After it was decided that our destination this year would be Slovenia, specifically the Soča Valley and the Karst Plateau, the detailed planning began!
What activities are available there? Are there adventures suitable for families? What hikes are possible? And so on...Among other things - which is why today's day is titled 'Itinerary 1/2' - it is recommended to go wildwater rafting on the Soča River! 4-6 inexperienced paddlers in full-body suits in an inflatable boat, with an Indian helmsman, in a 10 degree cold river in Slovenia?! What could possibly go wrong...it's booked immediately!Especially since it is also doable and recommended for families with children aged 6 and above! So, after Ida managed to squeeze in a play session with Frida, we head to Bovec (Tourist hotspot number 1 in the Soča Valley and comparable to touristy places like L'Alpe D'Huez or Ischgl) to the Bovec Rafting Team! 10 points for creativity...After a short check-up and important questions such as, 'Have you recently consumed alcohol with medication?' - which as a family, we somehow do not feel taken seriously - or 'Have you had any broken limbs in the past 5 years?' - which is definitely testing our long-term memory - we continue on to Ivan (a Croat) and Sohan (an Indian), who quickly provide us with wetsuits, wind jackets, life vests, helmets, and shoes! It's a bit like a mini playback show, except that afterwards, everyone looks the same!Afterwards, we drive for about 15 minutes along the valley in a minibus to a calm and shallow entry point. Due to the heat, we can only put on our new "sausage skin" here, which is surprisingly easy and enjoyable with sunscreen and sweat on our skin! Hard to believe, but after getting dressed, we are actually looking forward to the 10 degree cold water!Once we reach the shore, the word 'calm' is put into perspective, as three other boats are being launched into the water at the same time, while two other inflatable boats are already floating down the river! It's part of the itinerary, so despite our nature, we must and want to go through it as well!After a final safety and command briefing, we start paddling through beautiful and sometimes breathtaking nature and, excluding ourselves and the other boats, solitude! Ida had the option to paddle along, but she stopped after five minutes as she barely touched the water with her kids' paddle!So, the four of us are with our guide, Sohan, and according to him, we are doing well and appear almost like a well-coordinated team!After about half of the tour, which was considered the easier half despite some rapids, we make a short stop at a large rock, where our inflatable boat helps build a makeshift slide that we can all slide down into the Soča River! Even Ida dares to slide down, but in the river, she has to be brought back to land by one of the guides using a rope, as her swimming skills are not quite up to the challenge of the fast-flowing water! Back in the boat, we continue on to the second, more challenging half of the route, with continuous rapids, rocks, and undercuts. We are fascinated and a little tense, wondering if this is right for Ida. However, she sits next to Sohan, smiling and with sparkling eyes, enjoying the roller coaster ride over the water!Two hours after we started the tour, the fun is unfortunately over! With a confident backward jump into the cool water, our rafting adventure comes to an end. We are all extremely thrilled and definitely want to do it again! After returning to the campsite, Ida is already off to play with Frida! They are currently inseparable, which is quite convenient! This gives us some time for ourselves and our books!To end the day, Frida's parents invite us to share a bottle of homemade wine. Initially planned for just under an hour, the three of us don't go to bed until around half past 11. However, it has the advantage that we can fall asleep with a fantastic view of the starry sky, drifting off into dreamland!Until...yes, until we are once again visited by an unwelcome guest! It seems that mice are a somewhat significant problem here. After a night-time rearrangement, with all food supplies going into the car and the tent being made as mouse-proof as possible, we try to sleep again!Tomorrow, we have some more exploring to do! It has been somewhat neglected since our arrival on Saturday!
