Day 83 - wild

22/07/19

Today we are going rafting. We were told that we will be picked up at 08:30. To our surprise, around 08:10, a slightly impatient driver is already waiting next to our breakfast table. We quickly eat our omelette and pancakes, burn our tongues with hot coffee, and rush off - we were prepared for a delay, but not for such an early arrival. The fact that there is already a young French family in the car does not make things any easier - but they are very nice and understanding. Jonna and I take a seat in the back of the van and off we go. After about an hour, the driver asks if anyone has ever tried Luwak coffee (if you remember: cat poop coffee). The answer to his question is a clear lack of enthusiasm from everyone. Despite the lack of excitement, the driver still seems convinced to make a stop at such a café (probably because the owner is a distant relative). The visit is as unpleasant as expected, as only the French dad orders a coffee and the rest of us, including us, refrain from ordering (we had already had coffee). Even the tasting tray with various types of coffee and tea offered here remains almost untouched. The view and a puppy bring a little amusement, but nothing else. After everyone has been silent for ten minutes, we continue our journey.

After another ten minutes drive, we arrive at the rafting center. We sit around for a few minutes and are then equipped by our guide, a somewhat gloomy character, with helmets, life jackets, and paddles (fun fact: I couldn't fasten my helmet or life jacket because all the clasps were broken - makes things a bit more exciting!). We go down to the river with some other tourists, where the rubber boats are already waiting. After a short briefing on what to expect and how to behave in certain situations, we're ready to go.

It is difficult to describe the 2.5-hour tour in detail, but in general, we had a lot of fun. We rode on almost constantly rough white water through the untouched jungle, and from time to time, it also got pretty action-packed (for example, when we went down/fell a four-meter deep abyss. There are two or three breaks where you can take photos in front of waterfalls, of which there are dozens, and take a drink break at the same time. Our guide was not the friendliest and, I suspect, not the most talented helmsman, which resulted in us driving backwards for half the time - but it can also be funny. Looking back, the tour could have been a bit more extreme for Jonna and me - maybe next time.

When we arrive at our endpoint, a nice buffet is waiting for us after we have changed clothes. Each of us takes two portions and gets back into the shuttle together with the French family. Since we have traveled a good distance by boat, the return journey to the accommodation only takes 45 minutes. We thank the driver, go to our room, and take a nice nap.

In the evening, we quickly go shopping for a little something and then have burgers - absolutely terrible, no idea what the meat was made of. Then we go back to the guesthouse to relax.

- Alex