On Thursday night, Amy and I headed down to Jinja for the weekend for the freestyle kayak festival that one of her friends was helping to organize. Basically all of the rafting guides are also most often phenomenal kayakers and also massive partiers, so this weekend was basically a fond reminder of college with some impressive water stunts thrown in.
On Friday, there was a kayak competition on the Nile Special, a huge rapid near the end of the two-day section that most rafting trips here take, and the only rapid I didn’t swim during my lovely tandem kayak experience of several weeks ago. From 9am (we didn’t get there until about noon) until 4pm heats of men and women, about 70 competitors in total, surfed the rapid in their single kayaks. Although I didn’t understand any of the moves that the announcers kept mentioning, it was hard not to be impressive that they could even balance on that wave, much less maneuver some ridiculous tricks—the pistol, the double helix, the Pan-Am, etc. There was a few hundred people perched on the rocks—muzungus and Ugandans alike—along with a DJ, and announcer booth, and BBQ and beer stand. It was so hot and we just sat there sweating all afternoon watching the competition, taking a break to dip in the Nile.
Then it was time to head down river—by wooden paddle boat, yikes—to an island known as The Hairy Lemon, a popular backpackers spot, and pitch our tents for a night of camping and toasting the kayakers. The island is absolutey beautiful with palm trees, flowers, and a main bar area where they laid out a huge dinner buffet and then the partying began complete with some guitar sing-alongs.
Next day, we dragged ourselves out of our tents, but not too far, just over for coffee and breakfast, some lounging and sunbathing, and another lunch buffet. Then it was time to head back to Jinja proper and recover for yet another evening of celebration at the Nile River Explorers--NRE bar. All of the kayakers had gotten out of bed (tent) at 7am to head to the competition for the day—the 40Kendurance race. I don’t know how these guys do it. They definitely have more endurance than I can imagine between their rafting, kayaking, and ability to party all night and then work all day. 
But it was Sunday that was my absolute favorite day that seriously transported me back to the college days of my youth (I know, tear, tear)! It was the Boda race. At about 1pm, all of the kayakers took off on a serious ride down Bujagali Falls—an enormous rapid that will actually soon disappear thanks to a new dam project that is going up as of August. It’s quite a waterfall of sorts and I’m sur
e is far more terrifying then it looks (as I can tell you from firsthand experience) but these guys are fearless and raced down, many jokingly wearing buttondown shirts and ties over their rafting suits. Then, 3km farther down the river, then wade to shore, hope on a prearranged boda and hightail it back to the NRE campsite with their kayak in tow on their lap. But it doesn’t end there: then both kayaker and boda driver must conquer the inflatable raft course covered in soapy water (applied lovingly by the children of the rafting company owners) before crossing the finish line and drinking a funnel of beer. Ah, college!! It was a hilarious sight and absolute mayhem, everyone was just cracking up at the boda guys and kayakers flinging themselves over the rafts, getting stuck in them, careening into each other—it was truly a sight to be seen. After a dip in the river and nearby pool, we watched the crowning awards ceremony for the weekend, and to see numerous prizes awarded to the male and female winners, which consisted of a few dinners, a flight lesson, and mostly large crates of beer—Club and Nile Special, of course!
e is far more terrifying then it looks (as I can tell you from firsthand experience) but these guys are fearless and raced down, many jokingly wearing buttondown shirts and ties over their rafting suits. Then, 3km farther down the river, then wade to shore, hope on a prearranged boda and hightail it back to the NRE campsite with their kayak in tow on their lap. But it doesn’t end there: then both kayaker and boda driver must conquer the inflatable raft course covered in soapy water (applied lovingly by the children of the rafting company owners) before crossing the finish line and drinking a funnel of beer. Ah, college!! It was a hilarious sight and absolute mayhem, everyone was just cracking up at the boda guys and kayakers flinging themselves over the rafts, getting stuck in them, careening into each other—it was truly a sight to be seen. After a dip in the river and nearby pool, we watched the crowning awards ceremony for the weekend, and to see numerous prizes awarded to the male and female winners, which consisted of a few dinners, a flight lesson, and mostly large crates of beer—Club and Nile Special, of course! And that brings us Sunday night—an early night, thank goodness! I mean, I loved college, but geez, I don't think I can keep up with those guys. So this morning we were up bright and early to make the drive back to Kampala just in time for another week (my last one!) of painting mayhem!
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