The Rush of The Rapids

I went up to Bujugali Falls and Jinja
(about 2 hours east of Kampala) to stay at a place called "Nile River
Explorers" to go rafting down the Nile river. What an intense
experience. It was a non stop rush. We took a sardine can of a bus
out to Jinja, and then reached the junction to get up to the hostel.
We were told that it was only .75km to the camp, so matt and I decided
to walk it, while the others took motorcycles. I wish we had followed
their lead. Matt and I walked and eventually reached a sign that said
4km to the camp. So Matt and I decided to finally take a Boda, as
storm clouds were riding in quickly. We got on a boda and within 20
seconds we were in the middle of torrential, monsoon like rain. I had
never seen rain this heavy. I couldnt even keep my eyes open on the
motorcycle. We were sliding all over the road, nearly hitting a man on
a bicycle, which caused us to fishtail, nearly losing balance. We
finally got control back, and headed down the final stretch to the
hostel. Again he started sliding, fishtailing left, then right, and
finally skidding onto the side of the road and into a ditch. Matt and
I flew off the side and into the ditch. Luckly there was really long
grass, no rocks, and a big puddle to land into to break our fall. No
one was hurt, but it was once again a crazy accident. I swore off
Bodas after my first accident, but there was literally no other option
out there in the middle of no where. We also ended up hitting a goat
on another boda the following day. Crazy drivers, crazy obstacles. It
always makes for an interesting experience. Unless it is the only
option, I don't ride them anymore.

We reached the hostel to a jam packed outdoor bar of about 100 white people, all laughing and clapping as matt and I arrived like wet dogs, shivering in the rain.
Wet shoes were the one thing I did not want this weekend (remembering
how miserable they had made me the previous weekend in Murchison
falls... Luckily it was sunny on saturday and I could dry them in the sun.)
I went to bed early that night, wanting to escape the madness of rowdy
mzungus. They seemed like a whole other breed of people. People seemed so care free, also lacking cultural appropriateness (throwing bottles on the floor, laughing as the local staff sweptit up). Even the music selection of purely alternative music, some heavy metal, and absolutely nothing that resembled anything East African (which I have come absolutely love). It did not feel like I was in Uganda.

Before passing out, they showed a video compilation of that days rafting trip. My stomach was in my throat. Rafts being flipped in the rapids, people hurled
downstream, lost in the waves, , only to pop up on screen 10-15
seconds later. People whipped over waterfalls, boats vertically
flipping. I was terrified. I went to bed that night rolling in my
sleep, anticipating the intense experience to come the following day.

We woke up 7 to meet the bus and the other rafters and begin our
journey. We headed to another hostel for a nice buffet breakfast and
then down to the water to get in the boats. Our raft guide was
hilarious, spewing out a routine of jokes I imagine he says on every
trip. Needless to say he made the experience a lot more comfortable
and fun... We started out with training in how to reflip the boat, and
how to pull ourselves and others in, how to hold the paddle, how to
sit in the water if you fall out, call signs to be saved, how to call
for a kayaker to help you, etc. Soon after we were in our first rapid.
One of the girls on our raft flew out and was swept down. She was
extremely shook up. It only created a more extreme energy in the boat.
We were all pumped after the first waterfall and thirsty for more (at
this point I was not physically thirstly as I had swallowed quite a
lot of water already. haha) This was the first of 12 rapids. Over the
entire day our raft flipped twice (pretty intense flips). The first
time we went down a rapid called chop suey (all other rafts opted out
of taking this rapid.. Our guide wanted to show us the best time
possible, so he daringly took us down). We went off a 6 foot waterfall
into a huge pit that had an 8 foot wave (this is not an uncle
bob/jessica exageration. It literally was 8 feet). I was in the front
of the boat, and gladly took the mammoth wave in my face. Before I
knew it I was flipping through the air, and trapped under the boat. I
quickly reached for the ropes on the side of the raft, pulled myself
out of the rapid, and just as I surfaced to get a quick breath of air,
I was shot under the water again as we rolled over waterfalls, over
bolders, rushing downstream at full speed. Our guide mounted the boat,
and flipped it over and we all quickly pulled ourselves into the boat
(with the guide yelling, get back in the boat quickly, this area has
crocodiles.. Still unsure whether he was messing with us, or serious).

My heart has never beaten so fast, I have never felt so much
adrenaline, and never felt so alive. The second flip was not as
extreme, mainly because I didnt wait to flip this time, i actually
jumped out of the boat into the rapids and went for the ride of my
life. Overall the whole rafting experience was well worth it, and if i
decide to go within the next 3 months, I get to go at half price.

The river rafting company supports an organization called Soft Power
Education. They do a lot to build and refurbish schools, dig and
install pit latrines and water and sanitation systems, and other
programming for orphans,etc. They have a slew of volunteers coming and
going, and I was thus thinking that when my contract ends on Januarey
28 with UCA, I have 3 weeks before I fly home to Canada, so I will
travel out to stay in the region and volunteer with the organization.
They are in need of small grant proposals and anyone to help out with
the manual labour and gritty work of installation, as well as bringing
new ideas to the table. I talked with the program officer and she is
going to reserve me a spot for early february. While my work
experience at UCA has not been the best it could have been so far, I
think finishing up what I can accomplish here and then doing something
much more hands on, will be a good wrap up to my trip. super excited
for this. I think the website is www.softpowereducation.com.

After another early night on saturday (mainly caused by the extreme
sulphur burps and toots I was having. I get short spouts of Jiardia
that seem to clear up on their own), I watched the full moon and stars
for a bit, and then passed out. Woke up late on Sunday and walked down
to the falls, and then headed into Jinja to a beautiful restaurant on
the river. Returned to the hostel soon after to play some pool and
frisbee, and then headed home on the shuttle back to Kampala. Feeling
a little tired and worn down today from the paddling, but overall it
was an incredible trip, and I will for sure be returning their in feb
to raft again and volunteer

I am running a 10km marathon this upcoming sunday with MTN (giant
cellphone provider here). We'll see if I can make it through with the
heat and pollution.

Lots of Love!