River Rafting - Kampar

25th February 2006.
Past few weeks had been nightmare. Working late practically every single night, not getting enough rest nor food.

On Friday itself also, I skipped dinner in order to finish up work fast so that I could go home and rest enough for the adventure awaiting us the following that. But end of the day, I only managed to get myself home my midnight, and only got to sleep about 1am plus.

Saturday, the big adventure day, my alarm clock woke me up at 6am. Feeling very light-headed, everywhere aching especially my shoulders and bones, I dragged myself out of bed to get ready. I start to question myself on how would I be able to pull through the rest of the day, if so early in the morning my whole body is aching and weighing me down.

Anyway, Eeyore came over my house, and my dad sent us to CSA about 6.30am to meet up with the rest of the group. As expected, we were one of the first person to reach there. Nobody was around and so we went to the mamak stall. My tummy started doing summersaults there, start to feel as though my whole stomach is feel with air and it’s a washing machine in there. Start to worry again what if I needed to use the toilet when we are halfway in the bus. It was just rolling around in my stomach, but didn’t feel the need to go toilet. Started praying real hard for all the pain to go away, especially when Eeyore starts complaining of me working late, not getting enough rest, and now complain about stomach ache.

Anyway, luckily enough, after we boarded the bus, everything was ok. Pain all gone, stomach and also my muscles. What a relief. There were about 23 of us, and only 3 girls. Most of them are Indian guys and there’s a few Chinese guys, everyone looked friendly and nice. Our journey to Kampar had been rather quiet, I tried to sleep badly, but was just too excited to fall asleep at all. Eeyore had his eyes closed, so it was difficult to say if he was asleep of just simply closing his eyes.

About 2 hours later, we arrived at our destination, Gopeng town. Got off the bus, waited for a short while for the van to come pick us up. 2 Vans all together took us to the river side. Reaching the river, we went and got changed and was briefed by the instructor’s there. Got into our groups, carried our boats to the river and off we go!

Kampar river is about Grade 1-3 only, so I thought it won’t be that bad. Once we got onto the boat, I kinda underestimated the river, it looked somehow less dangerous then how I have imagined it to be. But with the knowledge that Eeyore is right there sitting behind me, it kind of gave me a peace of mind and I know that I will be fine.

At the first rapid itself, I really do not know what happened. I know I saw Eeyore losing his balance, and I let go my hands of the boat bcos I wanted to hold on to him, and somehow ended up getting thrown into the river together with him. It was really an experience which I will never forget.

After getting thrown off the boat, I went under water, I held my breath and very calmly composed my mind and tried to get my head out of the water by trying to swim upwards. The river rapid was strong that I totally lost my sence of direction, I just know that when I lifted my hands, I felt the boat on top of me. Remembering the simple instruction the Guides told us, I just kept touching the boat, and hoping that the boat will come to an end soon. True enough, I reached the end of the boat, I surfaced, took a deep breath, and the current swept me under again. It was like watching a video clips of those people getting swept away into the ocean when Tsunami happened. It all happened so fast, and next thing I know, I felt something knock on my helmet and I went under a boat again. I couldn’t see anything, and I know the river was just pushing me very hard and I was moving very fast. Under the boat 2nd time, was a very extremely long time. I almost ran out of breath and almost panicked, thought I was going to die. It was like what I always see in movies ; when a person is going to die, he/she starts thinking of the person closest to them. But I on the other hand was just praying and hoping for someone to come and grab me out of the river, and hoping that the river will stop pushing me under the water. Knowing that Eeyore is somewhere in the river also, and that if he will be fine, which I know he will definitely be fine, I also will be fine. At least it was comforting to know I’m not alone. Anyway, when I thought I was almost out of breath being stuck under the boat for so long, I finally managed to surface. Surfaced already, the river was not so rapid already, and that it was just flowing.

As what the guide told us, swim to the nearest bank, and wait to be saved there. That’s what I did. I raised my hands to show that I’m alive, and thinking that someone or God will just drop down from the sky to save me. My boat was far behind, I tried to get upself up the river bank, I couldn’t. The rocks were so slippery, I cannot even stand still, the river just kept flowing, so helpless I thought with horror… My boat is so far behind, I’ll probably flow to goodness knows where b4 my boat can come save me. Lucky enough, there’s the other group of boats in front waiting for us. We were the 4th boat to go if not mistaken. Those Indian guys push out their oars and told me to grab on it. I just felt so relieved, they were like my saviors. They pulled me towards their boat, and let me cling on to their boat.

Clinging onto the boat wasn’t enough, the river current was so strong around me, and I didn’t have enough breakfast, I felt so weak and felt as though the current will sweep me off again. Lucky enough it was at that time, Eeyore appeared from don’t know where. He held on to me and I felt save again. He told my boatmates to pull me up the boat.

After the first rapid huh, I felt phobia already when I see other rapids again. Started clinging very hard to the boat each time we go to the rapid, making sure that I won’t fall off. I survived through the next few rapids, but there’s 1 rapid which somehow I managed to fall off the boat again. This time, this rapid was ok… It was just like falling off your boat in a calm sea, knocked my legs on the stone, flow for a short while and reached the other boat in front. Those Chinese guys this time offered their hands to pull me up the boat. So embarrassing that I had fallen off the boat 2 times. But at least, this time I didn’t had to go BELOW the boat, and that I could still open my eyes and see where I was flowing to.

After the whole river ride about 2hours plus, we had our lunch. Then headed back to KL late afternoon. This time, I was already exhausted being thrown off the boat so many times. Managed to sleep in the bus. By the time I arrived back was already like 6pm.

Now if asked me again, if I would try river rafting again…. It’s a rather difficult question to answer as I’m rather afraid of being swept away by the current and being UNDER the boat again. But I suppose that, as long as Eeyore is going along with me, I won’t mind going through it again. Because I know he will make sure that nothing happens to me and keep me safe. Just that this time I’ll make even more sure that I don’t get thrown under the boat again… it wasn’t a nice feeling to be trapped below the boat. But anyhow, I’m thankful to God that at least I didn’t knock my face on the rock or got myself stuck under the boat and couldn’t get out.