My watch hands were pointing towards the seven in the morning and the world was going for the 7 bn number. Mijal and I were striding for our rendezvous.

I called my friend who was arranging this trip to trisuli.

“Is that the Green bus?”

“No, just behind . Hurry up we are waiting”

“just there.”

there behind the green bus at Jamal, Pradeep, Niraj and Deepak were waiting for us.

“hey guys ,So which ones our”

“This one”

Niraj pointed the nearby bus which was to take us to the destination of today’s program.

“So, who are we waiting for?”

“Wait there are still some friends to arrive. I just called they are in taxi. will be here in minutes”. Pradeep looked reluctant to wait.

Then , surely within minutes, some girls came who were friend with Pradeep.( I wasn’t really expecting that). We were 15 people for today’s journey. it was already past seven and we were late.

Bus started.

Mijal, Deepak , Niraj and me were at front..or I call it cockpit of the bus. It was fun traveling with these guys. We chatted on pointless topics; Niraj’s encounter with some hook up girls, Deepak’s canceled trip to ABC, Next year Solu trip and all.

Air was getting cooler and cleaner as we left the city and roll toward highway. As I was the one who rarely go beyond thankot (outskirts of kathmandu), these high hills and rivers along the highway were adventure itself.

It was about 10 o’clock when bus stopped for a breakfast and other stuff (daily routines ). Mijal and I took a little walk to the Suspension bridge over the Trisuli while other fellow travellers were having their own time. The bride was like 150 meters long and looking down from that thing was absolutely terrifying. and people were crossing the bridges carrying heavy log .OMG..I was like How can people live here?

We were at the roll after the short break. the river had already shook my confidence and was just flowing by the side of the road, teasing me and my courage.

At Chauradi , We came to our starting point. We had our attire changed and got ready. We also tried the local “Masu Chiura”( meat and beaten rice) .

then Our guide brought our life jackets, helmet and paddles..We picked our equips and packed our belongings to to transport it to the ending point.

“Oh, I forgot to bring my sandal. ”

“don’t worry the rafts are just nearby I am also walking bare foot”

deepak assured me it was fine.

We were all set and ready to go . Our guide showed the way down to the river. we could see many other groups are already at the point. It was my first time touching this monster river who have already swallowed the numerous buses and passengers and many more things.

We took picture and then Pradeep and some other guys were already in the water and shouting us to join but as I couldn't swim , I stayed at the banks and watched them swim in that green river.

And Guide was teaching us the basic rule of Rafting and the security measures during the rafting and in water. The basic FORWARD, BACK, RIGHT, LEFT and all.

so here we are… tighten our jackets, Helmet OK …paddle OK so ready to ride this thing. Our Group was divided into two rafts. Pradeep and the girls were in other while all the rest of the guys were in one.

Here we go.

We start this amazing adventures with rapids of Trisuli.

It was slow and steady at beginning. Our guide was telling us that the flow was in fast speed than usual so the time span will be short than usual. we can finish our 22 km float in like 2 and half hrs. OH.. my boy here come the first one… the raft just jumped out in the air and all of us were WOOOHOHOOO…..the water was everywhere. and it was amazing and few rapids followed shortly after…

“Its amazing…how big it will get?”

“you just wait …it is just a beginning ”

Niraj was in his second time experience for this so he was telling about the upcoming hurdles.

“Now be careful we are going to pass our first major rapid called butterfly Rapid.”

Our Guide shouted.

Then rapids got bigger and more thrilling…In some point this air flatted raft just squeezed us and the water just hitting in the face …going up and down…It was so amazing.

Once we surpassed the big rapid we had our Paddle Hi5 ….

After butterfly we faced the monsoon and offset rapids …These rapids were 3.5+ graded.

“Forward Forward…stop”

“STOP”

“We are going to Hit that”

“Forward”

“OH LOOK OUT”

Due to the poor combination of the paddling we hit the Rock very hard at the offset rapid.I was freaked out. but thanks to our guide he swirled our raft to other direction quickly so that we missed another in the front.

“wait there is another”

I shouted.

We hit at the other side of the rock wall again

“ARE you guys ok?”

“Niraj did you hit the wall?”

“oh it was too fast so I didn't tried to stop with my paddle”

“Ok Guys be careful Forward Forward.”

we just passed some awesome and dangerous situation. It was life experience..simply amazing to see something like that so closely.

we had our paddle HI5

“So anyone wants to Dive ?”

our guide asked us .

“yes lets go”

a drunk guys shouted and three from our raft were now to jump from the cliff to this mighty river. ME(surprisingly ,even I don’t know how to swim ), Niraj and this drunk guy I don’t know. I don’t know why I decided to try this.

So, we were parked at the side of this cliff like about 35 feet high and more to surprise many more from other rafts, foreigners and some girls from our group landed at the bay to climb the cliff for the jump.

“NO NO NO NO”

My mind wasn't ready to do this as I was standing at the edge of the cliff. Then here she goes. A Japanese woman jumped …Splashed into the river vanished for few second and reappeared few meters from the landing point.

SPLASH!! another guy jumped.

there was a line of jumpers. and I was at the edge again.

”yes I can do it …yes I can ..NO NO NO…yes …NO ..yes …..NO…. yes I say yes..NO ..see that green thing moving so fast ..NO…you will die…Do it”

My Mind was in rage.

“hey do it fast …Boat is moving and it will be hard to rescue”

Our Guide on the raft yelled from below.

and there were this girl freaked herself to. “NO this is too high”

there were many lining to jump and the Rafts were moving fast..

“I do it now or never…I love you mom I love you dad…”

!!!!!SPLASH!!!!!

the next thing I remember is that I am under the water. It was pitch black and I am not sure it was my fear or the current I was being swirled around and HUFF… I am on the air again my life jacket just pulled me towards the surface. I don't know how was I looking at that water…I just know I couldn't see any raft near or anyone it was water and just water… I now realize jumping in the water is not good idea for the beginners and HELL is that this was TRISULI…..I couldn’t pull my feet from the water or float properly…and drank lots of water…and flowing uncontrolled.A raft signaled but god, I can't swim..I was just taken by this river on its own will…I was helpless……the next thing I see was this raft of foreigners was coming near and strong guy gave me that T-node of the paddle ….I grabbed the node and he pulled me and at the raft I was pulled by my jacket by this strong German guy.

I was speechless .I can tell you from their staring that they weren't happy from my jump . also they were talking in their language which I can’t understand but I could say that it was not in my praise.

The experience of this jump was life changing..I laughed and cried at same time. A girl from our group who jumped earlier than me was also on the raft and I can see from her reddish face, she had similar experience too.

the words from the Novel 11 minutes by Colheo flooded into my mind.

“The roller coaster is my life; life is a fast, dizzying game; life is a parachute jump; it’s taking chances, falling over and getting up again; it’s mountaineering; it’s wanting to get to the very top of yourself and to feel angry and dissatisfied when you don’t manage it.”

Originally published at uawns.wordpress.com on November 19, 2011.

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Thanks.
Suman Maharjan