DAY 10: May 27- Rafting the Nile!

**Disclaimer: This is a very long entry. I thought it was only appropriate to be as detailed as possible so you could full understand as best as possible what Rafting the Nile was like. PLEASE don't hate me, instead feel free to skip around or skip this entire entry… however, this might be the best one I’ve got.

7:20 am alarm clock. Breakfast. 8:30 am pick up time. It was time for rafting. White Water Rafting on the Nile. Level 5. It was going to be an “epic” day. However, I made a bad decision.. I took my Malaria pill without enough food.. (Not a good idea before we are about to raft the Nile) so bad stomach ache hits on the way to the “Explore the Nile” rafting place.

With my stomach in a knot and my fear for the water approaching, I decided I would raft on the mild and not the wild boat. (We had 2 options) Only one other girl, and maybe G. Sebs (since he’s already rafted Wild twice) wanted to raft on a mild boat. So I was set.. even though everyone else was rafting WILD. However, as we waiting and my stomach untwisted, Hannah told me that she decided not to go at all (a childhood drowning experience was a little too much for her.. she even was tearing up). So I swallowed my fear (and my childhood drowning nightmare at the Bankie’s house) and told everyone I would raft the Nile.. WILD like everyone else.. (you know, I didn’t want to be left out, plus I’ve been 12,000 ft in the air to skydive, at least this was on land.. kinda). So it was Wild for me.

Then Mark and Spencer came to say hi slash bye to all of us and to give their farewells to Tom who had just recently learned to swim but was coming with us! They told us stories from their rafting adventures and gave us tips. They told me the best place to sit was in the middle of the raft and not to get one of the crazy Australians as our guide. All the while we were waiting and having this conversation, there was a video playing of the rafting in the background. We just saw person after person being launched out of the raft and floating rapidly downstream dot dot dot. Yah, you could say I was a bit nervous at this point especially since my friends said that I couldn’t switch back to Mild because “I committed to Wild now.” (What are friends for? If not to encourage you to put your life in more danger?!)

Finally, after waiting for a long time, seeing a hatching chick get cooked (David opened a hard boil egg to see a head with a neck like figure come out of the cooked egg… sick. He even bit the head off to be dramatic), and hearing terror stories, it was time for the orientation..(well it was more like basic instructions like wear sunscreen). After that we got fitted for our helmets and life jackets and we were back on our big van like truck to the Nile!!!!!

The drive over was quite bumpy like all the roads in Africa, but with my nerves racing, it seemed more intense. I told everyone the ride was like Indian Jones (that’s what our vehicle l reminded me of but larger), and the Nile would be like Splash Mountain times 5.. we were practically at Disneyland!
After passing many little villages and small children running, screaming, and waving hello, it was finally time to start our adventure. We all got out of the truck, carried some oars, and made groups. It was Tyler (G.Seb’s son), Bayli (of course, us Pi Phis have to stick together HA), Paul (we need someone strong), Rachel (I just love her), and Ashley (she wanted the same moderate version of WILD). Our guide was Prince.. Prince Charles as he liked to be called. (He was African don’t worry, but I’m guessing that wasn’t his real name).

So rafting is more of a hands on learning type of thing.. you know learn as you go. But don’t worry I had ABSOULUTELY NO experience rafting whatsoever. I probably was the only one in our group that had never even done a level 1, 2 or 3. But it is okay.. cause I had Prince to teach me the ropes. So we got in the raft (obviously I tap tapped the middle seat), and we started to learn. Paddle Forward. Paddle Backwards. Left Backwards. Right Forward. Etc. Then we learned: Hold On (where one had was on the rope on the side of the raft and the other hand was on the end of the paddle between our legs). Get Down (where we were sitting with our feet on the raft, our knees were up, and our both our hands are holding on to the rope and our paddles.

Next we had to sit on one side and so we could practice flipping the boat. He told us to try to swim away from the boat. He said that when we flip you will be pulled under for about 5 to 7 seconds. Prince told us to hold on to our paddles (which he said cost $100 .. but I’m not sure if that’s true) and don’t fight it. Just relax and let the safety vest pull you up… but all I could think about is..dang.. its going to pull me under for that long.. crap.. this is going to be a long day.

