I am in a gondola, going straight up at leisure.
This gondola is large and squarish. Large enough that there are a couple round tables set next to each wall. There are 8 tables all told and each has 2-3 people around. I’m in the center-ish of the gondola floor. Strangers next to me have backpacks, hiking equipment. I do too. I’ve never hiked in my life.
The trip straight up takes a while. So, those seated at tables have been served small food and drinks.
We are inside a spent volcano.
At the top of the volcano, one of the tallest in the world. Is… Something… A hotel? A mystery? I don’t know, the dream me doesn’t think about it, I just know I need to ride this gondola elevator restaurant all the way up.
The inside of the volcano isn’t dark. Or lifeless. Surprisingly, vegetation has grown inside, there’s something about volcanic ash mixing with whatever that makes the inside of this particular volcano fertile. Some lava still flows, harmlessly illuminating the space around us. And there’s lights everywhere outside that’s been hanging there.
Everyone looks outside the windows, marveling at it all. The inside of the volcano is alive. It’s beautiful
After what seems like almost an hour we are near the top of the volcano and people start getting excited and also nervous.
You see, the gondola is only suspended by cables and it may rotate freely about. But to come out of the volcano it has to be in correct orientation!
So I know, everyone knows, the gondola has to spin about before it can go up much further. And people know the spinning may be both violent, fast, and dangerous.
The gondola spins, slow, clockwise, people low-key cheer. The gondola creeps up just a bit. Turns. Rises up a smidge. Turns slowly.
Somewhere the cables readjust, or untwist, or a gear slips…
The gondola suddenly jumps down a meter. One or two people weren’t ready for it and fall down.
All this time I’ve been holding a safety pole. Its cold metal but solid and reassuring.
But people clap, excited, this is an expected part of the ride.
The gondola starts turning again. Quicker now
Maybe too quick. Then stops. Jumps down again but no more than a foot.
Then the spinning starts back up. Hard rotation makes the people lurch sideways and outwards to wards the windows. Everyone struggles to keep their footing. They stop cheering and clapping and start holding on for dear life.
I’m thinking, “I knew it, I fucking knew it, goddam fuck, I take a vacation and it’s gonna kill me!”
Everyone is screaming now. The spinning and falling won’t stop.
We’ll never make it to the top…
