The Chronicle :Sungai Padas (White Water Rafting)
My second trip to Kota Kinabalu this year and this time around I'm killing two birds with one stone. I booked another trip to the Padas River in Sabah for White Water Rafting and joined a 10KM Marathon. As usual, my partner in crime would have to be Melisa. She persuaded me to join the marathon and in return I coaxed her into agreeing for a white water rafting adventure down the rapids.
White Water Rafting (3 May 2014)
We woke up early in the morning (5 a.m.) and headed straight to a 24-hour convenience store for a quick breakfast. The shuttle van came shortly after that. There were approximately 8-9 people in the van and our driver cum our guide; Ash drove us down to Beaufort town. It was an hour and thirty minutes drive to Beaufort. The trip would require us to take a train to the rural part of Beaufort for the starting point of the water rafting.
It was a very small train (there were only three short coaches) and some of the passengers had to sit on the floor while some tried so hard to stand firmly as the train swayed and rocked violently on the rail track.. We had to stop at a station and took another train deep into the interior part of Beaufort. There were only two coaches left and everyone cramped into the very small space like a herd of cows at the back of a lorry.
Approximately an hour later, (11 a.m.) we arrived at the starting point. It was a very nice experience on the train given the fact that we don't have one in Sarawak. So to be in a train, no matter how slow it goes, I was quite excited still to be in one!
After the briefing, and a quick one too! We were divided into smaller groups. I was with two other couples (with Mel as my partner). We got to know each other very quickly and I was just too excited and couldn't wait to jump into the rubber raft. The river was swollen with huge body of water as it was pouring the night before. It was nerve-wrecking and I stayed cool and hope I would not fall into the river! And boy I was wrong about that notion.
Our boat flipped after the first rapid .All I could remember was that my body was thrown off the raft and I was in deep water seconds later. I was in panic the moment I opened my eyes. It was total darkness, apparently I was trapped under the overturned raft. There are plenty of space and air pocket so practically you won't die that easily ..unless you panicked and swallowed gallons of water as you screamed. I collect my strength and tried to stay calm. I hold my breath and dive into the water and swim away from the raft. And I did it very well as I resurfaced right next to raft. I saw Melisa, trying to float and maintained her sanity. haha! Next I saw my guide and the rest of the team.Everyone was floating and hold on to the raft. Our paddles were floating far away from us. Ash, the guide; yelled at us to get away from the raft as he need flipped the overturned raft. After that, he pulled each and everyone of us in the raft!
There were practically 6 rapids that we went through and we also helped to save a guy from another raft and pulled him up from the water. It was a pure adrenalin and I literally screaming and yelling like mad! I love it so much and wished I'd done it years ago when I got the chance!...We rowed and paddled like a bunch of crazies (I guess none of us is really good in that). Our guide kept telling us to keep the pace and to follow the person in front of us in order to be uniformed.
The last part was the best part, I jumped into the river and swam happily in the fast moving current. Oh yeah, we were all wearing the life jacket and it kept us to stay afloat.
We had lunch after that, changed our wet attire and waited for the 1 p.m. train and headed back to Beaufort. I was so tired that I slept throughout the trip back to Beaufort. Then we proceed to Kota Kinabalu.
It was an awesome experience and I think I will do it again in the future!
And the story continues.....
White Water Rafting (3 May 2014)
We woke up early in the morning (5 a.m.) and headed straight to a 24-hour convenience store for a quick breakfast. The shuttle van came shortly after that. There were approximately 8-9 people in the van and our driver cum our guide; Ash drove us down to Beaufort town. It was an hour and thirty minutes drive to Beaufort. The trip would require us to take a train to the rural part of Beaufort for the starting point of the water rafting.
It was a very small train (there were only three short coaches) and some of the passengers had to sit on the floor while some tried so hard to stand firmly as the train swayed and rocked violently on the rail track.. We had to stop at a station and took another train deep into the interior part of Beaufort. There were only two coaches left and everyone cramped into the very small space like a herd of cows at the back of a lorry.
Approximately an hour later, (11 a.m.) we arrived at the starting point. It was a very nice experience on the train given the fact that we don't have one in Sarawak. So to be in a train, no matter how slow it goes, I was quite excited still to be in one!
After the briefing, and a quick one too! We were divided into smaller groups. I was with two other couples (with Mel as my partner). We got to know each other very quickly and I was just too excited and couldn't wait to jump into the rubber raft. The river was swollen with huge body of water as it was pouring the night before. It was nerve-wrecking and I stayed cool and hope I would not fall into the river! And boy I was wrong about that notion.
Our boat flipped after the first rapid .All I could remember was that my body was thrown off the raft and I was in deep water seconds later. I was in panic the moment I opened my eyes. It was total darkness, apparently I was trapped under the overturned raft. There are plenty of space and air pocket so practically you won't die that easily ..unless you panicked and swallowed gallons of water as you screamed. I collect my strength and tried to stay calm. I hold my breath and dive into the water and swim away from the raft. And I did it very well as I resurfaced right next to raft. I saw Melisa, trying to float and maintained her sanity. haha! Next I saw my guide and the rest of the team.Everyone was floating and hold on to the raft. Our paddles were floating far away from us. Ash, the guide; yelled at us to get away from the raft as he need flipped the overturned raft. After that, he pulled each and everyone of us in the raft!
There were practically 6 rapids that we went through and we also helped to save a guy from another raft and pulled him up from the water. It was a pure adrenalin and I literally screaming and yelling like mad! I love it so much and wished I'd done it years ago when I got the chance!...We rowed and paddled like a bunch of crazies (I guess none of us is really good in that). Our guide kept telling us to keep the pace and to follow the person in front of us in order to be uniformed.
The last part was the best part, I jumped into the river and swam happily in the fast moving current. Oh yeah, we were all wearing the life jacket and it kept us to stay afloat.
We had lunch after that, changed our wet attire and waited for the 1 p.m. train and headed back to Beaufort. I was so tired that I slept throughout the trip back to Beaufort. Then we proceed to Kota Kinabalu.
It was an awesome experience and I think I will do it again in the future!
And the story continues.....
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