Cave Bedtime...

One of the most common questions people ask is "what is it like sleeping in a cave?" I remember on our first viewing trip in April 2004 we stayed 3 nights in a cave in Galera, at that point we were quite excited having never experienced any aspect of cave dwelling before. The first night we went to bed at around midnight, we awoke the following morning expecting it to be around 9am - the time was 10.50am.

A cave near us which was being rented at the time occasionaly had british people staying in it, we would be up and about working outside and it was quite amusing to see the odd bewildered Brit emerge from the cave looking at his watch and shaking his head.

Sleeping in a cave is different to say the least, you will get the best nights sleep you can remember and wake fully rested. Firstly there is no noise - absolutley none, the only thing you can hear is the silence. Secondly when you turn out the light its black, you cant even see your hand in front of your face. Thirdly and something I will try to explain (but really needs to be experienced to get the picture) is an unusual sense of security. Everyone feels secure in their homes but in a cave its different, maybe more secure? its peacefull, no fear of hearing the neighbours next door or them hearing you. With 2m thick walls and solid rock above you, you get a feeling of being in the safest place on earth and in turn sleep like a baby.

It is strange at first, especialy if you are used to an urban environment. In the campo you can go outside before retiring to bed and experience the same silence, on a clear night the sky is laden with stars and I would say confidently that if you look up at the sky for 10 minutes you are guaranteed to see at least one comet skimming its way across the atmosphere. In winter you sleep just as well if not better, your fire will create warmth and the orange flicker creates an atmosphere of relaxation - perfect for a good nights sleep.

Next up.... Building a stone BBQ