White water rafting in the Tara River Canyon

26/07/2019

Hi, it’s Annie!

Today we were spending the whole day at the Waterfall Rafting Center, and it was amazing to not worry about when we needed to get a bus or be at our next stop. We woke up in the rafting campsite and were delighted when we discovered eggy bread was on the breakfast buffet! We then lathered up in suncream and bug spray, not fully realising that it would later result in having to help squeeze each other into our wetsuits, though this could be considered as a bonding moment! 

Once we climbed into the raft on the Tara River Canyon and I hadn’t burst into tears from not being able to swim (editor’s note: Annie had agreed to go on the excursion before she admitted that she couldn’t swim!), we worked as a team to paddle the raft through the rapids. The guide in our raft, however, had an accent which made “go” and “stop” very indistinct, ultimately causing confusion when we were paddling through the rapids!

We got a chance to stop half way at the river side bar for drinks cooled in a nearby stream and take picturesque pictures in the waterfall. The bar was technically in Bosnia, so we have managed to visit 4 countries in 5 days. Some of the girls went into the water for a quick swim, they even drank it as it was all drinkable water. I was grateful for my decision to stay in the raft when I saw Ellie and other girls being dunked under water before being hauled up onto the boat like fish!

When we came to the end of the rafting Alice managed to fall out of the raft and we had to use all of our last strength to carry the raft up a hill to the van. The next question was whether Eleanor and Emma G would loose control of their bladders in the van whilst going down one of the most rockiest roads at rather moderate speed. 

Our lunch was vegetarian or chicken soup for starters, followed by a traditional dish of veal and potatoes, others having trout and the chef’s special vegetarian dish, finishing it off with fresh watermelon. After lunch we had social time to allow some anti-social time and play some games - games which Eleanor just so managed to “accidentally” flash my cards to Gaby in Cheat, thus resulting in me not winning. Tea was spaghetti bolognese or vegetarian moussaka followed by a homemade mouse/cake, which Eleanor managed a healthy amount of 5 slices of! It was an eventful day to say the least, and tomorrow we leave for a few hours in Podgorica before heading to the Adriatic Coast to visit Tivat and Kotor!