Today was a true adventure! We travelled two hours to the source of the Nile River to go whitewater rafting! I had never done this before and it was a very symbolic experience.
So we lather up on sunblock, dressed in bathing suits and get set up with a life jacket, helmet, and an oar. We split into the groups of "wild" and "mild" based on what we wanted to experience on the raft..... so I chose "mild" having never done this before.
Okay, so we get in the raft, and our man, our guide Big J gives us the low down. He teaches us commands, rowing forward, backward, stopping position, down position, and what to do if you fall out or if the whole boat capsizes. So we put the two African men with us in the front, our two guides for our whole trip out here in Africa..... the strong ones need to be in front, but needless to say neither had ever rowed ever before and were clueless on how to, a wake up call for me.... so Big J brings them to the back and puts myself and Sophie in front as the strong ones. We were the leaders now!
So my roommate, Colleen, is already freaking out, asking a lot of questions out of nervousness. We start going down the river, the freaking Nile River! and go past an easy class 1 rapid, not too bad..... then we plow through a class 2, and then a class 3, and then a class 4 and College pops out of the raft! We learned how to grab one of the kayaking heros who would fetch us if we fell out, so she finds one and latches on and finally gets back in our raft, hysterical, crying, shaking, and our guide hugs are and calms her down, wipes her tears, so sweet. She finally calms down, but feels more courageous, so we start off again.
I get into this leadership role of encouragement and morale building, and we all really start supporting each other as a team. Yay! So here we go towards a class 4 rapid. Once we get into it, we duck down into the boat to prevent from falling out, but them wham! a big rapid knocks Sophie, Megan, and me out of the boat! We fell out towards the end and luckily were in a calmer spot. I held tight to two oars, got back in the boat fast, pulled in by Joseph our trip guide, and Sophie, too, but Megan got a kayak hero and he brought her to our boat, after asking her if she had a boyfriend.
It is amazing how it happens. You go down some rapids, we are all there and then some are gone... you don't see who pops out as you go through but after the storm. So immediately you look back and see who's missing, and then look out into the water, and are so focused, so aware, so adrenalined up knowing your sole mission is to find your crew and haul them back in, somehow, anyhow... and I was surprised how muh control I had in this situation, calling out to people in the water, giving direction even if I went in, trying to keep the team together, delegating, encouraging, empowering, really being a leader... until the last rapid which you will read about soon.
I felt pretty good after that and in control, like a good leader giving direction and all. So we go through a few more, doing good, and it is interesting because you learn when to paddle and then when to chill and go with the flow, letting the current carry you.... and when you pop out of the boat that is exactly what you do, surrender and let the current carry you to calm waters.
So we get to a calm spot, and Big J says, "Okay, now the biggest rapids are coming up, a class 5. So just stay calm, always stay calm. There are 4 rapids to get through in this one, so it is longer. Take deep breaths as we row, so you have breath if you pop out, and last 8-10 seconds before you are out and rescued. If you pop out, let go of the oar, hold your vest, tuck your knees in to your chest and you will pop up like popcorn."
So here we go, I'm a little scared, but after this one is a class 3 and then lunch. So we go, we have no choice, there is no turning back on the river. So we go paddling hard to the central channel of the rapids, and then he says, "Stop, get down!" and we grap the rope and get down in the boat. Splash comes the first rapid, splash comes the second, the boat turns sideways and I pop out crashing into the waves. It was so hard to breath, and so hard to catch my breath. I go under, and then come up, trying to take a quick inhale, and go under again. You have no control. You have to let go, stay calm, surrender to the flow of the current and be carried down. It becomes survival, even when I had to take a breath, the rapids are all around splashing everywhere, so even when breathing in I took in water in my lungs, and I definitely felt it in my right lung, cool and sitting in there, uncomfortable. I didn't know when I would be pulled under, or when I would pop up, so when I was up I took my chance and inhaled quick! I had no control, I was under water, abover water, pulled under water, and scared, very scared, but I just focused on that opportunity of air and trying to breath until rescue. I felt a boat hit my side, thinking it was a kayak hero, and then I realized it was a boat and I was hauled up fast into it. I coughed up water while trying to fully drop in. I thought it was a different boat but then I realized it was Big J who had single handedly grabbed me and hauled me out, I was in my boat, and the gratitude I felt towards Big J was of total devotion and appreciation for saving me. I quickly resumed my front position, and then we found Megan who also popped out. I luckily was grabbed out of the rapids somewhere in the middle of the 4 big ones, but Megan had traveled all the way down and we found her clinging to a kayak hero. She coughed and belched up water as the kayak brought her to us, and she was scared, taking some time to calm down.
For both of us the first pop was no problem, kind of fun, but the last one was scary. It was total survival and knowing if you could just keep on breathing when popping up, that eventually you would be rescued, and trusting the universe completely with your life. I have to admit my body was shaking after that, internally trying to calm myself down.
