The Great Orange River Expedition

17th-21st November

So nice and early on the morning of the 17th, about 50 UCT students gathered at the Newlands swimming pool to catch the long bus up to the Orange River to start our great adventure. It took us about 11hrs to get there (just past Springbok, Namibia) after having to wait a while for the lovely people to check each of our passports BOTH SIDES OF THE BOARDER!!

Anyway, the first night, we stayed at the base camp which was very nice. We could swim in the River which was obviously right there and they made a braai for us for supper before we fell asleep under the stars with excitement all around to head off the following morning.

Over the next 3 days, we covered about 20km a day with 2 people per boat. Each boat got given 4 barrells and a cooler box to put whatever drinks, bedding and clothes you had with you. They supplied us with all meals which were fantastic!! These meals included braai food, spaghetti bolognese, gammon, egg and bacon rolls, cereal, pancakes, eggy bread, tuna salad, hot dogs and more. We would always stop somewhere along the river and swim while the guides prepared lunch.

The boats we used were called Mohawks and had space for 2 people and 4 strapped down barrels. The person in the back would have the cooler box inbetween his legs, also strapped down incase one fell in. Let's not joke around...why would I fall in?!?! I mean only amateurs fall in...

The surroundings are beautiful while you're paddling!! All around you is just mountain and bush. The water is amazing too-so refreshing and clean. It was usually very chilled during the day and the 20 odd boats in our group would be very spaced out on the river with people jumping in the water to quickly cool off, others taking out cameras to snap a quick shot, others were splashing other boats and others were racing. The only time we had to buckle down, put on the life jacket and pay a bt of attention was when we were going down a rapid. The guides were very professional-stopped us all and quickly explained how the next rapid would work before setting themselves up in a position that would help us egt through the rapid easily. Unfortunatly the water level was very low so most of the rapids were mostly rocks but we got taught a very useful thing called pelvic thrusting which helped edge us off any rock we became too friendly with.

Another cool trick we got taught was called the Nappy Run. We would all run around sucking our thumbs. Just joking. Once going down the rapid in our boats, we would put our life jackets on as if it was a nappy and go down the rapid again but this time in our 'nappy' Obviously this only worked on the smaller rapids but we often had just as much fun sitting in the still water in our nappys...so much easier than treading water!

At night, we would stop where the guides showed us and set up our own camps. Some people had tents, other's blow up matresses and some just the floor. (We had a blow up matress with a hole in it which meant we started off the night by falling asleep quite close to the ground and woke up on the ground with a slightly stiff shoulder and back but hey ho.) Either way, we got a bit of time to chill and swim/bath before being given supper. It was so nice not knowing what the time was or not having a cellphone with me all the time!! When the sun went down, you knew it was almost time to go to bed...especially before you saw all the spiders etc coming out. For some reason it wasn't so bad knowing that they came out. It would only be unbearable if I actually saw them :) It's all in the mind...Every night, the guides would set up a toilet (toilet seat on a barrel) It was very cute cus if the toilet was next to a tree, the toilet roll would be hanging from a branch and there was a book to read and there was a seperate girls and boys toilet. The way to the toilets were demarkated with paddles and if you were using the toilet, you would turn the last or second last padle sideways so the next person knew someone was busy.

I would recommend the trip to anyone who likes being outdoors and is in for a bit of a workout on a holiday with some friends. It really was a lot of fun and I would do it again tomorrow (if someone paid for me) It's not expensive and definitly worth it!!! (and you get a lekker tan too)