White-Water Rafting

A picture is the best way to portray the thrill of white water rafting. One of the most terrifying yet exciting things to do, rafting is an amazing experience.

A gentle push from an instructor sets you off. You relax while your grip on your paddle loosens. This seems slow and gentle. Then, you round a corner to find a ten foot drop looming in front of you. (Ok, so that's a little unrealistic. It's more like four feet). You paddle frantically with the others, trying to steer around the rock jutting from the middle of the drop. As you finally reach the drop, you squeeze your eyes shut. You fly over the rock with a shriek. The raft hits the water with a thud, which splashes the freezing water onto your body. 

After a few more drops, you get into the rhythm of it. You start anticipating what is around the bends. You want to do more exhilating courses. That is when it starts to be fun.

I know my description makes it sound awful, but it really is a fun thing to do. You can choose a level of difficulty (which ranges from one to five) based on your age or experience. 

One of my favorite rafting experiences was on Salt River in Arizona. While the water was freezing, it was one of the more dangerous rivers I have rafted. That also made it much more thrilling. Another of my favorites was in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, the water is warm because of the climate there. We got to drift down the river on our backs at some of the calmer parts. 

So all in all (this was sort of a rambling post), rafting is something you should try if you haven't already.  Visit www.raftingamerica.com to book your ride.