On the 15th of April, I went to the Equator Expeditions river camp on the Bhote Kosi for six days of kayaking. I greatly enjoyed it and may have found a new hobby. The first day we took it easy and practiced a few basic skills. On the second day we did some slightly bigger rapids and I got to practice my roll occasionally.
On the third day we did some even bigger rapids and I got to swim quite a bit. On the fourth day we went on the biggest rapids on this section. In the biggest rapid I flipped over. I tried to roll back up and hurt my arm on a rock, so I took the afternoon off.
By the fifth day I could lift my arm again and I learned how to surf the waves and play in the rapids a bit more. On the sixth day we did all the big rapids again and I only had to swim twice. In the rest of the rapids, I either stayed upright the whole time or was able to roll back up.
Some of the sections we paddled nearly everyday and it was a great way to measure my progress. I really felt like I was learning how to kayak. The small rapid that knocked me over every time on the first day became a small playground for me by the end. I was able to go back up into the rapid and surf the waves and do rolls in the rapid. Also, the big class three rapids that ate me up the first few days were easily survivable by the end.
By the last day, my arm and knee were sore, both shins were badly bruised for their entire length, my chest and biceps were sore from exhaustion, and a few knuckles were a bit painful. Also, my head would have been broken had I not been wearing a helmet. On many occasions, I could feel the helmet absorbing the blows from the rocks while I was upside down in my kayak in a rapid, waiting for the waves to die down so I could roll back up.
This kayak trip was one the highlights of my trip and I really hope to do a lot more of it in the future.
On the 20th, I went back to Kathmandu and had dinner with Jenni and her husband, Chris. I met Jenni in Africa, in 1995, and visited her and Chris in New Zealand in 1997. It was nice to catch up with a couple of old friends.
The next day I flew to Singapore, spent one night, flew to Japan, spent two hours, and then flew to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami and on to Fort Lauderdale. I went to bed at five in the morning, woke at 9 am and have been pretty much on the East Coast time schedule ever since.
As of now, I expect to start back with Trek America on the 18th of May and do a three week trip from New York, along the south, to Los Angeles. I hope to be sent to Alaska after that.
My next trip is already in the planning stages - southern South America in October.