So we fell out and grabbed the side of the raft. Then he stood on top and flipped it back over while we all held on to the boat still and swam under. (I’m not sure if you can get the visual but he was on top pulling the raft the opposite way that we were swimming under the raft… get it? Yes? No? Maybe?). After we got back in (basically the boys had to pull themselves in and then help all of us back in the raft by grabbing our life jackets and pulling up because we weren’t strong enough to get up on our own.. I don’t have much upper arm strength now that I quit Lacrosse) he asked me my name, and then proceeded to ask me to get in the water…um… yah just me. So obviously I did whatever Prince wanted me to. Then he used me ask the example of how to properly get rescued by one of the many Kayakers that were with us.. legs up on front and everything.

Finally, after a brief “swim” as Prince liked to call anytime we were out of the boat down a level 1 rapid, it was time to start. We did a couple Level 3 rapids and it was fine. Maybe even fun. We passed beautiful forestry and animals including water chickens (aka Bald Eagles .. which I haven’t even seen in California.. which makes perfect sense that they are in Africa.. not), bats, cows, and many other birds. Nature on the Nile was beautiful. God is good.

Our first real rapid was a 4 I think. And we survived. It was a great moment. We listened to Prince, held on when told and went through the rapid a little or a lot wet, but the point is that we did not flip or fall out. After we did a Prince Charles Cheer and it was downstream for a little rest before the next rapid. I think our next rapid was a 5. Oh crap… that’s what was going through my head. Some how by the power of God.. and Prince’s direction (because I’m pretty sure he can place the raft certain ways to flip or not flip) we survived a level 5 with out falling out! It was such a rush.. and of course I was soaking wet and definitely drank some Nile water.. but I was alive and we didn’t fall out! SUCCESS! YES. Then Prince told us to put our paddles in the center and we did a high school sports cheer… (you know like when everyone puts their hands in the middle, shout something and then raise their hands.. we did that with paddles and screamed “Prince Charles!!!!!”)

 Then it was time for a break. We floated down the Nile.. did a little “forward paddle” and “relax” (that meant stop). Finally after plenty of time to catch our breaths and calm down from the class 5 rapid we just passed, it was time for a level 4. So we thought we had this in the bag.. You know we just did a class 5 and we survived.. He said it was called 50/50. There is a 50% chance we won’t die. Actually, that was a joke, it was a 50% chance we would or would not flip…. But I think our team “wood” (wood for wood paddles) thought we were golden.

WE WERE WRONG. We were oh so very wrong. Just cause you pass a level 5 rapid without falling means nothing for any other rapid. So there it was. I’m not even sure I remember what happened. My eyes were closed the entire time. All I know is that we were all in our “get down” position and before I know it I’m in the water. I was on the left side of the raft and I’m pretty sure the raft flipped towards my side. Then I was under the water. I held onto my paddle like he told me and I tried to stay as relaxed as I could and just let the water toss me around. But after 5 seconds of not breathing and not hitting the air yet, I started to panic just a little. You think maybe this is it.. God’s about to take me.. I’m going to drown.. But then you feel AIR! YES. Victory. I was ALIVE! I opened my eyes and coughed up water that went in my mouth and up my nose. Basically I was gagging. I saw the raft in front of me and I grabbed it. I saw Bayli next to me… and she was asking me if I was okay.. (she said I sounded like I was dying, my team looked out for me the entire trip.. I owe them one or two or maybe even three). We flipped the boat back over like we practiced. The boys got in and helped us girls back into the raft and wow. Our FIRST flip. We didn’t know then there were more to come later. Although I was scared and it wasn’t the best feeling to be caught under water or be choking on the water.. I was kinda pumped that I had just survived being tossed around the Nile. We were now officially.. BALLERS.

Whoa..  After a long resting time, it was back to the rapids. Next was our biggest one. Class 5.5 yes that’s right five and a half.. that’s  like barely legal.. like little old me (inexperienced rafter) probably should not have been doing a level 5.5, but TIA (THIS IS AFRICA).. you do what they tell you. So this 5.5 was like a drop.. then a rapid and then another one after it. From where we were, you couldn’t actually see the rapid. dot dot dot. Yah. Wasn’t too excited for this one after we flipped the last one.. but what can you do.. nothing. “I’m on a boat.”

The funny thing about the rapids (which I mentioned previously, is that you just never know each rapid is a new rapid. What happened during your last rapid means nothing). So guess what.. we actually survived the 5.5. Yup that’s right.. we might have been soaked and it might have been crazy but we stayed on the boat! Again..Ballers, plus a little “Prince Charles” on three. PLUS, we even had our first battle wound. Bayli was spitting out blood. That’s right. That’s how we do. (The paddle hit her lip against her tooth and cut her.) She looked BA (bad @$$).

