Farting Mud

Another wet ride along the river and we stopped for a swim and wade in the mud, which was really odd: it was so aerated that it was soft and squishy, and every time you moved, you sank half a foot and loads of huge bubbles farted up around your legs. There was a rope swing that everyone mad a dash for to swing and jump into the river (not me, I add, my back was really playing up – God I felt old!). Poor Kristiina, the lesbanonian Estonian, she made the swing but let go too early and fell on her arse in front of the other 20 or so 20 year olds. Oh the shame…

Whilst squishing my feet in the mud and getting a mini Jacuzzi from the bubbles, I felt that familiar nibbling at my feet, and it was some of those same fish from the Fish Spa in Central Market. Well, at least I hoped it was and not some river dwelling nastiness that was about to chomp at my toes! Time to head back for dinner and our final ride up the river. This time we raced against another group and took it in turns to drench each other! 

I was tempted to have dinner in the hotel rather than the floating restaurant, as the food was not exactly superb, and by all accounts the restaurant food looked really nice. I changed my mind though as Elvis, Ji Young and the Estonians were going to have dinner together in the floating restaurant, so I decided to join them. The Dutch guys went to the restaurant, and though they did suggest we all went, I think secretly they wanted dinner on their own – which of course was fine. It was really nice to spend the final night with the rest of the group chatting over dinner (amazingly, not chicken rice, but we couldn’t really tell what the meat was - we just hoped it wasn’t one of the cats that was hanging around the chalets!).

The Dutch guys joined us later and we chatted until the restaurant owners turned out the lights, as a hint for us to leave, and we retired to our respective accommodation – with me, Helery and Kristiina detouring to the bar for some alcohol  – the floating restaurant (along with the others on the other side of the river) were all non-alcohol serving.