The Realities of Map Reading
There is a small market 1/32 of an inch away from my hotel. I can see it on my tourist map. It is just across the street and slightly north east of me. Perfect for a stroll on a nice afternoon. Wearing my sturdy tennis shoes and using my purple cane, I set off on the adventure. Oh, and my hair is sopping wet. That is deliberate. People will assume I just came from the pool or beach nearby but the real reason is to keep me from melting. The damp hair will be air- conditioning as I walk. My purse is almost empty so I can put the fresh fruit I plan to purchase in it. I carried a small water bottle, some euros, the hotel room key and my passport.
Following the map I crossed the street, turned slightly north east and saw a concrete path going the direction the store is located. AwHa! Found it I think. Very soon the smooth concrete path begins an upward ascent, slightly winding through tall trees and bamboo bushes. There were patches of shade I welcomed. After walking about 5 yards and I had to pause to catch my breath.
“Wow, This is steeper than it looked,” I thought.
“Maybe I should take a photo of how steep it is or no one will believe me!”
So I turned to take a photo and immediately regretted that decision. It was VERY STEEP and if I fell I would immediately look like a bowling ball rolling down a concrete toboggan run. Just looking down the path made me feel like I would fall. Looking up was only slightly better. It continued ahead of me becoming steeper and with frequent turns.
“Well, I better go forward there is no way I can go back down that without falling,” I advise myself. “Besides, the top must just be around the bend.”
It wasn’t and by the time the path ended I was at the top of a large hill. There was no store, the concrete path ended at a large public parking lot. Full of cars and no people. The lot was circled by a stone wall and I found a spot in the shade and sat on it.
“Kathy”, I lectured myself....”That wasn’t one of your best decisions. Now, How do you think you are going to get back?” There were really only two options I could see. Risk my life and limb on that concrete path or bribe a stranger to drive me back. It was after all a parking lot. Eventually someone would come....so I sat on the wall and waited. About the time I finished drinking the water in my bottle a car arrived and a lady got out. I watched as she unloaded a picnic basket and beach towel.
“She must be headed to the beach by my hotel”, I thought. “How on earth will she ever make it down that path with all that stuff?”. I was about to warn her and ask for a ride when she casually walked around the far end of the wall I was sitting on. Then she began following a little sidewalk that ran was on the other side of the wall and wound around the hill instead of over it. I could not see it from where I was sitting because of all the bamboo bushes.
It was a much easier walk back to the hotel following the lady with the picnic basket. When I entered the lobby the friendly young girl behind the counter greeted me and asked:
“Good Afternoon, Did you enjoy your walk?”
Acting as nonchalant as possible in my exhaustion I gave a weak smile and said:
“Oh, Yes.....just delightful!”
There were two things learned from todays adventure.
1. Tourist maps may be pretty but that doesn’t mean they are to scale. 2. It is much easier to walk around a hill than over it.
Tomorrow I take the bus!
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