Rafting on the Hantan River

I’m going to let the pictures tell most of the story for this one.

Going rafting has become something of yearly tradition for those of us in Cheorwon. Though we didn’t go last year because of scheduling conflicts, this year we made sure to do it big and do it right. Thanks to knowing the right people and good luck, Josh and his co-teacher swung a day that allowed all of us to go rafting for free in exchange for getting our pictures taken for a Korean magazine. We then used some of the money we would’ve used for rafting and put that toward a galbi and makgeolli bash at a famous restaurant overlooking the Hantan River. And we had a hell of a time. Neither me, nor R had ever gone rafting before, so we greeted the occasion with tremendous anticipation. The day proved better than we expected. We had an exciting time, made a few new friends, and enjoyed some excellent cuisine.

The journey got off to a fun start as soon as we hit the first rapid. It was too much for us, so we had to let our guide get the boat through it while we walked along the edge of the canyon. I would’ve joined everyone had I not fallen off the raft and into the river. Going overboard and nearly getting swept away makes for a fun exercise in problem solving. As soon as I hit the water, I heard my dad’s voice in my head saying, “It looks like you’re going for a ride, buddy.” Perhaps that was my way of not panicking. I got out of there okay. One sandal got lost in the water, but it had had a good run. It’d lasted five years and had gone halfway around the world.

But aside from that, everything went according to plan. Our group divided between three rafts, which ensured plenty of splash fights and crashes with each other. We did those two things when we weren’t holding on for dear life in the rapids or feeling enthralled by the lush greenery of the canyon. What a fun time. I can't wait to do it again.