So needless to say, we became the "wild" boat. We all went down the same rapids, "wild" and "mild" but the real "wild" boat had only one person pop.... our boat had a rough ride... but it definitely was fun... so our boat had the wildest ride for sure.
How happy was I to be on calm water and have survived.... and although Big J has been doing this for 10/11 years and the kayak heros were around to rescue us if we floated off, it was still scary and still dangerous, especially that last rapid.... but I had to surrender and just breathe until rescue.... I could breathe, but for Megan, she had engulfed enough water to feel like she couldn't breath in air even when she wanted to... what a scary feeling.... so I am VERY glad I survived, even though they made it as safe as possible anyway.
Not to say I wouldn't go again, but I'm guessing white water rafting on the Nile is like skiing in the Alps, as opposed to Pennsylvania or something. It was sooo much fun, but scary that last part. I shined and I surrendered.... big symbolic lessons today. My husband would've loved it, though, but not the scary part. If he was with me we both would've been nervous wrecks if one of us popped out.
Man was I tired after that, and lunch was healthy and yummy on an island in the river. The Nile River is beautiful, and so warm, and so refreshing to even just swim in... that was glorious.
So we are on the bus and I see these poor kids, looking so sweetly at us saying goodbye... I feel bad for these angels and give them my water bottle, Colleen gives them her soda and more and more of us give them our water bottles and drinks to share with each other. Nothing is more appreciated than those gifts... think how hard it is to have fresh, safe water to drink there.
So we drive the 2hrs back, and I rest at the hotel and catch up on email stuff. Then we go out to dinner at the best freaking Indian food restaurant in the world!! And I was so hungry and so tired, and this Indian food ws honestly the best I have ever, ever, ever had. uuuugggghhh is was absolutely Divine! So good!
So now I just blogged, catching up finally, and I'm exhaughsted..... ready for bed... to refresh for a full day tomorrow at the New Hope School & Orphanage to play with the kid and help build a garden.... kids with no moms and dads, lost to war, AIDS, or starvation. There is no way to prepare for Africa.
So we lather up on sunblock, dressed in bathing suits and get set up with a life jacket, helmet, and an oar. We split into the groups of "wild" and "mild" based on what we wanted to experience on the raft..... so I chose "mild" having never done this before.
Okay, so we get in the raft, and our man, our guide Big J gives us the low down. He teaches us commands, rowing forward, backward, stopping position, down position, and what to do if you fall out or if the whole boat capsizes. So we put the two African men with us in the front, our two guides for our whole trip out here in Africa..... the strong ones need to be in front, but needless to say neither had ever rowed ever before and were clueless on how to, a wake up call for me.... so Big J brings them to the back and puts myself and Sophie in front as the strong ones. We were the leaders now!
So my roommate, Colleen, is already freaking out, asking a lot of questions out of nervousness. We start going down the river, the freaking Nile River! and go past an easy class 1 rapid, not too bad..... then we plow through a class 2, and then a class 3, and then a class 4 and College pops out of the raft! We learned how to grab one of the kayaking heros who would fetch us if we fell out, so she finds one and latches on and finally gets back in our raft, hysterical, crying, shaking, and our guide hugs are and calms her down, wipes her tears, so sweet. She finally calms down, but feels more courageous, so we start off again.
I get into this leadership role of encouragement and morale building, and we all really start supporting each other as a team. Yay! So here we go towards a class 4 rapid. Once we get into it, we duck down into the boat to prevent from falling out, but them wham! a big rapid knocks Sophie, Megan, and me out of the boat! We fell out towards the end and luckily were in a calmer spot. I held tight to two oars, got back in the boat fast, pulled in by Joseph our trip guide, and Sophie, too, but Megan got a kayak hero and he brought her to our boat, after asking her if she had a boyfriend.
It is amazing how it happens. You go down some rapids, we are all there and then some are gone... you don't see who pops out as you go through but after the storm. So immediately you look back and see who's missing, and then look out into the water, and are so focused, so aware, so adrenalined up knowing your sole mission is to find your crew and haul them back in, somehow, anyhow... and I was surprised how muh control I had in this situation, calling out to people in the water, giving direction even if I went in, trying to keep the team together, delegating, encouraging, empowering, really being a leader... until the last rapid which you will read about soon.
I felt pretty good after that and in control, like a good leader giving direction and all. So we go through a few more, doing good, and it is interesting because you learn when to paddle and then when to chill and go with the flow, letting the current carry you.... and when you pop out of the boat that is exactly what you do, surrender and let the current carry you to calm waters.
So we get to a calm spot, and Big J says, "Okay, now the biggest rapids are coming up, a class 5. So just stay calm, always stay calm. There are 4 rapids to get through in this one, so it is longer. Take deep breaths as we row, so you have breath if you pop out, and last 8-10 seconds before you are out and rescued. If you pop out, let go of the oar, hold your vest, tuck your knees in to your chest and you will pop up like popcorn."
