The rain woke me up. Finally it seems that the monsoons have arrived really. In the country, some have already sown, and if they had the rains come and the seeds would lose their jobs. I wonder if it continues to rain during the day.
At 6 am, when I go out, it is still raining so heavy. In the streets of Kathmandu, usually already crowded, there are few passers-by. A rickshaw passes by me, offering his services. Passengers would be protected by a plastic sheet, the conductor instead is already completely soaked. I do not accept the offer, I have to walk for only a few meters.
When I arrive there is none. After a while, 'here comes the guide who will accompany me - Padma - with a risk: the charge with two kayaks from the river (I'm pretty short, thankfully), then - with a little realism - asks me if I want to go too. Turning laughs, he realizes that it has not been a few inches.
A walk in the rain, let's take the "Tour Bus" - going under the arcades we bypass the people still sleeping, despite the fact that Sunday (ie one working day). The coach does not show much information: it is quite rickety, it rains inside and between all three passengers are tourists. Party and heads south-west out of town go up the hills, then there is also another large valley. At the bottom you can see the Himalayan mountains covered with snow (and there is a mountain that soars above the other, almost like a white tip to the sky, like Everest in popular representations, but looking at the map ' Everest should be somewhere else).
The bus takes nearly 4 hours to get to their destination, ie in front of a few houses between the road that goes in its course the river and the river itself Trisuli. At about 100 km from Kathmandu. Before he stopped several times to pee passengers (who were dispersed quietly along the roadside, and elegant old ladies huddled together for children) for him to have breakfast (and breakfast in Nepal is the main meal, which implies that there is still almost half an hour) to bring down someone or someone else's load.
arrival we find the other guide, Bijay, with a kayak even shorter (less than 2 m will be long). The time to leave the bag in the house, take off your clothes and put on a life jacket, helmet and the skirt that closes the opening of the kayak and go down to the River. We are located on a bend in a quiet, even if you hear the noise of the rapids that flow downstream and upstream. We go into the water, I do get some 'confidence with the kayak, then show me how to put it back if you straight down. They make me feel even a bit 'of times. In vain. In fact not even try to learn, I know that if I happen to spill would be a waste of energy trying to straighten the boat (because everything is played on a game with oars and a flash and I'm not really sure in shape). I do also see how to "uncork" the kayak upside down and make me try to do it, in the muddy water of the river and little transparency.
's time to start the descent.
skip the quick: it's too difficult, better to start downstream. So the first effort is to bring the kayak over the ridge that runs along the River. Immediately after there is another area of \u200b\u200bcalm and it is them that we enter into the water. We have a distance of approximately 30 km
start slowly, but the rapids are not made to wait and are not small. The river brings a lot of water. And 'one of three rivers flowing from Tibet (the name of the river is no coincidence that reminds one of the trident of the Hindu deities) to which is added gradually, as can be seen from the road, that of many rivers flowing from the mountains, here have a height close to 2500 m.
addition to the noise and the water sparkling, the rapids are as large waves that come at the kayak in a disorderly manner, following the game rocks and uneven surfaces which disrupt the normal course of the River. You must be careful, be able to take more or less bow and above all to keep his balance, maneuvering the pelvis and trying to go in the right direction, that usually is not what the river wants. For most of the rapids are long. Or at least to me seem so. At first I
rapid reverse.
As expected, do not try to get back straight, untap the kayak and go out, holding it with one hand while the other keep the paddle. However, the boat fills with water and quickly sank almost completely (a little 'air remains trapped and makes it to hold "almost" the little craft afloat polyethylene). I can not keep it up, let him go and swim in the direction that shows me driving up to a quiet area where you can get on earth. There I carry the kayak down and resumes.
stretches of river are more or less calm between swift and another. In those traits is the time to talk, to look at the villages that are on the slopes of the mountains, terraced fields, bridges crossed by Tibetan children traveling to or returning from school, women washing clothes on rocks round the banks.
Then you feel the current speed and almost immediately you hear the noise.
It 's time to pay attention, to watch the first driving means to understand where to go, bring your upper body more upright position (I tend to lean on the back, carrying the weight aft, and you should not do) and to begin to pay attention to the waves at equilibrium to the current direction. Some fast you get through, others do not: I am back two more times. It is not a drama. Every time I leave it to be recovered from the kayak guides, and swimming with the paddle in one hand, at times making sure the other one of the kayak guides.
