"Lena, you go paddling, I make food, when you get off the river it'll be ready." Shingi and Panda had invited me back to the Jølster river. Shingi was going to make some Zimbabwean food for us, and he had even arranged a place for me to stay with Aud. Aud is one of the nicest people I’ve met, she lives right by the river and likes to watch the paddlers. I got my faible for candles in glass vases from staying at her cosy home. She took this photo of Panda and me paddling past her garden.
photo: Aud Næss
We made sure we got on the river as soon as possible. The level was slightly lower than the last time I’d run it, but I was a lot more nervous. I think paddling the whole thing without any preparation or opportunities to scout and the pressure of having to look professional for the clients in the raft in combination with the trip being my first one on bigger white water had made me scared, even though everything had gone really well. This time I had time to scout, though, so I did, and ended up having a lovely time on the river anyway. I’m still beating myself up about chickening out of surfing a really big wave. Confidence is such an important factor on the river, and I now know how important it is for me to expand my comfort zone step by step. Even knowing I have the skills from slalom paddling, my river-experience needs to be able to catch up.
I don’t remember much about the food other than that it was super tasty, that Shinghi had made a veggie dish with beans especially for me, and that there was sadza, which I’d only known from books and was super happy to try. After the meal, we sat together by the fire in Aud’s living room.
The next day, I went to paddle Storelva with Panda. I was still a lot more nervous than I would have liked. It was a lovely river, though, and great fun overall.
One almost roll…
photos: Peter Panuscik
Something I hadn’t ecperienced before was finishing on a lake.
What a great end-of season-farewell-weekend!