Day 303 June 4 2015 Oudtshoorn South Africa

actual size of the letter box

one of the many formations in the cave

the entrance to the Devil's Chimney 

climbing us the 45 deg devil's chimney

coming through the letter box

in the tunnel to the letter box

Day 303  June 4 2015  Oudtshoorn  South Africa

We spent 4 ½ hours at Cango Caves between the adventure tour, eating in the restaurant and visiting the interpretation center.  When we bought tickets for the adventure tour, I figured that it would be just a bit harder walk through the cave.  I was wrong as we had to climb through the tunnel of love ( it is called that because it squeezes you from all sides), climb up the devil’s chimney, crawl down a tunnel and then squeeze through a little opening called the letter box.  A few years ago a larger lady who was told that she was too big to pass through the tunnel of love started to claim that the cave guides were discriminating against larger people so they let her go.  When she was into the tunnel of love she discovered that she could not make it and tried to turn around and go back.  She somehow broke her leg and was also wedged into the tunnel.  It took 11 hours and lots of lubricant to get her out.  All the people that had the fortune of passing through the tunnel before her were also stuck until she was removed.  The story has it that the woman’s husband was behind her.  When he found out that she was stuck in the tunnel he did not say a word to her but walked to the restaurant and had a beer.  According to our guide there are a fair number of people that get a little stuck going through the letter box and I found it a very tight squeeze on my chest.  Once we left the cave we drove to a waterfall only to find that the attendant decided that nobody was going to come that day and decide to lock the gate early.  It was annoying as we drove a fair way to get there only to find it closed.  It was another fun day.