Paradise

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So let me set the scene for you, imagine all those films, pictures and postcards you've seen of a lush paradise, with a raging river running through lots of palm trees and tropical flowers, and magnificent waterfalls at every bend. Now picture me in a raft in the river amongst this paradise!!! Hehe yes i spent the day white water rafting, down the river to the north of Bali. Michelle decided not to join as she was scared of the class 3/4 rapids and the thought of a 4 and 5 metre drop!!

I get picked up early, like 8am eesh and then we pick up all the other rafters - lo and behold one guy gets in the back of the van and he's from Castle Bromwich! He's been living in Oz for 6 months and his brummie accent is still as strong as if he were in Brum!

We journey onto the rafting point and fill in our insurance forms eek then get kitted up! Because the lads in the van had bought an extra person with them i couldn't go in their raft - though that turned out to be for the best as they capsized half way through!!
I ended up in a raft with a Malaysian family! Well a mother and her 2 daughters - one must have been about 10, that really puts Michelle to shame!!
With hat, paddle and life jacket we head to the river, get our instructions and then its in the dingy and into the rapids!! Its quite tame at first but as we go down we hit different rapids and its pretty good!

We then have to get out of the boat as we come up to a dam, its a vertical 9ft drop and no boats are going down that! So we get out and walk through the water and what happens, i lose my flip flop!! Some woman tried to run down the river to rescue it but i'm afraid to say its a gonna, d'oh! For those of you who think i'm stupid for wearing flip flops - i was actually told to wear them, so there!!
Anyway back into the boat, one flip flop down and we're back down the rapids. We come to our first 4 metre drop, but the forces of nature mean we can't go down it. Somehow a huge stone had become dislodged and took up residency slap bang in the middle of the drop! So we have to go over land while all the guides try and move the boats in the strong current!
But then we're back in and zooming down the river - we somehow manage to get stuck on every stone going and it turns into a huge water fight between all the rafters! And everytime we hit the rapids i'm sure our guide moves the boat so i get soaked - but its all ok cos i have my board shorts on!!!

We all nearly get killed on bridges and branches that are over the river. Come to one section where a tree has fallen and we were meant to stop but the current just took us, we were shouted at to lie back to avoid head on collision with the tree, though i don't think the lady behind me quite heard everyone and ducked a bit too late and got clonked on the head!! oopsy!
At the halfway point we stop off and get out on the riverside next to this amazing waterfall - its really is stunning. Due to the lack of footwear i decide not to climb it so look on in awe!
Today is actually the first sunny day we've had and it just adds to the scenery, words probably can't describe just how beautiful it all was, really was like something out of a film. Every turning on the river there was something to see, either the lush green paddy fields with little straw huts or a massive rockface with a natural spring flowing from it into the river or further down the river we saw Balinese labourers at the rivers edge cutting crops and young boys washing in the river! Just breathtaking!

Right at the end of our raft was the 5 metre drop - that was a scary sight to see but it was really cool - much better than the log flume at alton towers!! Got to the end of the river jumped out, then had a little trek back to the finish point and had lunch - was then that i noticed i'm sunburnt again!! Joy joy all up my arms and on my knees, so now if you'll excuse me i'm off to buy some aftersun!!

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Comments

[Mother number 2]

Absolutely great reading and what a fantastic raft ride - sounds rather hairy but I bet you are glad you did it. Shame Michelle didn't go. Oh no not the sunburn again. The scenery sounds absolutely wonderful. Well done you.

[The great wise one]

Just like home
Paradise, sounds just like home, the beach, the food etc-----well done on your rafting----sounds terrific--take care

[The Sage]

Not a drop to drink
It sounds great fun , but no good for surfing--what, what--bet you murdered a bottle of pop or two (!) when you reached dry land. What did your friend do whilst you were enjoying yourself (if that's what you call it, trying not to drown racing down a raging river eh)

[brother number 2]

Not as dangerous as cooking!
That's nothing. I was cooking me dinner last night and I sliced into my thumb :o( Lots of blood. Didn't help that Gareth had only recently sharpened the knives, it's better than a gillette mach 5!