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Founder's Travel Journal: White-Water Rafting the Trisuli River Day 13

June 13, 2008

-Weather: still HOT & HUMID

In the News: Maoist ministers quite government; Roles will be passed on to the new PM who will be chosen by Maoist leader, Prachendra; Maoists want to "rehabilitate and reintegrate" former Maoist rebels BEFORE forming new government; All but Maoists claim that the group is guilty of signing contracts but failing to implement necessary actions stated in those contracts, i.e. writing a new constitution within a stated time frame, choosing a new President and PM, getting Nepal organized, cleaned up and prosperous. Minor things.

The Maoist regime wants military rule but they are just pleasing Big Brother until they find a way to escape the limelight - the next big natural disaster, the U.S. Presidential elections, Armageddon?

After checking my email today I have received news that Whitey has died (my husband's grandfather). He was just too weak to pull through even with the latest medical technology so they decided not to give him a respirator and feeding tube anymore. There will not be a funeral and my husband has been asked not to fly out to California since it would be best to remember him as Whitey and not a starved, old and weak man. Instead the Colonel will be cremated.

"Damn the Torpedos!"

 

The rafting trip was a much needed break! Although the water was profoundly dirty, it felt refreshing. We began the voyage, Meena and I, on an early morning departure from Bandipur to Dumre in your average Nepali overworked, prehistoric "Jeep" a.k.a. Mahindra. After a 15 minute stop for tea in Dumre we caught the bus to Trisuli Village. Speedily, and to a Hindu soundtrack, the ride was actually pleasant. We snagged the front seats and only had three other passengers who fell asleep mid-trip. Upon arrival at Trisuli we received a warm welcome with most of the locals recognizing me from my asthma incident a couple weeks back. We arrived mid-day and still had to wait for the other rafters to arrive. Coincidentally, the other rafters I had met a couple days before at the Old Inn as they checked-in for a two-night's stay. After we enjoyed a hearty dinner of dal bhaat, I was off to bed for an early rise the next morning.

During the night, it was so hot it was painstaking even to attempt to fan oneself with the day's paper. Meena and I decided to head to bed at 8:30pm. She rescued me from a drag of a conversation about the definition of Aussie Rules with the rafters. Upon arrival at our tent we discovered a third guest would be staying the night, all 8 legs and 12 eyes of him. After 20 minutes of trying to spray him to high heaven with bug spray, we were able to lay our heads down for a rest. A "rest" was all it was as we were quite literally baking even at 9:00 at night. Tossing and turning, the both of us got up to spend a few minutes in the cooler air just outside the tent. After wringing ourselves out, back inside for a second attempt at some shut-eye.

I woke up an hour later to discover we were unsuccessful at eliminating our third roommate. He decided to take up residence on the left side of my pillow. I also got a better perspective of how large he actually was - THE SIZE OF MY HAND. As I opened my eyes and jerked slightly, his two front legs went up in a defensive position. I didn't scream for one reason or another. I made a deal with him: he doesn't attack me and I don't roll over on him in my sleep. Fair enough. Meena was out like the breakers that blow in Bandipur everyday so I couldn't say anything to her. I sat for an eternity until I could safely maneuver away with lightning speed and another spray from the can. He didn't return but a smaller, light brown version took his place on the tent wall next to me as I awoke the next morning.

5:30am rise and shine! We didn't need to wake until 7:00am but the night didn't go well anyway. The other rafters being newer to the Nepali way, woke at 7:00 or 15 minutes thereafter. Eggs, hashbrowns, toast and pourage for breakfast, a quick tour of Trisuli's "Big Fig" with Marc (another GVI volunteer like me), and we were loading the van at 9:00am to head 28kms upstream of Trisuli.

 

Rafting Instructions as given by Mr. "Boom Shaka Laka" himself, Dil:
Left forward! (right side reverse paddle)
Right forward! (left side reverse paddle)
Right side! (right side paddles only)
Left side! (left side paddles only)
Front side! (front paddles only)
Back side! (back paddles only)
All forward!
Back paddle!
Forward fast!
Hang on!
Get down!
All stop!

The first rapids were level 3's which is abut mid-range. We were told later that a level 5 would be on this leg of the trip. Afterwardswe encountered a couple of level 4's.

Took dinner. Now where was I...

At one point, for the category 5 rapids, Dil, our guide, stopped the team including the safety raft and two kayakers, to investigate the rapids. Not only were we informed that we'd have to eventually just hang on for dear life but at the point of which we would try to avoid after tackling a couple rapids was a cave now under water (monsoon season). Those who have gotten caught in this cave have never come out alive. Their bodies turned up hours later downstream. We were instructed to stay left side as much as possible. We tried as best as we could and hit the center of one set of rapids of which we were told to "Get Down!" We all hopped into the center of the raft and held on to each other and our paddles. We rode down the equivalent of a 5.0 magnitude earthquake and staed at a wall of water 6 feet high or more. Immediately we were commanded to get into position and paddle forward - FAST. Thanks to Dil's superb skills, we missed the suction of the cave.

The water. It was worse than sitting on the Red Line in southside Chicago. Need sandals? Lighters? How about cow dung for your organic garden? Better yet, if your hungry, no need to wait - you've got your choice of a cut of beef or pork - entire animals floating alongside your brand new pair of shoes. Nepal's Wal-Mart. Med students, come one come all! Get your cadavers at Trisuli River! Yep, two dead bodies, nice and bloated, cooling off in the waters of Trisuli. Your choice of male of female between the ages of 18 and 35.

Now it grows late. Rafting day 2 and catch up on the last couple days events in tomorrow's entry.

To-Do June 14:
-Translate Italian to English for Ganga
-11:00am Badmitton, lunch/picnic
-2:00pm fly kites
-Check email
-Wash laundry left overs

 

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