Location: Tully River
Today was Rafting Day! We began the day with an unusually leisurely start, a 9 AM wake-up followed by brunch at a nearby cafe. The food in Australia has been amazingly flavorful, and the restaurants have yet to disappoint. After breakfast, we were picked up by the Raging Thunder (the rafting company) to begin our 2-hour ride into the mountainous jungle. We made a couple of pit stops along the way: a bathroom break and a lunch break. We got lunch at a peaceful, small-town bakery in Tully, where our beloved Jonah was viciously mauled by a ferocious hound! (See attached photos for an explanation). After lunch, we began the final leg of our journey, during which we got the beginning of a long series of safety briefings. After not too long, we arrived at the head of the river, a hydroelectric plant that released its waters. The rafting was amazing, especially thanks to our knowledgeable and cunning guides. We rafted for about two hours, enjoying a series of different rapids, wading pools, and even going under a waterfall! Afterward, we enjoyed a slideshow of photos from the day while we ate dinner at a local pub. Post dinner, we began our trip back to Cairns, arriving at the hotel at 9:00 PM. We promptly hit the hay, exhausted from a thrilling day of rafting. Signing off for the last time -Skyler Brozyna.
Note from Amanda: Don’t worry, families and friends. All of the students went rafting, but the photos for only one raft have come through to us so far. We will update this blog or at least share the photos with the students once the photos of the other raft are available! Everyone had an awesome time!