbing could not create such feelings. But all the same we just strive to share our guidance and experience. As cheesy as it may sound life is like the climb. Parts of it can be easy and you know exactly where to go and other times it’s extremely hard and you can feel stuck. If you continue, breathe, think and push through everything to make it to your destination, well then you can feel the bliss and clarity that life has to offer. I am so happy that mine as a gringa in Panama has a jungle boy and a rock and friends alike to share our adventures with.
So now picture this. You have decided to reach out and tag along with us on our next adventure. We are arriving to the rock just right outside of Bejuco, never near Chica. We jump out of the car with our bodies full of eager and nervous anticipation. The butterflies swarm our stomachs as we look up at the giant, magnificent rock jutting out of the earth. We start the short, 10 minute incline hike through the lush jungle forest to the base of the rock. We converse of what the climbing or rappelling will consist of as the cool morning or maybe the afternoon breeze caresses our necks. You grab your harness and shoes and stare up at the rock and feel it with your hands. What do you feel? The thrill? The calling for adventure and exploration? The opportunity to learn about your physical and mental limits? I guess wereally what know until you try and experience the climb with us.