This morning I woke up with extraordinary clarity and energy, as if I hadn’t been on the road for over a week. It was as if I’d stepped out of a dream through a door into reality. So I got up early to use the waters of a nearby river for hygiene.

After a brief moment to gather my things, I emerged from the tent, spotted a guard, and waved to assure myself I was noticed and safe. The guard’s calmness reassured me that I was quite safe here and that leaving wasn’t a blatant folly. I headed in a direction that seemed to lead to the river.

As I crossed a small section of forest, I came across a large rock, and at its base, a path that seemed natural, trampled by animals rather than human feet. As I followed this path, I emerged into an unusual open space for this type of place. I can’t think of any reason why the jungle wouldn’t have taken over this space. Perhaps this part is regularly underwater when the river rises, preventing vegetation from growing here. In any case, I won’t deny that after more than a dozen days in the dense jungle walls, this open space was, for me, a kind of cure for an illness I hadn’t been aware of.

The place where I exited the forest was just before the river’s bend, and slightly earlier, there was a low waterfall with clean, clear water. It flowed gently from a narrow rock face, its stream catching the sunlight and creating a shimmering path across the riverbed.

Without wasting much time, I looked around for anything unusual, stripped off my clothes, and jumped under the waterfall, enjoying the space and the view of the sky while taking the shower.

After a while, I decided to do some more exploring, so I headed upstream, leaving some of my belongings on the bank.

As I walked along the sandy bank, I eventually reached a small tributary where clear, pristine water flowed into the river. The stream was so pure it seemed untouched by time, and I followed it, drawn by its quiet rhythm. After a while, the path narrowed, and from behind a bend, a massive rock emerged. The stream wound around this rock, creating a natural barrier. After passing the boulder, I was struck by the sound of rushing water – I could have sworn I'd only heard a murmur before. It turned out the source of the noise was a small waterfall. I suspect the change in noise intensity was simply a peculiar acoustic phenomenon.

As I approached the waterfall, I noticed that the wall of the forest was pressing increasingly against the river, effectively blocking access to the waterfall itself. I stepped as close as I could, taking in the sight of the cascading water for a moment before turning back toward camp...