Cascades de Didier

Today I went to Didier. People told me about those amazing waterfalls. When I checked it out on the internet it said "3 beautiful waterfalls. The first right by the street. The second is a little harder to access. And the third is a little tough" It sounded like the realxed day I hoped for after hiking the past two days.

At first I did not even find the entrance. When I finally did, I read: "Fermé au publique" Closed for public. No swimming, no hiking, no entering. Yet, people kept entering. So did I. The first meters were steep downhill sliding in the mud. "I am sure it will get better I thought"After a while it did. Until there was a tunnel in front of me. No light at all and I had to balance on a big pipe. At first there was a handrail which vanished after a while. So I balanced over this pipe totally blind.

What a relief when I made it outside without having slipped (there). The next challange followed: Finding the path. A challange that followed me throughout the day. Mostly it was the muddiest of places- that was the path. But I had at least already reached a stream. Fighting my way through the rain forest the view got better and better. Until I finally reached the waterfall. The swim was worth every puddle of mud and every tunnel.

While I bathed in this wonderful water hole I saw people on top of the waterfall. I knew I had to continue. I had already wondered how there were 3 waterfalls when there was absolutely no way continueing after this one.

I finally saw it: I had to cross the river and climb up the rocks, no real path to walk on. So I did, I climbed more than I hiked, I slipped more than I walked. The rainfalls of the night before did not make it any easier. I really have to admit it was tough. But I fought my way through. After reaching the top of the waterfall there was even less of a path than before. I had to walk up the river. Jump from rock to rock. At first I was able to always find a way to keep dry. Until the jump was too long and I comletely slipped on a rock and fell into the water the first time. I was glad the climate was so warm, my feet were soaked. It continued like this until I even took off my shoes because you really had to walk in the water, no other way.

But again, nature did not disappoint me. On the contrairy, I was so glad no one came and tried to make an artificial path for mass tourism but left it like nature wanted it to. Making it only accessible for people who were really determined. I was happy having it made all the way up to the last one. Not realising the hardest part is always getting down. With bare feet walking under water on the rocks hurt really badly I have to admit. And the rocks were slippery and my feet tired already. The first times I fell I could hold myself up right on my hands. Then I slipped for the first time all the way and landed on my stomach, head first down hill. In the moment I tried to feel everything in my body to localize any damage. Nothing major. Lucky me. My feet got weaker and less careful. It was really hard for me to keep my balance especially with my feet under water, not beeing able to see the underground on which I stepped. With the masses of water rushing by that tried to pull me in.

I slipped again. This time I did feel an explosive pain in my knee. I sat there in the water and watched it bleed for a while. And while I sat there, the rain started pouring. What a day.

After a little while I tried moving my knee. I could. At least nothing major, I thought thankfully, I would make it back.

While making it through the last rough parts reaching the first waterfall I thought how light-headed this was. If something had happened that would have been a really stupid idea.

Life at the limit I guess. Away from the tourist paths and on ways that are not for everyone I find the realy beauty.

And when I finally stepped out of the trail and saw the sign "Closed for public" I laughed. And felt proud.