Oblivion or Creamy white buns

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Today we woke up at 6am to get ready for a white water rafting trip down the rapids in the Zambezi River, but we didn’t know if it would actually happen. We were told that Yehoshua was too young.
We had breakfast and at 7 the guide came to “assess” Yehoshua. He wasn’t sure so he took us all to the rafting place to ask his boss. The answer was no. And none of us wanted to go without him. So, they drove us back (my mom did not go with us, she wanted to enjoy a quiet time alone). As we descended from the Jeep (open and freezing in the morning weather) a man came up to us and told us he’s from a different rafting company and they take kids. It’s a matter of having the proper equipment. Where did he come from?? We still don’t know.
So, we went!
25 kilometers down the Zambezi. First we needed to hike down a mountain near Victoria Falls. Not so easy but not horrible (this blog is all based on my opinion. If you ask a different Strauss you’ll receive a different answer I’m sure, since they are like deer).
We had a wonderful guide, MD, and his helper Morton. The Africans who deal with tourists take on English names. We’ve met a Pretty, Happy, MD, Admire, Morton, so far. The rapids are rated from 1-5+. 1 being the easiest, 5the hardest. There was one #6 but legally they can’t go through it so we all had to climb out of the boat and walk around it.
There were 25 rapids. 3 of them were #5.
We learned how to paddle as a team. Our guide had big oars in the back and he worked the hardest. It was so much fun! We all got a bit banged up one way or another but it was worth it.
Each rapid has a name. Along the route he told us the names (see pic below) and told us why they are named that way. One of them has the nickname, Creamy white buns. Because a white woman fell out of the raft and her pants fell off. We thought it was quite funny. Rapid number 18 came up. It was considered a #5 rapid but could be done in a way that it’s a #2. Until that point out boat hadn’t tipped over and none of us had fallen out into the water. MD said if we went for the #5 we would 99.9% fall out. We decided to go for it.
It happened so fast. Flying out of the boat. We had good life vests and helmets on. We were told not to panic if it happens. I panicked. Every time I popped up a wave went over me. The whole thing must have lasted seconds. MD came to my rescue. He also went flying. We all did except for Adam and Noam. They managed to hold on and stay in the raft. (Videos were taken. Can’t wait to see them). As I climbed into my rescue boat which held two Dutch families, I realized that my bathing suit had fallen a bit ?. Rapid #18 was now my personal Creamy white buns rapid.
The hike up the mountain was very difficult for me. Spesho, a barefoot, 25 yr old Zimbabwean held my hand with his very steady one and helped me all the way up with great patience (stopping every few minutes while everyone else passed us - there were 100 people out on the river) and with encouragement.
The way back was in another open truck. 40 minutes on a rocky, dirt road. We saw some villages. The real Africa.
Now it’s time for a well deserved rest.
Shabbat shalom! (Pics to come after Shabbat)

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Photos

We made it!
After the Zambezi whit water river trip. You can see the River below. We climbed up after.