Antalya Day 3 (day nine of the trip)

June 14, 2011 - Tuesday

Oh boy!  Oh boy!  This is the day for our white-water rafting!  There is some question about when our guide is to arrive, 8:30 or 9:00, so we plan on 8:30 figuring we will just have extra time if it's 9:00.  At 8:30 a lady appears and says that she is Rina's representative in Antalya.  That must make her Hakam's boss!  She is as charming as all the other people we've met, and tells us about a possible tour for tomorrow.  It visits several of the other ancient cities and these have been restored;  but it is an all-day excursion and we just feel like we need a down day to rejuvenate.  She also reclaims Hakam's binoculars which he accidentally left with us.  We had planned to leave them with his friend at the front desk and drop him an email.  This is much easier!

She walks us out to a waiting bus where some of our fellow rafters are waiting.  Along the way we pick up more adventurers and begin our hour and a half trip up into the mountains.  At first it looked like I wouldn't have a seat mate;  not so, a rather large young man from Romania settles in next to me.

After quite a while we make a pit stop.  There is no explanation and at first we think this is our departure point;  but after a while we figure out that it is only a break to buy drinks and plastic shoes and visit the WC if necessary.  It is interesting to see an orange grove with mountains in the background! 

And there is the required kitty.  This one is sleeping in a box of rubber shoes.

Then we are back on the bus and finally arrive at Dallas Rafting.  Lots of people will be rafting today, and Alex, who is in charge, herds us all into one place around picnic tables and sets out the rules.  He tells us to memorize his face, so that we can find him if we need help with anything.  That's easy to do.  There's a reason his t-shirt says "Hollywood"! 

He tells us that there will be eight kilometres on the river, then a break for lunch right where we are sitting now.  Then there will be another eight kilometres before we reach land again.  There are several camera points so we should look to the right and smile or wave or blow kisses - or kiss our guide, it is all right!  We are to change clothes here and bring everything with us on the buses.  Our bus will be waiting at the end to pick us up. 

Also, if you want to smoke after lunch, leave your cigarettes here.  One man throws Alex his pack and he immediately offers it around to anyone who wants one!  He advises everyone to wear as little as possible - bikini tops for the girls, shirtless for the boys, because wet clothes will keep you cold until they dry out.

It's time to change clothes and gear up.  Life vests are required;  helmets are optional.

Ben gearing up.

Those who are so inclined change their clothes and we all take our bags and climb back on the bus.  At the departure point we leave the bus and all our belongings and climb down a treacherous incline.  At the bottom there is a photo op which means we all have to get into the freezing water and walk on the rocky, uneven bottom, until we are positioned in front of a waterfall.  Then we have to scramble up on the other side and those who are willing walk across the river, with its strong current.  The guys do that, of course, and us "seasoned" individuals walk back up and across the bridge!

Still life with helmets!

At that point we are divided up into raft groups.  There are nine people in our group - our six and a family of three from Lithuania.  Our guide is Alis (pronounced Alish) and we will soon learn what an instigator he is!  Before that, though, we all have to carry the raft over our heads and down the slippery rocks to the water's edge.  I'm so short I can't reach the raft!  Ahhh, too bad!  I try at one point and the Lithuanian man tells me that, really, I don't have to do that.  I think he is worried that I will trip and take him down, too!

Next everyone chooses a paddle and we climb into the raft.  There is a good bit of shuffling around until Alish has us where he wants us.  Ginger and I are in the back.  At first I was sitting in the middle and thought I was going to get a free ride!  That would have been worth being called Mother so often!  Alas, I had to pull (or paddle!) my weight!

The guide in the boat next to us must speak better English than Alish because he gives directions to his boat and ours.  He reminds us that when our guide says "paddle" we need to do that because the boat doesn't have a motor on its rear end and he turns around to show us that he doesn't either!

