July in my opinion is the best month of the year. July is a month of sunshine, soft beaches, drinks on a patio, the smell of BBQ steak, tanned skin, NO SCHOOL, late night bonfires, vacations to lake houses and camping every other weekend. I mean, it is hard to think of one negative thing about July, not only do we have all those amazing things, but we also get to kick off the month with a huge country wide party to celebrate Canada’s Birthday! So with all the upcoming fun on my mind, it got me thinking about how this month is the time to let loose, be free and go wild! Which in turn got me thinking about what the wildest thing I have ever done was? And coincidentally it is the wildest place I have ever been as well!
Me & Friends In Rafting Gear Before the Big Ride!
Now it wasn’t easy thinking about me being wild, as I am usually a very cautious and reserved person when it comes to adventure and being spontaneous, but there is one particular time last summer that comes flooding into my head. In may of last year I went on a 25 day Contiki Tour of Europe. The trip was full of firsts for me. First time being farther east than Calgary, first time in Europe, first time travelling without our my parents, first time realizing it was up to me and my friend to figure everything out and that my mom wasn’t going to be there to fix it! (this hit home very very hard when I got Strept Throat in Spain!) But it was also the first time that I took “danger” head on and wasn’t so inhibited by my logical side of my brain. What was this “danger”? Well it was white water rapid rafting down an Austrian river in the Austrian Tyrol Mountains! At first I was terrified, I acted all cool but inside I was having multiple panic attacks and trying very hard not to just run the opposite direction of the water. Once we got to the water, myself and 5 other girls climbed in the raft with Scouse our Liverpool accented guide and away we went! The ride was about half an hour and we had many laughs and screams along the way but I have to admit by the end of it I was hungry for more! I wanted bigger rapids, bigger jumps, more falling off and more drama! Scouse told us that we had done about a 3.0 run and that in the Austrian off season he does tours of 4.0 and 5.0 down the Nile in Egypt…he told us some stories and lets just say I am glad there was no hippos in our 3.0!
I have to say white water rafting down an Austrian river was one of the highlights of my trip and think I may have found a thrilling past time to pursue in the future! I’d love to hear about a time you left inhibition to the wind and went wild or where the wildest place you have ever been is!
And if your think you need some inspiration for letting loose, come on in and check out our “Gone Wild” window display and let your inner animal take over!
Go Wild!!!
- Brianna
