Great summer fun!
Ahoy there, matey! Finally, the long-awaited summer holidays have arrived. At last. My big sister promised me a special surprise to celebrate my end-of-year school results, and here it is: today, we are going white-water rafting with the whole family. I'm so excited!
Yes, thinking about running the rapids and crashing through the waves is making me a bit nervous, but I'm really looking forward to our trip.
All we need to bring with us apart from our swimming things (trunks/bikini and towel) is a sense of adventure. The organiser is providing the rafting gear (wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, etc.).
Great for families and beginners
We meet at the Adventure Centre Flachau, also known as Almlust Aktiv, and are given a warm welcome by all the instructors.
A 20-minute ride on the "rafters' bus" takes us from Flachau towards Styria to the River Enns near Schladming, where our rafting adventure starts. This section of river is perfect for beginners and families with children: not too fast, but still with some tricky obstacles.
Also on board:
A state-certified rafting instructor called Richie, who gives us an excellent briefing to start.
"What really takes my breath away when I raft is the force of the water. It's a bit like riding the waves."
Our water adventure starts here!
Ready? Everyone into the inflatable raft, and let's begin our water adventure! The start is actually quite gentle – on calm waters through idyllic countryside. Soon, however, we hit the first rapids. All hands on deck!
Chris gives us regular commands, which we follow with an "Aye aye, Cap'n!". At one point, the current is so strong that we all come a cropper – before we know it, we're sliding backwards into the water. Thankfully, we're wearing life jackets, and are back on board after a brief swim.
Teamwork!
The most important things in rafting? Teamwork, energy and fun! We paddle downstream and overcome all the challenges on the way as a family – by working together. It's a great feeling.
My favourite trip
The Rafting Family Fun trip is definitely my favourite excursion, and the highlight of my summer holidays. It's the perfect adventure for a group of water-lovers like my family. The clear emerald waters and beautiful surroundings are simply amazing. This is a genuinely magical "picture-book" landscape. Small wonder that rafting has been one of the most popular mountain adventure sports since the mid-1980s. The best part was that we mastered all the challenges together as a family. I'm already looking forward to my next Flachau adventure.
See you soon!
