Monkey-B & I never pass up an opportunity to escape to the river, even if only there's only time for a short swim or shower, we always go when possible.
🦦 Is She Part Otter?
Monkey-B loves swimming so much, and it makes me regret that I haven't yet had time to teach her how to swim without a life jacket. I really would like to have a kickboard so that she could float while learning how to use the legs, but a visit to the capital would be necessary for that. The ability to swim without a flotation device is an important life skill, and I hope she eventually has this in her bag of skills.
Big sister and mom usually never join us on trips to the river, mostly because the water is cold and I think they are worried about getting their hair wet and all the logistics of it. For me and Monkey-B, it's as simple as changing clothes and and heading out the door.
Her joy is infectious, and usually we have some deep talks about life interlaced with swimming against the current until physically exhaustion and being goofy.
Just Submerge 🥶
The tense moments before we commit to full submersion are usually full of shrieks and oohs and aahs. The water is surprisingly cold for this part of the world, but we are up in altitude a bit and the water comes from even higher up.
We usually bring the oversized bathroom ladle with us, soap, and a washcloth. You can see it in the background of the above photo, the downed tree makes a perfect platform for taking a shower. It did come with the loss of one of the hammock huts though, not exactly worth it, but might as well take advantage of the wreckage.
🤪 I Said We Get Goofy Didn't I?
I haven't share any images of myself for far too long, so here it is, a dad-daughter silly riverside selfie. These little trips to the river keep me sane, and it's definitely a stress reliever for both of us. The pics in this post are from yesterday, but today I went up one of the tributaries and found a coldwater pool, then showed Monkey-B how I "wake up" by dunking myself in that water. 3 hours of sleep can feel like 5 with midday coldwater dunking.
After we're content with the swim and shower, we usually air dry ourselves while reasoning about life, talk about the future a bit, and then cross the river and head back up the cliff. It sucks to leave something behind and have to come back and get it, so we usually do three scans before leaving the waters to face reality.
Steeper Than It Looks 🧗♂️
The climb up the cliff contains several switchbacks, and without the above GIF it's hard to see how steep it really is. One false step and you can go buttskiing until you get stabbed by bamboo or end up in the river, and we lived happily ever after. THE END
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