if (when) we flip

This weekend my friends and I did grade 5 rafting on the Nile. 8 boats, 45 people. Not all of those people were my friends, but it was a big group. Omgggg it was crazytimes. It was also super fun. And it was great to see everyone! We had Fogarty & Doris Duke people come from all over East Africa so that we could get thrown into the water together over and over again. Definitely a bonding experience!

BEFORE: Introducing "Team Dangerous," consisting of Mara, Devan, Alex, Franzie, Mike, Leila, and I. Smiling because "look we can paddle forward no problem!":

That's me in the green shirt and black shorts w/white stripes. Hard to tell without glasses!

 AFTER:

Eating it.

Over and over.

And over.

Things I learned this weekend:
1) I'm willing to paddle into waves over and over again, knowing that I will soon be thrashing around underwater and being fallen on by my raftmates. And somehow it's still fun
2) I don't understand water. It's complicated.
3) I follow directions to the letter when I'm terrified.
4) My contacts are amazing and never fell out, despite being pushed up my eyelids numerous times

Our guide Alex is yelling commands to us in the following photos:

GET DOWN!! (or, prepare for flipping)

FORWARD! HARDER! I'm pretty sure we didn't flip on this rapid but then we were paddling really hard to get back into it. And we did flip on the 2nd try.

The worst rapid is probably the one they call the "Bad Place." You actually have to get out of the raft and walk around a grade 6 rapid to get to the grade 5. And then there's a grade 3 after the grade 5 called "the Other Place," which is a very Ugandan name. Anyway you never make it to the other place because you eat it hard in the Bad Place. This was definitely my hardest fall.

Oh noooooooooooooo.

Definitely my most hilarious shot (yes, those are my legs). Devan's trying really hard to hold on. I am a lost cause. 

Anyway, quite the experience. I highly recommend it. I better, since I'm doing it again in one month with Dad and Amanda! Dun dun dunnnn. Enjoy these pics, guys! I can't wait to see ours! Hehe...

Epic.

DESTROYED

Anyway, for now it's back to the grind. More updates later!!