Jinja, Uganda is the home of the mouth of the Nile. It pours out of Lake Victoria and continues north to Egypt. This is where N squad camped for three nights and where I had an adventure (within an adventure) that I will never forget. I know I have said that a lot and it’s true, there are many things about this year that I will carry in my head and heart for the rest of my life. There have been good times and hard times throughout these last seven months but it’s just like life back home; we have to keep going and make the most of whatever comes our way in life.
What does it feel like to jump off a ledge and free fall 145 feet before dunking head first into the Nile and then bouncing back up again? Um, hang on let me find my stomach and breathe and then I’ll tell you. There is a split second when right after you leave the ledge during which time you say to yourself, “what the *#&$ am I doing?” But then you hit the water and it’s all over. Ok, so I didn’t really use a four-letter word, but I thought I’d make it a bit more dramatic. 
“She sailed away on a bright and sunny day, on the back of a crocodile. ‘You see,’ said she, ‘he’s as tame as he can be, I’ll ride him down the Nile’…” (Just for you, mom)
38 from N squad and some other people from the campground filled 9 boats as we set out down the river. I was with 4 other racers together with 4 new friends, along with our guide/captain Tutu. They give you the option before you begin to go WILD or MILD. To live by the motto, “go big or go home” we all picked wild. Tutu asked us if we wanted to go down the parts that may flip us or stay of the safe side…um, flip.
After the training of how to “hold on,” “get down,” “forward,” “backward,” etc. we headed for the first small drop. It was at this time we learned another command…ALL OUT! Yup, that means jump out and ride the rapid. The water was the perfect temperature as we laid on our back and rode down the river. We climbed back in the boat (if only I had video footage of that task) and headed for our first “real” rapid. After getting through that rapid safely we felt pretty good as we headed into the next one called Easy Rider; though a class V it doesn’t usually flip boats. Well, um, I guess we’re just an unusual group because we sure flipped. I was on the right and we rolled left so I went up and over. Somehow I managed to not let go of the rope on the side of the boat or my oar. Growing up by the beach taught me how to just hold my breath and ride the wave out; it will end. 
Sadly one of our boat mates (not a racer) had his shoulder dislocated during this flip so they had to put him in the safety boat and take him back to shore. He is fine now, but it was sad to lose someone from our boat, and so early. The next set of rapids was the best…Big Brother.
The last rapid before lunch was the one on which we all lost it. As Holly and I held onto each other and a few oars we waited for the safety kayaks to pick us up and take us back to our boat. The rush as you flip and get sucked under your boat in the waves is like no other. To open your eyes and see nothing but swirling water around you is honestly really cool.
