Gorging, Rafting & Beaching it in Fethiye!

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We woke up with no alarm today! It was amazing! Another average breakie but the bread was fresh which was a bonus! We fed up put our togs on and off we ventured! We had been told we were on the bus for a hour or so heading to a big gorge to do a bit of a hike through the water and rocks with the option to raft if we wanted. When we arrived we fell in love with the area. It was so so pretty with huge mountains and rocks and a whooshing river running through it. So we decided to pay the 30 lira and go rafting for an hour. We had no idea what to expect but they gave us these lil shoes, an oar and a tube and pushed us into the freezing cold waters! It was fun but I am useless at using the oar and going the way i intend which i have found out on other adventures doing rafting! Not sure why im so crap but yep I am! Anyway I crashed into rocks and ended up in the bushes at one point but I persevered. It was absolutely stunning scenery and reminded me heaps of Salta in Argentina when we did white water rafting. We got pulled over and told to stop in the middle somewhere after about 20 mins and we had no idea why. So, hoping that this wasn’t the end and that wed been rip[ped off we tried to stop, most of us had to climb out and battle against the current to get over the other side of the water top the edge – including me! I lost a shoe so the bright blue thing teamed it quickly down the river till the guide took off like lightening and retrieved it for me! My hero! J Think I need to get a smaller size!

Once we hopped out they walked us a few metres to this pond looking thig and we got told to climb in. No idea what we were going into we slid in literally into a massive mud bath. To start ith it was slimy and gross but we ended up loving it! For some reason you floated really easily in it and we covered each other completely with mud. After about 15 mins we hopped out completely covered in mud (wish we had been able to bring a camera with us) and let it dry. We then had to go into the freezing and i mean freezing cold river to clean ourselves off. It took forever cos the mud had hardened and we had it everywhere hardened! But we managed even though we all felt like we had hypothermia afterwards! Then back we got into our rafts for a bit longer. He said to us the next bit was dangerous so we had to do it all together so he connected us boy girl boy girl in a row combined with another family and we had to hold the handles of the 2 tubes next to us. Only, I couldn’t reach both of them. My arms were way too short! So yep I broke the chain but everyone got through alive and my arm sockets were almost ripped apart!! We rode for another maybe 15mins and the guide started yelling out “stay to the left stay to the left.” I naturally was far right ad unable to control my tube at all with my amazing oar skills! (don’t think ill take up C1 or K1 to get myself to the Olympics!) So I had to get out of my tube and pull it very difficultly from one side of the river to the other in extremely strong current! I thought I managed quite well actually. There were girls around me from the family group crying and losing their shoes and making quite the scene cos they weren’t on the left side. It was relatively entertaining! It was difficult to get over though ill give them that! Once we all eventually made it to the left and got out. We soaked in the river for a bit then all jammed onto a mini bus to head back. We were standing like sardines, which was lovely! J

When we got back to the base we felt pretty bad cos we got told wed be gone for an hour and it was 2 hours! And there were 3 girls who had decided not to come on it with us so ended up sitting and waiting for 2 hours! Eek ah well they should have done it with us! It was so much fun! Anywho, so we picked them up, I got new smaller shoes and we started our walk through the gorge. It was absolutely gorgeous! We had to walk through the river when it was up to our waist and manoeuvre ourselves through rocks. We walked and climbed for about an hour, took pics, and found a giant waterfall where the water was rushing down so hard! We weren’t gonna go underneath it but when we got there we thought what the heck and dashed under and took pics! It was so refreshing but freeeezing!! So we shivered on the walk but it was worth it! When we got back it was about 3pm and after our usual crappy breakie we were all starving so decided to have lunch by the water there. We got a lil booth where we all sat on the floor cross legged so bend really struggled! I had to pass him his drink, and food and phone and everything really! Once he was down on the ground there was no moving about! I was stoked coswe got to have some shish kebabs which I have been wanting every meal when wev ended up with bleugh buffets so it was very exciting! Our table ordered 7 chicken shish kebabs and one omelette! Easy order! It was so nice having lunch there and chilling out by the water!

We then hopped on the bus for another hour and a half to the beach in fethiye – oludeniz. We had organised to meet jess, elias and berg. They had taken the overnight bus from Istanbul so were buggered. But were staying right by the beach and there for 3 days to chill out a bit. So we met them which was really good and hung out for a few hours. The water was gorgeously warm and clear but rocky on the bottom which none of us were used to but didn’t really matter. There was paragliders everywhere and it looked stunning! Alex, one of the girls on our tour decided to paraglide and said it was incredible! I would have loved to do it! I should have J But we are going to hot air balloon in Cappadocia! Cant wait! At 7pm we had to head back to the hotel for another buffet dinner of slosh! Gutted to say bye to jess but we think we will meet up in a few days again in Pamakkale which will be good! Ben hasn’t been well all day, light headed and headachy so dinner and bed for him. I stayed up and sorted through our pics but couldn’t upload anything unfortunately cos the wifi stopped working. Ah well! Blogs – up to date! Today was my most fav day in turkey so far! So much fun! J

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