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Danube Bend, Hungary 2007 - Travelogue

Sunday 19th  |  Tuesday 21st

Monday 20th August

Monday was not going to be quite as relaxing as the previous day had been as we were going on a 16 mile canoe trip down the Danube. We had a short walk to where we met our guides and boats for the day. After loading our packed lunches into waterproof containers we were divided up into groups of four and each group was allocated a boat and a guide.

Having carried our canoes to the water, we climbed aboard and then, with the guide sitting on the back to steer, we paddled off down the river. We had soon got the hang of paddling together. Events took an unforseen turn when one of the Scouts leant too far and the canoe overturned. We all watched, first from the river and then safely from the bank as the guides rescued the Scouts from the water and then struggled against the current to bring the canoe off the buoy where it had got trapped back to the shore.

With the excitement of the rescue now over we got back into the boats and paddled to our lunch stop. Having eaten our packed lunches, which thankfully remained dry, the Scouts had a play in the water and the mud! Some even decided to play ball with an orange.

Lunch break over saw us back in our canoes paddling once more. We had got quite proficient by this stage and the leaders boats showed that paddling together was more efficient than frantic paddling as they forged ahead and kept having to stop. After forming a raft with the canoes to allow us to have a rest whilst still being carried downstream with the current, we finally arrived at our destination.

All that remained was to help carry the canoes from the river to be cleaned before walking to find the coach to take us back to the house. Despite some of us having numb bums, we all felt a sense of achivement from the day.

We were halfway through cooking the evening meal when a torrential thunderstorm caused a total power failure in the village. Luckily we were cooking on gas so were still able to enjoy the meal, albeit having to be served and eaten by torchlight. The power did return later so the Scouts could still watch the film.