One Adventure After an Another

This morning we woke up early to go canyoning!  We were not sure what exactly canyoning was, but we knew it involved waterfalls and canyons.  We woke up at seven-thirty tired and excited.  We ate an amazing breakfast of eggs, fruit and yogurt and geared up for the day.  We were given wet suits, helmets, harnesses, and gloves.  Once dressed for adventure, we hiked across a field and passed a small group of Nepalese houses.  The houses were run down and goats and chickens were loose in the path. We then wandered across rice terraces until we reached a narrow and steep creek.  Once at the creek we were given safety instructions but we still had no clue of the excitement ahead.

The entire team, Blair, Elise, Melissa, Dad, Mom and I, shimmied down a small water chute over steep slippery rocks until we reached our first waterfall. Here we realized we were going to rappel down the waterfall to the pools below.  It was scary the first attempt and I slipped a few times.  With practice, I gained skills, strategies, and confidence. Right when I thought we were done, we reached the forty five meter  (150 foot) drop.  Before this drop, I reminded myself of my ability and my technique and my common sense.  I rappelled down the waterfall feeling the rushing water over my head and made it down with nary a slip.  Wet and tired we walked back up the cliff to our base.

After a great lunch with amazing potato fries, the next adventure began.  To get to the resort, one must cross a narrow, metal, cable bridge crossing a high and narrow gorge with the rushing river below.  This is where the resort hosts two brainless activities.  The first is the bungee jump.  The second involves a harness with a line attached to a wire hanging high above the river.  By jumping off the bridge, and free falling for seven seconds, you are rocketed into a high swinging position.  This is called the canyon swing.

Blair, Melissa, Mom and Elise all screamed their lungs out as they crashed downward toward the river then rocketed up toward the sky on the canyon swing.  Dad and I both thought we might give the canyon swing a rest for the day.

Tomorrow, we leave the Last Resort (our adventure lodge) and head off on a ten day trek through remote Himalayan foot hills.  We will take porters, cooks and guides and will return to Katmandu on the 14th of October.  As you have guessed, we will have no internet on the trek!

Thank you for reading Rohan Geographic!

PS - All the pictures of the canyoning were taken by Dad, who had the waterproof camera.