We push off and Alish says that when he says,"Oh yes"  we should say, "Oh no" and vice versa.  When he says, "A", we say "Oh" and vv.  But when he says, "Ziggy zaggy ziggy zaggy" we say, "Hoy hoy hoy" and hold our paddles over our heads.  He is quite fond of bursting into chants and of splashing everyone with his paddles.  Or pouring freezing river water out of his hat and onto your head.  Sure glad I wore MY hat!  He does manage to dislodge it once but the strap keeps it around my neck.  He shoves Ben into the river, then Andy and Randy.  He drags them back into the boat by the life vest.

Eventually I go in, too, but he is careful to be sure it is fairly shallow and he keeps ahold of me!  Ginger, gets the same treatment!

There is a stop for people who want to jump from the rocks into the river.  There is a camera there and when we see the photos later, a gator has magically appeared, with his mouth open, ready for lunch!

Soon we are back at our lunch stop and everyone piles out of the rafts and up the rocks.  Our table is one of the last to eat;  but that's fine because we get our food hot out of the kitchen!  Chicken shish, salad, bulgar wheat and pasta, with bread.  The chicken is delicious! 

Back to the rafts and away again.  Someone must have mentioned to Alish that he was a bit over the top, because the second half of the trip is much gentler.  Of course people all have full tummies and everyone knows you shouldn't swim on a full tummy! The Lithuanian mother wasn't having a good time during the first half and I suspect her husband may have said something.

There is one stop during the second half and everyone is out of the rafts again, with our paddles this time, so we won't be up the creek without one!  We form a large circle with all the Dallas rafters and Alex teaches us a game.  It begins by everyone holding his paddle upright with the blade on the ground.  When he whistles once you let go of your paddle and grab the one to your right.  Two whistles - the one to the left.  Three whistles and you rotate your hips.  If you miss your paddle, you're out.  After a few people are out, the rules change and three whistles now means that you have to turn in a circle and catch your paddle before it falls!

Ginger, Randy and Nick stay in longer than the rest of us.  Nick is the next to go, followed by Ginger.  Randy, though, is one of the final two!!  At this point the game changes again.  Each player holds his paddle vertically in the air and spins....and spins....and spins....and spins!  Then they are supposed to drop the paddle and jump back and forth across the handle on one foot!  The other guy goes down in a heap and everyone laughs.  Then Randy drops his paddle and does a great impression of a guy on a three-day toot!  He is covered in mud and sand but wins a huge oleander branch!  Actually both guys are declared the winners and everyone heads back to the water.  We are a little worried about Randy being able to make down the rocks!

Along the banks we see a herd of black and while goats settled in the shade out of the heat.  Wish I had the camera!!  But as wet as I am and as much water as there is in the bottom of the raft, that would have been a disaster.  Should have brought a disposable water-proof one.

Just when I think I can't stroke one more time, the ride is over.  We all climb out accompanied by Alish's now familiar, "Let's go!  Let's go!  Let's go!"and those with dry clothes change into them.  There is an opportunity to by our photos and Ginger keeps me from buying the plate with our group shot on it!  Thank you!  Twenty-five dollars?!  Ben buys us all ice cream and I finally get my chocolate-covered pistachio bar!

We board the bus (license plate 07 GR 369 - 'cause they all look alike!) and Alec rides with us back to our first pit stop.  There he shows us the DVD of all our waterfalls and Randy's victory.  Who could pass that up?  We figure if we edit it down from it's original one-hour length to just the parts with us in them, people might be convinced to watch it!

A long ride home and nearly everyone sleeps.  Back "at the ranch" we take hot showers and find dry clothes before going out to dinner.  Nick has found another restaurant on Trip Advisor and wander around the old town for a while until we find Parlak Restaurant.  Their special is half a chicken with mint couscous for only 8 lire!  That's five dollars and some change!  It is filling and delicious and an umbelievable deal!  And the beer is good, too!  We are sitting outdoors under the stars and for entertainment is is a cat runway that includes a flight of stairs and a tree!

Walking home we see the old clock tower with the moon just above it.  Another perfect day!

Have I mentioned how narrow the streets are?