So here we go, I'm a little scared, but after this one is a class 3 and then lunch. So we go, we have no choice, there is no turning back on the river. So we go paddling hard to the central channel of the rapids, and then he says, "Stop, get down!" and we grap the rope and get down in the boat. Splash comes the first rapid, splash comes the second, the boat turns sideways and I pop out crashing into the waves. It was so hard to breath, and so hard to catch my breath. I go under, and then come up, trying to take a quick inhale, and go under again. You have no control. You have to let go, stay calm, surrender to the flow of the current and be carried down. It becomes survival, even when I had to take a breath, the rapids are all around splashing everywhere, so even when breathing in I took in water in my lungs, and I definitely felt it in my right lung, cool and sitting in there, uncomfortable. I didn't know when I would be pulled under, or when I would pop up, so when I was up I took my chance and inhaled quick! I had no control, I was under water, abover water, pulled under water, and scared, very scared, but I just focused on that opportunity of air and trying to breath until rescue. I felt a boat hit my side, thinking it was a kayak hero, and then I realized it was a boat and I was hauled up fast into it. I coughed up water while trying to fully drop in. I thought it was a different boat but then I realized it was Big J who had single handedly grabbed me and hauled me out, I was in my boat, and the gratitude I felt towards Big J was of total devotion and appreciation for saving me. I quickly resumed my front position, and then we found Megan who also popped out. I luckily was grabbed out of the rapids somewhere in the middle of the 4 big ones, but Megan had traveled all the way down and we found her clinging to a kayak hero. She coughed and belched up water as the kayak brought her to us, and she was scared, taking some time to calm down.
For both of us the first pop was no problem, kind of fun, but the last one was scary. It was total survival and knowing if you could just keep on breathing when popping up, that eventually you would be rescued, and trusting the universe completely with your life. I have to admit my body was shaking after that, internally trying to calm myself down.
So needless to say, we became the "wild" boat. We all went down the same rapids, "wild" and "mild" but the real "wild" boat had only one person pop.... our boat had a rough ride... but it definitely was fun... so our boat had the wildest ride for sure.
How happy was I to be on calm water and have survived.... and although Big J has been doing this for 10/11 years and the kayak heros were around to rescue us if we floated off, it was still scary and still dangerous, especially that last rapid.... but I had to surrender and just breathe until rescue.... I could breathe, but for Megan, she had engulfed enough water to feel like she couldn't breath in air even when she wanted to... what a scary feeling.... so I am VERY glad I survived, even though they made it as safe as possible anyway.
Not to say I wouldn't go again, but I'm guessing white water rafting on the Nile is like skiing in the Alps, as opposed to Pennsylvania or something. It was sooo much fun, but scary that last part. I shined and I surrendered.... big symbolic lessons today. My husband would've loved it, though, but not the scary part. If he was with me we both would've been nervous wrecks if one of us popped out.
Man was I tired after that, and lunch was healthy and yummy on an island in the river. The Nile River is beautiful, and so warm, and so refreshing to even just swim in... that was glorious.
So we are on the bus and I see these poor kids, looking so sweetly at us saying goodbye... I feel bad for these angels and give them my water bottle, Colleen gives them her soda and more and more of us give them our water bottles and drinks to share with each other. Nothing is more appreciated than those gifts... think how hard it is to have fresh, safe water to drink there.
So we drive the 2hrs back, and I rest at the hotel and catch up on email stuff. Then we go out to dinner at the best freaking Indian food restaurant in the world!! And I was so hungry and so tired, and this Indian food ws honestly the best I have ever, ever, ever had. uuuugggghhh is was absolutely Divine! So good!
So now I just blogged, catching up finally, and I'm exhaughsted..... ready for bed... to refresh for a full day tomorrow at the New Hope School & Orphanage to play with the kid and help build a garden.... kids with no moms and dads, lost to war, AIDS, or starvation. There is no way to prepare for Africa.
WOW!!!!! You had quite a day!. Class 4 rapids are major but usually only e3xperts do the class 5's. That was an experience you will never forget. Theo will definitely be jealous...and very happy that you survived. Now I know better what to pray for...survival from the next major event. Africa is a BIG place full of Big stuff (like class 5 rapids).
ReplyDeleteIt was even scarey with me just reading the post. Wow how exciting tho....Glad you made it. Happy Valentines Day!
ReplyDeletekristen, I didn't realize how serious of a rafting trip this was. I am just happy your alive. Be carefule over there. seriously.
ReplyDeleteAwww, Theo. So cute =) Kristen will be ok! Krissy, it sounds awesome and quite scary! Enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kristen, for the story of surrender, flow and trust. I feel that you are VERY well taken care of there - by humans and beyond. What an experience. In Sidney Poitier's autobiography, "The Measure of a Man," he describes a similar experience in the ocean.
ReplyDelete