Woman who spent 500 days alone in a cave returns to civilization

A woman has just emerged from the darkness after spending 500 days in a cave.

Spanish extreme athlete, Beatriz Flamini, entered the cave at the age of 48, but emerged as a 50-year-old.

She had no idea about what had gone on in the world, hadn’t had a shower the whole time, and had no idea how long she’d been underground.

OK, we all like a bit of peace and quiet now and again, but this takes things to a different level.

Flamini went into the cave whilst the world was still in various states of disarray from the Covid-19 pandemic, and before Russia had invaded Ukraine.

As she emerged, she admitted that it was hard not to think that it was still the same day she went in.

Instagram/Beatriz Flamini

Upon emerging from the cave in Granada, Spain, she said: "I'm still stuck on November 21, 2021.

“I don't know anything about the world.”

So, what do you get up to down there?

Flamini has pretty much spent her time exercising, reading, drawing, and knitting woolly hats.

There are worse things to be doing.

According to the team that were supporting her, she read 60 books and went through 1,000 litres of water during the whole process.

For the whole time, she’s been recording her thoughts and periodically swapping them for food and water, all the while avoiding human contact.

She was also monitored by researchers, psychologists, and speleologists – specialists in caves – although none contacted her directly.

After coming out, she described the whole thing as an ‘excellent, unbeatable’ experience.

She did want a shower though, and didn’t have too much to say.

"I've been silent for a year-and-a-half, not talking to anyone but myself,” she said.

“I lose my balance, that's why I'm being held.

“If you allow me to take a shower - I haven't touched water for a year-and-a-half - I'll see you in a little while.

“Is that OK with you?"

Twitter/@marca

That sounds fair enough.

Flamini said that after about two months she struggled with keeping up with time, so estimated that she’d been down there for about ‘160-170 days’.

Whilst in isolation, she suffered with ‘auditory hallucinations’, stating: “You are silent and your brain makes it up.”

At one stage, she said that there was an invasion of flies in the cave, which left her absolutely covered.

Absolute nightmare fuel, that.

Experts have been studying her time down in the cave, researching the impact of complete isolation and the effect of extreme disorientation on perception of time.

Flamini’s team say that she’s broken a record for longest time spent in a cave, although Guinness World Records has not confirmed that, or whether there even is an existing record for a voluntary stay in a cave.