Never let your guide get away…
The story so far….. I turned 50 a few years ago, but have only just recently got around to organising a weekend away (for the milestone birthday) with my sisters. The next sister (Aunty Beads) in line to turn 50 will do so soon, so I had to get something organised promptly. Scoopon popped up in my email and I knew what I wanted – A Rafting Trip!
The little yellow blow-up raft hung precariously on the lip of the three meter ‘drop’. Inside were my two older sisters (Lush and Verve) and their partners, bundled up in wet-suits, thermals, life jackets and helmets.
However, there were only four of them in the raft, one was missing. Where was their guide?
From my raft advantage further down stream (we had already gone over) I could see the raft move into position, but something wasn’t right (apart from being one member short). ‘Oh shit’, I whispered ‘It’s going over backwards’. ‘That’s okay’ replied my guide Joel,’ they can go down backwards or forwards just not sideways’.
With that, of course my sisters’ raft turned sideways.
But where the hell was their guide? I could still only count four people. Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted him standing on the rocks, yelling and waving his arms above his head. Of course, you couldn’t hear a thing with the roar of the water, but why on earth would you let your guide get out of the raft and then head towards a three meter drop on your own?
Were they mad?
‘They’re not going to make it’ said Joel and even I could see that this was not going to end well.
Down they came, the raft went vertical and out they went – flung straight into the raging freezing waters of the King River (coming straight from the snow fields). One partner managed to stay in the raft and in amongst the swirling of the waters managed to pull everyone back into the raft (legs, paddles and arms waving everywhere).
All this action was within the first ten minutes of a two hour rafting trip and the poor things were wet through, frozen, a little battered and helmets sitting at odd angles, but they were all laughing hysterically. ‘Happy Birthday Col’, they called out as they floated past me.
‘Consider that my present’ I yelled back.
love Aunty Darling
Aunty Lush recounts the adventure from the other raft… here…
I went rafting in Africa, drank a few liters of the Zambezi River… yes, only once I reckon!
The guide would never had a chance with me to get out of the raft. I would have him by the neck no doubt.
I recall traveling at speed down a huge water slide in an inner tube with Mick’s mum ‘Nan G’ (who was 70 at the time) and Fagyn (daughter who was 6 at the time)… I screamed blue murder all the way down while Fagyn and Nan G laughed. I ended up in the water my bathers around my ears – new wave of screaming – this time not me!
oooh I love that…. and the crowd cried out (literally !)
I remember the waterslide at Lake Hume. ‘Lie down’ someone said, ‘it makes you go faster!’. I did, and it did!! I was out of control and bumped my head several times down the slide and couldn’t get back up again. I sit bolt upright now, like Nanna Mary!!
Could have saved a bit of drinking time and money by emptying ice buckets at each other and whacking each other with some paddles
My, what a delightful photo – I feel that there should be a repeat complete with gymslips, white shirts and ties!
I gather that you got home unscathed, are you all bonkers? I wouldn’t have let you go if I’d known! Well actually of course I would have, maybe would’ve joined you,
Phil xxxxx
Of course you would have been with us Aunty Phil – you’re family, so no choice, like the rest of us!!
Happy,… Happy,… Birthday Girls,
As she says in 40 shades…….Oh! Me, Oh! MY…,. You are busy ladies, I enjoy hearing from you .
All the very best with all your adventures.
Cheers………
Love Mollie
that was the most scary thing I’ve done in a long time and my heart starts pumping so fast everytime I think about it. At least the nervous wee wasn’t spotted in the freezing cold swirling waters 😉
Hahahaha….. what a hoot, we were laughing so hard we couldnt get back in the boat!! The men were trying to pull us in, exactly as per the saftey instructions given, the problem was, we could stand up – the water was thigh high!!!!