Lost World is primarily a 100-meter rappel into a vast cave. After a good 20-minute walk across a grassy hillside on a narrow path where you are continually hooked up via carbineer, you reach the platform where you begin your decent. The rope is threading over and under the bars in the rappel rack - the middle bars do lift up to do this. More bars mean more friction. These seem to be used in long vertical drops. The carbineer is the locking type for extra safety.

After 30-40 minutes, we reach the equipment room, where we were fitted with coveralls, galoshes, abseiling equipment and helmets with headlights. Two guides verified proper working condition and fit of all our equipment. Ladies were given hair bands to make sure all hair was tied back so as not to get caught in the racks or the around the cables. Basic instruction in rappelling techniques and safety guidelines were presented and off we went.

We walked for about 15 minutes through a grassy meadow before reaching what might be considered a viewing area directly across from the opening where we soon be descending. Oh, to have been able to bring a camera!

Departing the vista point, we followed a narrow path along sides of the cavern, unhooking and hooking our carabineers as the terrain changed. Certain areas only one person at a time could travel as you’re really were holding onto the ropes connecting larges trees to one another.

Upon reaching the metal platform we were divided into two groups of four, each with a guide. This was the maximum number that could abseil at time based on the number of cables. Each of was hooked up, told to lean back from the platform with the balls of our feet still grounded. One at a time we push away from the platform and pulled at the rope below us inching our way down. Having done a little rappelling, I realized the sheerness and length of the descent made the weight so much heavier than I expected. No wonder it took 25 minutes to get down.

The views were breathtaking. Above me I could see the white light shining through the opening we had just passed. Below was a streambed and at eye level for 360 degrees was an amphitheater cavern.

We walked along the slippery path that paralleled the stream until we reached a huge boulder where each of us was photographed with the white light streaming down in the background.

We continued on, winding around stalactites and stalagmites until reaching a completely vertical 30-meter long ladder. The guide preceded us up the ladder to send down the safety ropes to which we would be attached. Each rung was cold, wet, and slightly muddy. This was the most energy I exerted during my entire vacation. But it was worth it. We hiked back to the van enriched, enlightened and exhausted.