I got up early so that I could check my extra baggage and get a safety deposit box and still make the seven o'clock bus. I had to rush, but I made it so of course the bus was nearly an hour late. I started to worry about what I'd gotten myself into when I realized that I was the only kayaker on the bus - everyone else was rafting. It took the bus two hours to get to Sukute, where the resort camp we're staying at was. At camp we were assigned tents which were very nice - each is overlooks the Bhote Koshi river with two beds and a porch with a hammock. We were served a nice lunch then the rafters went off to go rafting.
I met my instructor - it's going to be one-on-one - and we got my equipment together then jumped in the water. The first session was an hour and a half and very frustrating. I couldn't make the boat go straight and I was constantly flipping and then having to pull out and drag the boat back to shore to empty the water out.
We took a much needed coffee break, then got back in the water for two more hours. This was even more frustrating, but at least I learned to trust my instructor and would wait for him to come to me so I could flip back over without having to flood the boat (there is a skirt that keeps the water out as long as you don't leave the boat). We also took a small break and got to watch the locals dynamite fishing - something I've always heard about but never seen. The oldest man climbed up on a big rock out in the middle of the pool and watched the water, when he saw a fish he lit the explosive (more like a big firecracker than a stick of dynamite) and threw it in... Boom! Then about a dozen kids scrambled about trying to get the fish. I was relived to see that the blast only seemed to get one fish each time.
By the time I got out of the boat I was not in the best spirits. I was thinking it was going to be a very long, frustrating four days - and I think every muscle in my body hurt - especially my legs. Plus I had serious abrasions on both knees and a couple fingers. All in all I could seriously barely walk. As soon as I got out of the water I went to my tent and was relieved to find that I had brought ibuprofen - I took a double dose of the strong stuff. Diner was good, but it was a long night. I was so tired I could barely make myself eat.
