Jueves

Today was a "fun" day for our team. Every day so far has started with breakfast at 7am at then out at 8 to a different place to serve. Our trip coordinator set aside today as a "touristy" day. We still started at 7am but we left at 8 and took a 1 1/2 hour boat ride up a river to a natural hot springs in the jungle. We had a great time swimming below a waterfall and feeling the hot water wash over us. Some of us climbed up to the top of the waterfall to the source of the hot springs and had fun putting mud on our faces. The more adventurous folks (Cough cough Bethany, Lauren, and Keith) enjoyed falling into a hole hidden in a crevice under the waterfall. The entire area was absolutely stunning, and after our swim we got back on the boat to go to a restaurant for lunch. Most of the kids got cheeseburgers, but Lauren got a shrimp dish and Bethany got the topada, a whole crab and whole fish served in a coconut cream soup. She really enjoyed tearing apart the crab and playing with its pincers. (guess who's writing this post in third person). After lunch we got ice cream, then got back on the boat to head back to camp. The boat rides are always loads of fun, because the waves are so big that we just bounce across the top of them and go airborne sometimes. For the child like Bethany who has never been to an amusement park (not even Disney World!!), the boat rides definitely make up for the adrenaline rushes that are abound in amusement parks. When we got back to camp, we all just chillaxed until dinner. Tony and Lauren went swimming again. They are always in the water. I think they're slowly morphing into fish. I could've sworn I saw gills on Lauren the other day. It's crazy stuff man. Anywho, for dinner, we had a muy delicioso taco soup thing. Bethany of course was hungry again, (but no one else was) so she enjoyed cleaning the plates of the other team members. Who needs a dog when you have a Bethany? After dinner we had a little team rendezvous, where we heard the stories of two of the missionaries here, then played a round of hot seat. Now the hour is growing late, and the young'uns are crawling to bed. Bethany is slathered in aloe, Lauren is snoring, Sam is eating again, Dana is sharing a bed with a box of Cheezits, Sereen is relaxing in her fab 1D shirt, and Emily is showering. Merry Thursday to all, and to all a good night!