I was trying to imagine where this place would be as I read your wonderful post, and I'm interested to find it is Venezuela. What a wonderful spot even with the perils.

I knew you would find the descent harder the the ascent. Lucky you to have help from a man with a machete! What an adventure most of us will never get to have.

Thank you so much for posting this exciting story. I think the purple flower is called "Morning Glory" in the us. They only bloom at the beginning of the day, so you were lucky to be there at the right time :)