Live as if you were to die tomorrow;
Learn as if you were to live forever.
Gandhi
What an eventful day! Lots of fun things to see and do here in Los Baños. After eating at a breakfast buffet that would make even JW Marriott proud (scrambled eggs, sausage, empanadas, various sliced fruits, and that magical food – Trix cereal!!) we loaded up the bus to go on a river rafting trip on the Rio Negro (Black River). This river is rated about a class 3 for a few of the rapids and whirlpools, but for the most part the rapids were just severe enough to give everyone a thrill without scaring us to death. There really was no need to wear wetsuits, although the water temp was cool but not icy. So some wore them, and some didn’t. Last year in Peru, the river we rafted had plenty of calm areas where it was possible for the kids to get into some water fights and rough house a bit. This river, that was not the case at all. We were able to splash each other with our oars, but the river was flowing at a pretty good clip all the way down so there was no place to really stage an ambush on the boat next to you. On the other hand, the actual paddling was kept to a minimum, only necessary when needed to position the boat for the wildest of the rapids. That didn't stop a few from trying to repeat the shennanigans of the the year before though. Preston and Austin did their best to make sure few remained dry and in the same boat they were originally on. They learned not to mess with Jeff Davidson. A few of the rapids knocked Matt Coombs, Kaden Coombs, Alisha Howlett and Bree Davidson right into the rapids, but none of them were hurt besides a few gulps of river water.
We pulled out after about an hour and a half of river running to head to lunch. The group lunched at a cabana located alongside the road with a spectacular view of the river below. After that, we all went to an area along the road where they had set up some bungee jumping. It really wasn’t bungee jumping in the traditional sense – it was more like a big cable swing. The kids would harness up, rope attached at the stomach and chest areas and then jump out and down. The rope would tighten and they would swing under the bridge like on a huge swing. Most of the kids took a shot at it and they all came back with huge smiles on their faces. There was a lady there running a photo stand and she was able to capture most of our kids in the act. We purchased CD’s with their photos on it for the ones that ended up being on the camera. These will be added with the ones that were caught by our groups cameramen.
We split up at this point and all chose a second activity. Group 1 went to do Canyoning which is more accurately rappelling down waterfalls. Group 2 went to ride motorcycles up dirt trails to a vista view point thousands of feet above the city in the shadow of an active volcano. Group 3 rented mini dune bugeys, and Group 4 tried to go horseback riding, but ended up being deserted so they just went shopping. While Group 4 was sadly disappointed they missed horseback riding, over all everyone was happy with the day. Everyone came back feeling they had lived at least on that day like they had only one more day to live. Every moment was filled with something fun and exciting.
In the Canyoneering group Kari Risely had a little more excitement that most. The process the guides (who spoke very little english) took the group through went a little like this: Step 1: teach group how to walk down a rock with body perpendicular to the rock using a rope, climbing gear and a hand behind your back to keep the rope from sliding through the descender device for about 10 feet. Step 2: Teach group to walk down a flowing waterfall rock face, keeping weight back, using a rope, climbing gear and a hand behind your back to keep the rope from sliding through the descender device for about 30 feet. Step 3: Teach group to walk down a flowing waterfall rock face assisted with a rope tied to harness, keeping weight back, using a rope, climbing gear and a hand behind your back to keep the rope from sliding through the descender device for about climbing gear and hands extended out to ensure you are relying in the person belaying you down the falls. Step 4: Teach group to walk down a flowing waterfall rock face, and then have them "use what they have learned with no one showing them what to do exactly" and free rappel with the water of a 135 foot waterfall as the rock face inverts behind the water. When it came time for Kari and the rest of us to take that last step off the rock and descend 135 feet, everyone reverted back to using the descending device and the hand behind their back to keep the rope slowing moving through the device the control descent speed. Kari thought he meant to let go of the rope and trust the person belaying. Well the person belaying didn't know this was the plan and caught Kari as she shot downward like a bullet and he barely caught her about two thirds of the fall. It was at that moment that Kari looked around and saw all of the faces of the ones that went down before her and the her belay-er, She saw utter fear and shock. She realized what she had just done could have killed her. She was already freaked out at the top trying to figure out what she would be doing next. She came undone for a moment, but recovered and joined us all in a group cheer and gratefullness for having experienced a great day.
Everyone ended the day with another impressive meal, sauna/hot pool, or shopping. We all wished we could repeat the day or do more of what the area had to offer, but we had a show and a fireside back in Guayaquil the next day.
No comments:
Post a Comment