With 2 weeks remaining in Nepal we had to make some decisions on what to do. With a tourist agency on every corner in Kathmandu the choices were practically endless. We bid farewell to our trekking buddies and boarded a bus bound for The Last Resort. It was a very bumpy 3 hr ride to escape the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. We signed up for canyoning (aka repelling off of waterfalls) since we were both to chicken for bungee jumping and canyon swinging. After getting geared up - wetsuit, harness, helmet - we found ourselves at the first waterfall. It was about 5 ft tall and I was convinced I could've walked down it without a rope. I remember thinking that this has got to get better, and it quickly did. The next waterfall was 10 m high and there was no way down without the rope. As we continued the falls kept getting bigger, with the final one topping 45 m. Thankfully we had our waterproof camera to capture some of the moments, we would both highly recommend the repelling. The Last Resort was very relaxing, with hammocks and cushioned chairs everywhere. After spending the night in our tent, which had one of the most comfortable beds we've had in awhile, we opted to spend the next day relaxing. I got a massage and Adam just hung out, trying to kick the terrible cold that seems to be following us around. The 3 hr ride back to Kathmandu was just as bumpy and uncomfortable as the ride there....so we opted to buy plane tickets back from Chitwan, which means avoiding a 6 hr bus ride.
We arrived in Kathamandu late and had to repack our bags for rafting and safaris. We also needed to get some cash to pay for rafting, which proved to be harder then it should have been. The first ATM had a guy sitting in it, so we moved on. The next was broken and the third only allowed us to withdraw a third of what we needed. The fourth did the same and also told us that our available balance was 8,000 rupees, or $100. Our trip was going to be cut really short if that was the case!!! After a few stressful minutes we got logged onto our bank account online and found all of our money there....and then we found an ATM that actually let us withdraw what we needed. Vacation back on track!!! We finished packing what we needed and stored the rest of our stuff at the hotel. At 7 the next morning our rafting people picked us up and we got to spend another 2 hrs on the glorious roads of Nepal.
A German couple joined us on our rafting adventure and the 4 of us spent the next 3 days floating (and swimming) the rivers of Nepal. The first day was supposed to be fairly mellow on the Trisuli River, with excitement building each day. Our first real rapid was called Monkey rapid...because, as our guide Mila put it, it can make you jump out of the raft just like a monkey. We hit the rapid perfectly, so perfectly that Mila yelled "get down" just has we plunged into a huge hole. I ended up underneath the guy in front of me and Adam....well he must've jumped out just like a monkey because next thing I knew we were pulling him back into the boat! River 1 Adam 0!! The rest of the day was pretty mellow and the guides let Adam and I use the catamaran for the last half of the day. The rapids feel so much bigger when you are on your own without a guide! We managed to navigate successfully and stay onboard the catamaran, although our paddling skills are definitely subpar. We ended the day at camp where we ate dinner and settled into our tent on the beach early.
Day 2 offered more rapids then day one, but no swimmers. Adam and I were in the front, which is a totally different perspective as you crash through the rapids. Towards the end of the day the guide pulled out a "river boogie" and I took the first stab at basically swimming through the rapids. It was hard to stay in the right place, even with flippers. Adam took the river boogie down the last 2 rapids of the day which were much larger than anything I attempted. It was funny watching him disappear And then pop back up in the rapids....I even got a video!
For day 3 we drove 2 hrs to the Marsyandi River which was much more action packed. It was almost non stop from the time we put the boats in the water and required stopping to scout 2 rapids. During scouting of the first rapid our guide explained how the last raft he took through there flipped, and that if we swam get your feet first so you don't hit the big rocks with your head. Awesome! Our boat was the first through and we made the first drop, and then we were sideways going into a giant hole. The raft flipped up and I went head first into the water, but my foot was still hooked in. The next thing I know I'm swimming towards the big rock, luckily feet first! I managed to make my way to shore and walk to meet up with the rest of the boat, they all managed to stay in. The 2nd boat then went through the rapid and ended up with 3 swimmers. What an exciting start to the day. We spent the next several hrs fighting rapids and having a blast. We managed to keep everyone in the raft for the rest of the trip and all made it safely to the end. We were now ready for the drive to Chitwan National Park for elephant riding safaris!
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