the next morning, we woke up with birds chirping and tree vines swaying, knocking at our window.
we lazily made coffee on the porch and talked about the amazing past few days we'd had. There were no plans, as of yet, but we heard about a 150m tall waterfall from one of the travelers staying at our hostel. she said if we had a car and were willing to spare a few hours we should go and see it. and just like that, we had a plan for the day.
it was our last day in zongolica, and even though i was sad about leaving our new friends and this wonderful, crazy place, i was excited to move on and journey southwest to oaxaca city.
after coffee, we drove 2 hours in a different direction on a different dirt road out of town. crazy how many roads lead in and out of zongolica, each with amazing views and places to adventure in any way you choose. today called for comfortable yet breathable layers and a swimsuit for jumping into the waterfall.
a blue soft haze hovered over the steep mountains and green jungles. we saw women carrying heavy loads on their heads - goods to bring home to their families. we saw men leading donkeys and riding horses back and forth from town. kids playing tag in the streets barefoot. every type of flower you could imagine: hibiscus, lilies, and many, many more that i couldn’t identify.
we came around a corner and were finally able to see our destination. i couldn’t believe what was right in front of us. huge, and majestic. crazy wide and tall. the most amazing waterfall i’ve ever witnessed in my 23 years of life. and we haven’t even hiked up to it yet.
when we finally parked, i grabbed my things and started hiking. soon i would be in the presence of the largest waterfall i had ever seen at almost 200m tall.
we walked up a small wet scree field. not only was the waterfall tall but i was surprised by the width, perhaps a couple of semi trucks wide. the water was dark and choppy. but the still waters below were turquoise and crystal clear.
i dove in, and swam out to the middle of the pool surrounding the waterfall and floated on my back while looking up through the trees. eerie was the only way i could describe it. peaceful was possibly another. but definitely eerie. after a few minutes i swam to shore and sat on the rocks for as long as i could, enjoying every minute, smiling and laughing at anything and everything. taking as many pictures as i could. trying to live in the moment as long as it would let me.
our adventure continued with long drives, touristy farmer's markets around the city of oaxaca, and rooftop terraces with mezcal margaritas. we explored hierve el agua, saw zapotec ruins, and talked with locals while they were enjoying their holy week (a week-long vacation/celebration).
i was very happy with the different Kuhl layers that i brought with me, and so was helby. our needs were covered: from the cooler days in higher elevations to the hot sweaty hikes through the jungle, the kuhl clothing we wore was the best, most comfortable, and most versatile layers i have ever used on an overloading trip like this. function was key, especially as we couldn’t pack a lot of clothes. i couldn’t be more impressed with how they held up. living out of jeep or van or any car for that matter can be hard, but they seem indestructible. helby and i enjoyed every second and did as much as we could in the time given to us, and i couldn’t be happier with the results.
it was a bittersweet goodbye when I left helby to continue on with his panamerican trip while i flew back home to southern utah. i wanted to continue with him, but obligations and work took me back home to my day-to-day reality in america.
i left mexico with the utmost respect for the country. eating with the locals, talking with coffee farmers, and hiking in places that is still considered unexplored territory will always stick with me as some of my favorite memories.
as i continue to travel to more places like this, i will never forget my time in mexico. It was a turning point in my life. not knowing how to speak or communicate with the native people made me feel vulnerable and scared, but i am happy with how the trip turned out regardless of my rocky first couple of days. and, my spanish is 1000x better than before. i pushed myself to new boundaries and explored these places through my own eyes. and while i may have started out on this adventure feeling mentally underdressed, in a way, i came out a little more cultured, a little more understanding, and a little more excited for what the future holds.