| The school holidays are finally here and that | | | | breathing heavily, with water swirling all around |
| means: quality time to spend with your kids. | | | | you thanking your life jacket for saving your life. |
| Relaxing time hopefully, at the beach or in the | | | | The guide's voice thunders over the deafening |
| park. | | | | boom bouncing between the canyon walls. "Hang |
| How about camping where the evergreens reach | | | | on we're going in." You sit up and hold tight to a |
| for the skies, and where occasionally you can see | | | | safety rope as the raft swirls over a waterfall |
| a wild deer nibbling away on the sparse grass that | | | | and half disappears into the foaming river. You |
| grows in the few places where the sun touches | | | | brace yourself as the water rushes around your |
| the ground. | | | | waist, and then the raft pops up again and races |
| Listen to squirrels darting along branches they use | | | | on its way. |
| for roads, as they clamber over the trees | | | | What about something more relaxing like, your |
| collecting their pine nuts and acorns. See the birds | | | | fishing rod jerks you awake as something |
| darting between the leaves, picking up insects as | | | | enormous races away with the bait. |
| they go. | | | | You grab the reel trying to stop it but it just |
| Watch dead leaves drift lazily downwards, in the | | | | whacks your fingers away. You slowly apply the |
| soft breeze that somehow managers to filter | | | | brake as the boat rocks gently in the |
| through the seemingly impressive wall of huge | | | | never-ending ocean. |
| brown tree trunks that surround your little tent | | | | The choppy waves slapping lazily against the hull |
| and campfire. | | | | as your line whips and dances through the |
| At night, sit around the camp fire with the smell | | | | peaceful sea. |
| of roasted marshmallows drifting on the breeze | | | | You knuckles turn white as you grip the fishing |
| to mingle with the freshest of fresh air. | | | | rod handle. It buckles and twists and turns while |
| Sleep in the darkness with little chirping sounds | | | | the monster tries to escape. |
| and wild rustling sounds all around you. Wondering | | | | Your rod nearly forms a perfect 'n' as you pull |
| what they are or more likely where they are as | | | | your rod up to draw the beast in, then as fast as |
| you curl up tightly in your sleeping bag. | | | | a seabird diving into a school of fish, you drop the |
| What about something more exciting like clinging | | | | rod and wind up the slack, before the beast pulls |
| onto a yellow inflatable raft as you are tossed | | | | away again. Now you have got him under control, |
| and drenched while the wild foaming river speeds | | | | he is yours. These are just a few of the many |
| you uncontrollable down the canyon. | | | | things to try while you are young enough to |
| In an instant you are under water surrounded by | | | | enjoy time with your kids. |
| dancing bubbles and churning water. What | | | | Before long they will have grown up and run off |
| happened screams through your mind as you look | | | | to university or some other place. Until then, all |
| up into the sunlight through streams of water | | | | the best and keep on playing and having fun. |
| cascading over your face and see the raft right | | | | Copyright © Peter Legrove 2006, at |
| beside you. A big hand in front of a laughing face | | | | **You have permission to reprint this article. Use |
| reaches out and grabs you. | | | | it on your website, in your ezine or newsletter or |
| You lie on your back in the bottom of the raft, | | | | in any printed form. |