I've gone spelunking while in Cancun. It wasn't really much, but it was more like a pool within a cave so it was wet and pretty fun.
I've been in a few big caves with tour groups, but not hobbyist spelunking. I think I would like to but, as with so many potential hobbies I could have, I don't have anyone to go with.
Signature by rubah. I think.
I went cave exploring with Jentleness when I was in California. It was great! It was a pretty nice little jaunt through the caverns (I forget the name), but I would be interested in trying something a little more ~extreme~ someday.
I grew up near Laurel Caverns in southwest Pennsylvania. I've been there before, very dark and cold. Very fun.
--It's me!--
I actually had the chance to do a mini-spelunking of sorts for a school trip. Basically, we went to this 'trial mountain' where people who wish to repent for their sins by means of physical activities can go to. To immerse ourselves in the experience, we had to walk barefoot along a 50-meter mountain trail of moss and rocks (poor feet, I swear) then enter a cave which name translates into 'The Judge'. If you come out of the cave unscathed, you are deemed sinless; if you come out full of trout, then you've got a lot to repent for haha.
Seems simple enough but the save is an EXTREMELY tight fit. In fact, it's so tight inside that only a maximum of 2 people can fit, a guide and you, so we had to traverse it by ourselves. Plus, the guide is in no position to help you - he just tells you what to do like put your left foot on the rock to your lower left etc. Claustrophobics will probably spazz at the entry which has us dropping around 2 meters with no safety gear whatsoever. And the only illumination inside are the dozens of candles at some of the handholds. I had to go through around 5-7 chambers which necessitated squeezing into a hole so tight I barely fit (I'm 5'2, 100 pounds) and pushing myself up into another hole passageway roughly a foot on top of my head, among other maneuvers. By the end of it, I was just so glad to see the light, even when I had to climb a steep incline on smooth rock.
It was actually pretty fun.We wanted to do the other harder caves but apparently, there were recent deaths in the area so they were closed off for a while.
"I'm here for you, James. See? I'm real."
I'm not your Mary.
I wouldn't say it was 'serene and amazing', maybe if I had gone in by myself. but I hear that's dangerous.
There was a really cool (lit.) place on the other side of the cave network where all the cold air was rushing to the surface, and the temperature outside was about 30 degrees cooler than the ambient summer air. they called it the icebox