My best bud went to college in Canada for two years (at Brock University-St. Catharines). She's also half Canadian, so I visited her a few times and met all of her fabulous new Canadian friends. We all kept in touch even after my friend moved back to the 'states'. For the past three years her old roommate has organized white water rafting trips in Ottawa, for huge groups of her friends. This year we decided we were going to do it! :) It was a fine decision on our part!
Alana the Canadian and I
Getting the Car packed up! Unfortunately, we still don't know who is truly to blame lol. Somehow the trunk broke, so we had a last minute car switcheroo. :) but it was an upgrade because we got AC in the other car which was well received by us Floridians who love our AC. However, Summer in Canada doesn't touch the south. The weather was nice.
Oh Canadiaaaaa! Photo by Alana
Back Seat Life
On the road...for hours
Joshy and I in the backseat. The six hour car ride (both ways!). When I wasn't sleeping I read the second book of the Hunger Games and Joshy read his book, quite productive.
ARRIVAL! :) Great time! Would Definitely raft with them again!
Our Tent City! There was 24 of us!
Yea, that's right we know how to build a tent. yis. Cozy fit for the 4 of us Americans
The tent thing was a big deal for us, clearly :)
She's Canadian she wears it proud!
First day of rafting having stayed up most of the night meeting everyone and having a good time was rough. Had to wake up at 6:50am an ungodly hour based on the night before. Being zombies waking up and getting suited up, knowing freezing water awaited us was difficult but so worth it!
First day of rafting. The Army of rafters valiantly prepared for the best and the worst!
He was prepared.
Every person that was on this rafting trip was so nice and fun-so Canadian! Everyone had a blast rafting the two days.
No trip anywhere-ever. Would be truly complete without a commemorative foot shot.
So it begins....First look of the Ottawa River from the shore..
Ottawa River.. second best rafting in North America. The first being the Colorado River.
Josh, so ready right now!
sooooooo excited to go rafting!
White Water! legggggo!
The first rapid was awesome! Just what we needed to wake up. I love the adrenaline-the unknown, will your raft flip..will it not, you just have to keep paddling and enjoy the ride! But for the record we did not flip on any of the rapids day 1...few can say the same ;P
woop woop, people going down their first rapid!
Bffl water water rafting selfie..not a first!
Vickster, Meg and Jessy!
Wild Rock foot shot!
Getting toasty by the fire inbetween rapids
Water shot! Freeeezing water! But what a rush!
you know, just hanging out in the Ottawa River, could've done it all day errrday
Alana Josh and I
Waiting for certain death to jump off a 20 foot rock!! In the words of the ever wise Van Halen-go ahead and JUMP!
Action Shot! Tom jumping 20 feet off a rock! woop woop. I was a few people behind. Crazy Rush!! Almost chickened out but so glad I didn't!
Day 1 group shot! 15 of us including our guide Lawrence/Laurant!
Josh our super awesome and novice guide the second day! Fast learner for sure!
After the first day of rafting we were all exhausted and sore but we continued our yolo-ing ways and headed to Quebec for some cervezas (drinks are cheaper in Quebec, less tax). Quebec was only a 25 minute drive from the wilderness tours camp but it was already a mini-France, stop signs turned french and the people stopped speaking English. It was like it's own little country. A fun little detour indeed.
150+ foot bungee jump one Wilderness Tours property that our crazyyy awesome friend Josh experienced!
BFFL night out!
Day 1 rafting was rough Day 2 was even worse because it was self-guided. We don't even know the times we went to bed. I thought we might just get flipped the whole day everyone was a hot mess. There was a lot less people for Day 2 self-guided day..None of us were in the mood to paddle, a very basic movement we struggled with on Day 1 even with an experienced guide. Lawrence aka "our fearless leader- guide" got so frustrated because we were ridiculous. If he started talking to us we would stop paddling and stare at him, we simply could not multitask, it was hilarious because it happened the whole day we could not help it. But for Day 2 we had to just get on with our yolo-ing, when's the next time we'll be here? (prob. next year) but we wanted to experience and take advantage of everything we could.
This was also the day that my waterproof camera broke (rip). But it died a yolo-ing camera. I was taking a video of me body surfing through a rapid. It was sooo much fun, but mother nature was just too powerful for my kodak camera (Kingston, was its name). I did some rolls in the waves and when I came up my camera was completely opened and it was too late...but thankfully the memory card survived, these pics are a testament to Kingston-thank you (rip)
The Riverbend. About here is when Joshy/Jessy/Kyle/Alana and I started to belt out Pocahontas disney songs..
Day 2 we had a raft of 5. Apparently smaller rafters went faster but we had to actually paddle a lot, eh. :P
Beautiful! Perfect day! :)
The when you're not getting brusied or falling out of your raft screaming for your life ;), calm Ottawa River.
Our camping/rafting adventure was incredible. We were so grateful for our awesome Canadian bud Vicki for organzing everything. Though, I think two days was my maximum of tent-life. I really do enjoy not walking half a mile for the restroom every time I need to use it or communal showers (no.)
I love the rush I get from rafting and loved making amazing memories with my friends and new friends. I met some wonderful people that are even coming down state-side for some visits soon.
mmhhmm. Poutin! Canadians know how to dress their fries!
Some of our group, going our separate ways! <3 you all (most of ya's ;))!
Next rafting adventure of choice Colorado River!! YIS.
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:
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!).
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.