Some of the quick pass into two kayaks side by side, without working with the paddle, drift and eddies.
now we are down a lot, we're on board for nearly three hours and I start to wonder where we arrive you will pass under several bridges, mostly in correspondence of villages or temples. Also beginning to be tired, not in the arms and shoulders (even though in the following days the pain will make me aware of the efforts), but rather in the legs and abdominal muscles, which are used continuously to maintain the link with the Kayak.
front of us there fast enough violent, especially on one side. The guide tells me to go across the river, where the current seems a bit 'less agitated by the rocks of the fund. I can and I can keep up.
The river accelerates, however, and driving me to sign back closer to the other side: in essence, to go back. But now is the current violent and drag me in the rapids, I still try to cross, a bit 'by the power of the paddle, a bit' trying to use the force of the river itself. It 's a bad game, though: if I put myself through the rapid sideways and I can not keep the balance, if you go down straight finish at the point where the current is increased and the waves are more violent. I do not know what to do and just maybe this shows me later wave me back again. I let go of the kayak. Comes up to me and I attack one of the guides to the handle of her stern. Try to take me out of the current flow, but can not do it. Spills, too.
The second guide is to help me, while the other runs down the rapids. Again attached to the stern, trying to push myself, coming to a quiet area. There are left behind. I go up on the shore and with the paddle in his hand I climb the rocks to reach downstream of the rapids: they must pass another "hill", rather high. Arriving in the valley of the promontory on the shore: the water is calm close to the rocks, but violent as you exit from their protection. The bank makes a turn, with a wall of rock, probably the rails are back there. I wonder if you'll make back with two kayaks, to pick me up. I do not want much to climb the hill among the bushes, under rocks and river.
call me with the whistles. I am still waiting, then one of the peeps, with his white helmet, from the wall of rock and beckons me to join him. I show a ridge to be used as bridge: I do not like too much, I'd rather get swimming. Picks me up halfway through and tells me that it is better not get in the water. I reached him, always with the paddle in his hand. He is there on the shore, among rocks, with two kayaks, but with no paddle. The other guide has gone on.
tie the kayak, then he shows me how to attack ahead of her: hanging with his hands to the bow handle and legs wrapped around the hull, the head or beak to serve as figurehead. Having lost the paddle we are forced to use a single kayak, probably in this way (rather misuse) for him it is easier to steer and holding down the middle of river. I can not help but trust. Port kayak to swim where the water is a bit 'higher and then I put myself in position. I try to stay relaxed and not straining the muscles except when necessary. Coming back the rapids, I can not see but feel the acceleration and noise. Then I hear the waves that come over your head, try to get the rhythm, to breathe without drinking. There is no rhythm. The waves are disordered and kayaking tries to hold his forehead. Each time breathing, sometimes in the mouth of the river enters the water. Then the fast ends and the river becomes calm, although it remains fast. I can move, keep me with one hand, let your feet hang down. Speak. Not last long: soon come more rapids and then more.
We approach another bridge. Meanwhile, I start to get cold and be a bit 'tired. Almost as if he had also noticed the guide we head towards the shore. We have arrived: the driving me sign that I can leave the kayak. A little 'swim, a little' carefully placing his feet down to see where there is sand I shot back through the two kayaks.
We are on the ground.
Finally I take off my helmet, which along with the attack on the kilt belt. Now we just have to bring the kayak to the bridge: there is a fairly steep wall, but with a path and some steps. Will be at least 50 meters. Around us formed a group of children. They help us bring the paddle, the kayak while there's nothing to do. We must take them all the way up on their own.
With a little 'hard work and a little' out of breath to make it. Cross the bridge then is simple: after the climb a bridge that moves beneath our feet, but that is in the first downhill and then uphill seems the most tranquil of locations.
On deck there waiting for the other Driving: decreased further downstream and found a machine that brings us back to base. The river trip is over. Let's return to base on a pick that up as well as our kayak is loaded with wine. In Nepal it grows grapes (perhaps a bit 'of our most bitter) and some manufacturers have started making wine as well. I do not have the courage to try it.
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