Next it was down time. A lot of “forward paddle” and time for lunch on the Nile. As we floated along the river we got fresh cut pineapple and biscuits.. yum. So good. SO GOOD. (Thank you Tri Delt/ATO/Kappa Songfest for that). After lunch was over and re covered from the morning it was time for our first rapid after lunch.. it was a class five. Obviously. It was a drop one.. you know like a waterfall one. Yah.. this was what Prince called “American death trap,” gotta love Prince and that name. Our group was the first to go. He told us that we would have to paddle then get down, then paddle while we were down… so we could go down the correct waterfall drop. Yah..our team.. we weren’t so good at listening. When you are in the middle of a rapid, all you want to do is hang on, its very difficult to want to paddle. Unfortunately that was the worst decision we could have made.. and lead to our near death experience.

As we started to come down side ways, Prince told us to paddle then get down. When we got towards the rocks we were supposed to paddle forward (which technically was sideways so we could go down the right drop) But since none of us did, instead we were sideways heading forward right into some rocks. We hit the rocks and our boat stopped. We were basically hanging off a cliff like waterfall drop. The drop was rocky and looked terrified. We looked to Prince.. and you know things aren’t good when the guide has to stop and process and think of what to do next. So he hops off the raft, trying to pull the raft forward (in the direction the raft was pointing) so we wouldn’t tumble over the edge. We tried to use our paddles against the rock, but we didn’t move forward. Then the man on the safety boat had to climb up and help us. I was legitimately scared. I was on the left side of the raft, the side that was hanging off the edge. In my head, I kept thinking, if the raft goes over, should I jump or stay on? Either way I would probably end up not in the raft, but what do I do?!

Well, we finally got moving, Prince and the safety boat guy jumped into the raft and we went down the correct drop without flipping.. We made it safely, but there was no “Prince Charles” cheer on three.. we almost died. It wasn’t really appropriate. My heart was probably racing for like 20 minutes after it.

After this rapid we had about 30 minutes of down time. Prince tied our boat to the safety boat, and he just rowed that boat so we didn’t have to paddle at all. (Paul and Tyler tried paddling the safety boat, while us girls just laid down and relaxed. We needed the down time after that event. Although the SUN was giving us a beating. (I think I might actually be sunburned for the first time in my life). As the 30 minutes of relaxation was coming to an end, Prince pulls us to the side of the Nile, picks a huge green plant and puts it in our boat. We were very confused. Then he said, “I put in your helmet.” That’s right, it was CAMO style.. with plants in our helmets. It was hilarious. The other boats were jealous. Prince even put the plant with the root on the front of his helmet and then some longer plants in the back. Basically he looked like a peacock. It was great. At this point we saw another raft who were talking about the black mumba (snake) they saw.. Prince proceeded by making some joke about his black mumba.. if you know what I mean.. dot dot dot.

But that was the end of our rest period. Then next rapid, of course, we flipped.. that time I didn’t have as much air, so it was a little scary. Bay and I had to be rescued by the kayakers because we floated away from the raft in the process of being tossed out. Legs up and everything.. Finally after a few more little rapids, it was time for our last one. However on the way to our last one called “the bad place” we had to pass a level 6. Obviously we walked. We got out and walked around it. WOW. It was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t even imagine someone surviving it. 

We got back in our raft, and the rapid looked scary. After that last flip (which might I add, was bad, but not bad enough to knock our plants out of our helmet.. yup ballers.) we were not wanting to flip during our last one. So Prince said we were going to take the side passage next to the bank. It didn’t look so bad. So I was happy. We survived the first rapid, but before I knew it, I was being tossed right back in the water. But this time I was caught under the boat with Paul. I saw Paul swim outside of the boat.. And I just looked at him (probably with a terrified face) with my arm out, and he pulled me out from under the boat. I was coughing like normal, but it was all good. I had survived the entire Nile rafting trip, and I was pumped! And we probably had the wildest boat of all of them, and just to think in the morning I was just going to go Mild.

We drove to the base for a BBQ. I tried the “Nile Special” the local beer.. which I didn’t favor too much (gave 4/5s of it to a boy to finish), and then it was back to the main base. We passed dozens and dozens of village children screaming and waving hello to us and I wanted to take all of them home! ALL OF THEM. I’m officially excited for my village bonding time! The people all seem so nice! Anyways back home. It was time for my nightly cold shower, our second dinner at the Gately, and some sleep. It was a long day of traveling and rafting the Nile (6 hours). I was wiped out and sun kissed.. or burnt. GOODNIGHT friends, thanks for staying with me during this whole long entry. Loyal to the end.. right?!