The Real Nile Experience

I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up for the "Real Nile Experience". Spontaneously, I agreed to trek down the Nile in an inflatable raft through monstrous rapids. Now, I have had previous experiences with whitewater rafting, or so I thought. Vacations to Lake Tahoe usually included a leisurely trip rafting trip down the Truckee river, but that consisted of hardly any paddling, a cooler of beers, and no real rapids or rapids at all for that matter. I had thought my school trip down the American River was real whitewater rafting, as there were real rapids or what I comprehended as real rapids. But now after having survived the "Real Nile Experience", I know that until yesterday I had never been whitewater rafting.

The world-renowned rafting company, whom by the way has taken Prince William down the Nile, instructed us that they would promptly pick us up at 7am and drive us to Jinja, the source of the Nile, where we would begin our journey with death down the most beautiful, more powerful, most famous river in the world, the Nile. It was almost 9am by the time we reached the starting point of our expedition where we were enthusiastically greeted by our rafting guides and given a detailed safety talk. The safety talk had me terrified and I began to question getting in the raft. I ignored my fears and reluctantly hopped into the raft, trying to block out the rumble of the rapids in the distance. The journey began quite peacefully as we gently sailed down the Nile, as our guide ran through every possible situation that could occur. After some quite intensive scenarios, I stupidly asked about crocodiles, hippos, etc. He looked at me as thought I was insane and responded, "It's the Nile, of course, there are hippos, crocs, and cobras in the water. But don't worry they are creatures of habit and won't bother us". Why does everyone in Africa consistently tell me not to worry? At this point, not only am I worried, but I am absolutely terrified. But I've already paid $100 for this experience and we were approaching our first rapid. There was no turning back. So, I put my game face on even though my heart was nearly pounding out of my chest. Fortunately, we successfully made it through our first rapid. Everyone in the boat let out a huge sigh of relief and confidently told our guide, "That wasn't so bad". His response, "Good. That was only a grade 2 rapid, the next one is grade 5 and it's the biggest rapid that is rafted in the world." An overwhelming silence dominated our raft, and we were no longer feeling confident. Once again we had all become instilled with fear. It was only five minutes before we approached the grade 5 and in that time our guide, with genuine seriousness, informed us how important it was to follow his commands and if our raft were to tip it was crucial to hold onto the rope on the side of the raft and ride it through the remainder of the rapid. Of course, our boat flipped and of course, I went flying and was sucked under the rapid, spinning around as thought I had been trapped in a washer machine. I managed to stay calm and remembered the guide's words of wisdom: "count to 7 and then the rapid will spit you back out. I promise you won't drown". I got to 5 and sure enough the rapid spit me out. However, the raft was no where in sight and I found myself whirling down the rest of the rapid solo. I was desperately looking for the rescue kayak and once I found him I grabbed onto the handle on his boat so violently that I nearly knocked over his kayak. He safely brought me back to the boat and I jumped in, now eager for the next rapid. I was beginning to have fun. We fell out a few more times, and I got sucked under and spit out again, but was able to keep hold of the raft and refrained from having any more solo sails through the rapids. The approach to the rapids still remained terrifying but I came to enjoy the intense adrenaline rush.

Beyond the excitement of the day, it was also calming and relaxing. After lunch we cruised down the Nile, absorbing the powerful rays of the equator sun, for about an hour. No rapids, no fear, no stress--just us and the green trees blanketing the riverbank, the many, many different birds perched on rocks, drying their wings, children bathing, and men fishing, hoping to catch enough Nile Perch to sell in the market. I began to have confidence in myself and in nature itself. I started to believe the guide when he said animals are creatures of habit and wouldn't bother us. It was beauty and serenity and so naturally life. Honestly, and not in a cheesy or cliche manner, while yes my Nile experience was terrifying, it was also bliss and really made me realize what's important and why I chose to live in Africa for two years. That being life in it's most natural form is the most meaningful and I suppose that is why I constantly find myself being drawn towards Ugandans and their simple lifestyle because now I realize that that simplicity is really just natural. Our experience down the Nile showed all of us in our most natural and honest forms, fearful, happy, genuine, and content. It was amazing and even though I am fried from the sun, sore, and can barely walk today, I experienced, truly, the most amazing thing in my life thus far, the power of the Nile and humans.