White water rafting on the Ganges

Last weekend we started off our spring break with an exciting trip to Rishikesh for some white water rafting down the Ganga (otherwise known in America as the Ganges). Never having been white water rafting before, I have to say, it was absolutely thrilling!

We awoke just several hours after having gone to bed so we could catch the bus to the Delhi train station for our 5 hour train ride only to be followed up by a two hour bus ride up the steep and treacherous rodes of the Himalayan foothills.

The mountain roads have been under construction for some time now in an attempt to widen them for increased traffic. Our driver was obviously very experienced as he manoeuvred the switchbacks at an ever increasing speed all the while dodging other moving vehicles, rock slides, people and animals without so much as a flinch. Me on the other hand...lets just say I was braced for impact most of the drive.

After arriving at camp we played a little in the (freezing cold) river while some tried their hand at repelling and others at kayaking. Mo, Mish and Big T all repelled and kayaked. Little T tried his hand at kayaking as well but you could barely see his head over the life preserver and the paddles were almost twice his height. Although he enjoyed the kayaking he seemed to be more gifted at the art of rock busting and sand castle building. He must take after his father who was busily constructing the Indian version of Stonehenge (see photo slide show).

After that we lazed around the camp and waited for the nightly barbecue and dinner, however, most were so full from eating all the yummy chicken, paneer (an Indian cheese) and vegetables that were barbecued as appetizers that only a few took part in the evening meal of soup and lamb curry. As I am not very fond of lamb, I didn't mind so much.

The next morning we climbed out of our tents to an unpleasantly, overcast, rainy day. We pushed back our rafting trip 30 minutes in hopes the rain would let up. It soon became obvious that we would have to press on rain or shine. So we all dawned our life vests, helmets and with oars in hand we boarded our water crafts.

The children were all able to accompany us for the first few kilometers of the trip at which point they were met buy a bus and taken back to camp with their parent or appointed guardian. Since R has actually rafted the Colorado river (yeah, I know, what hasn't he done) he graciously took our two youngest and several other children back to camp so that I could continue the trip.
While rafting there were plenty of water fights, hostile boardings and of course "smack-talk". I forgot to mention we had a group of marines on the trip who made sure there was never a dull moment...unless of course they were in a weakened state of 'hang-over'.

When we hit the big rapids though, it was all "business". Our guides would refocus our attentions on the challenge ahead by practising our commands including; forward all, back paddle, down (reserved only for the 4+ rapids), and my personal favorite; high-side!(High-side is when the person sitting in the middle in the front sacrificially throws themselves to the front of the raft in hope the added weight will stabalize the craft and help prevent us from flipping during the big waves! ROCK ON!)

At one point in the river we stopped for cliff diving. Now, I consider myself a pretty adventurous person and in my youth I was known to have dove off a cliff or two. But that was a long time ago and in my frozen condition I wasn't sure I could manage my fear long enough to make it up the cliff-side. I was chilled to the bone by the time I climbed from my boat. Mo was at the top of the cliff waiting her turn to jump (she was actually the first one to jump! That's my girl!) with Big T at her heals (Big T ended up jumping 6 times, more than anyone else in the group) and my friend A and her husband yelling for me to "come on!"

So with a great deal of fear and trepidation I climbed to what I thought might just be my death. Once at the top I should have thought twice when the guy before me turned back. But no, I couldn't let my kids think I was any lamer than they already do. So I jumped....

I remember cliff diving to be much more exciting as a teenager but once my feet left the cliff I was gripped by one thought and one thought only; "WHAT....THE....HELL....AM....I...DOING!!!!!!" I sailed through the air as if I was trying to climb every rain drop I could grasp to get back to the top of the cliff. I then hit the water with such force I thought my hand had been broken, but no, it was just frozen and beet read from slapping the water at 50 miles an hour! (trust me, I'm a big woman)

Just barely recovered from my cliff diving accident we hit some of the biggest rapids of the trip. I was sitting in the front left rowing position and as the waves crested over our entire raft engulfing me in the process, I literally had a 'brain-freeze'. Our guide was screaming "forward team, forward team!" as I sat with the oars frozen in my hands, trying hard for the second time in mere hours, to push the thoughts of death from my frozen brain cells. After what seemed like minutes instead of seconds I lurched forward digging my paddle as hard as I could into the icy waters. It took less than a minute to clear the rapids but it felt much longer. After each rapid I wanted to stand up and beat my chest but, opted for whooping and hollering. The adrenalin was pumping through my veins and after surviving two near-death-experiences, I was ready for whatever the river was able to dish out!

After the rafting we ate lunch. It wasn't anything special, in fact I'm pretty sure it didn't even taste very good, but after nearly drowning and freezing to death, it was the best food I've ever tasted.

Back at camp we tried to clean up the best we could and recover from the onset of hypothermia. The evening events were much the same as the night before. The marines started drinking, we ate barbecue, the marines drank, we sat around the campfire, the marines still drinking. Finally we surrendered to bed (while the marines stayed up to....you guessed it, drink some more).

Sunday morning we woke up to a beautifully sunny day and one more 4+ rated rapid to go. This would be our last opportunity to cleanse ourselves in the waters of the Ganges and I was looking forward to it, especially now that the sun was shinning!

It was a much more relaxed ride with only one big rapid during the hour and a half ride. R rode ahead and stopped to take pictures of each our rafts as we entered the big rapid. He got some amazing photos. (see slide show below)

Once back at camp we started the tedious job of drying wet clothing on rocks, chairs, tents and the volleyball net. We cleaned up for the second time in 3 days and hiked up to the buses for our back-track to Delhi.

Once again we had the Himalayan Nascar bus driver and one of our friends eventually told him he could not exceed 40 miles per hour for the rest of the drive. We were all on separate buses, hanging with friends and family. R was on the same bus as Little T but was in the front of the bus taking pictures when Little T decided to up-chuck his lunch. Luckily, those present were very gracious about the whole situation and after Little T was cleaned up they were underway once again.

We arrived back at home safe and sound and exhausted. The rest of our spring break has been....well, a lot less adrenaline pumping than white water rafting the Ganga! Mostly we've been hanging with friends, swimming at the pool and eating at ACSA.

Tomorrow the kids go back to school and life will unfortunately, resume to "normal". No near-death-experiences, terrifying bus rides or rock busting. No stinky out-door toilets, bucket showers or cardboard mattresses. No drunken marines, sandy bums or frozen limbs.....I can't wait for next year!!!!