The Amazing Austrian White Water Rafting Adventure-Innsbruck

Oh Austria, how I miss your pristine beautiful self :).

The grass actually was greener on that side :) and the air was so fresh and crisp-tasty!
After departing Venezia/Venice we were off to Austria!! It was absolutely freezing! We arrived in a village outside of Innsbruck and it was one of the most quaint little towns I've ever stayed in. Our accommodations were very homely and cozy :) very comfortable.

But we wouldn't be true Americans if we didn't stop at McDonalds FIRST. Oh my gosh. Alana and I had many authentic European meals (split of course, balling on a budget) but when we weren't we were living off the dollar euro menu! Observe:

Chick Fila Waffle fries? It's true. And Mozzarella sticks, Americas really missing out. ;P



We also had fun in this Austrian McDonalds, impeccably decorated, obviously and with an amazing playplace!

Slidinggg. We were having so much fun we didn't realize our group had been waiting for the two of us on the bus (just like every country we went to, Alana and I-always late!)

 But the Austrian McDonald's actually wasn't the highlight of Austria ;P .

First Glimpse-gorgeous

Spiros, our European Guide, our "fearless" leader ;)..not this day :))) hehe,

Claire and I in our rafting gear/wet suited up and ready for some rapids!

 

Group shot :). They made us get acclimated to the coldest water my body has ever felt!

Then they told us to fall straight back! It was soooo cold, never forget that sensation. Alana and I are in the middle. Alana's the one screaming haha.

So our tour guide assured us that, the rapids were easy going, around a level 3. AND he also assured us after he made each of us jump out of the raft then try to get back on w/ the help of our raft mates (to see if we could get back in, in CASE we flipped) that his rafts never flip. PLEASE within the first five minutes our raft was the first to flip. It was a horrifying/hilarious moment. Our raft when completely vertical on its side, called "dump trucking". It was a titanic moment, people were holding on, some had already fallen off, and our guide is yelling at us to jump, jump back into the knife-feeling cold water. Pandemonium ensued, we were swimming after gear, paddles and trying to catch up to the raft. It was still amazing. Our guide was literally grabbing each of us by the life jacket and throwing us back in on top of each other. It was crazzzzy! Crazyfun!
We hit a couple of fast paced rapids (SO FUN, i LOVE rafting :) ) and towards a calmer part he said if we wanted to jump out again we could for a light swim. At first I was like please the water was freezing and strong but then British Bradley, an amazing friend we made on the trip just jumped out- I told Alana we had to do it, when were we going to be in Austria again white water rafting looking at the Tirolean Alps and be able to jump into this European water?! So we did it! And I had never felt more alive, it was the biggest rush, just swimming in this powerful cold beautiful water laughing/smiling and looking up and seeing tall gorgeous mountains (not abundant in my flathomeland of Fla!).

Our raft!! Best. Day. Ever. -Coldest.Water. Ever too.

rafting while seeing the Swiss Alps was jaw dropping and just magic!



I think that's British Bradley getting back into our raft, he jumped out voluntarily a few times

YAY we survived ;). I'm pretty sure this was one of everyone's favorite days. We all had an amazing experience and a ridiculous amount of fun together!

(Photos: Alana Bevan, Adam Carroll via Alana B.'s FB) 

We were only in Austria for a day and a half and the full day was spent on the River. I definitely want to go back to Austria, back to Innsbruck because there is a lot we did not do and also go to the beautiful Vienna.

MUST DOs:

White Water Rafting!