Whitewater with crocodiles

I'm at Victoria Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, and decided to go whitewater rafting on the Zambezi. It was incredible, absolutely terrifying at times, but just amazing.

We started off by climbing down the 120 odd metres from the top of the gorge to the base, down an incredibly rickety staircase which had a broken bannister with huge sections missing, and very steep steps. Then we got in the boat, and paddled upstream to the falls proper. It was one of the most awe inspiring and dramatic sights I've ever seen. Great dark slabs of granite with water pouring over them and crashing down and a vast blue sky.

Then we made for the rapids. We were racing doen the river now, all paddling in time, the guide shouting instructions over the roar of the river. We saw the first rapids coming towards us and went straight for them. The raft rocks up and down as we get churned up, and water is blasted into our faces as we scream and laugh. It was great.

It can be quite demanding. There were more than twenty rapids, and five grade 5 rapids - the hardest rapids in the world. On of the grade fives the raft rocked so far and the water forced me off the boat. I was dragged under the boat and then deep doen underwater. The current pulls you and you feel it dragging you one way and then another like a marionette doll. All I could see was green light and bubbles all around me. I counted to 15 trying not to panic. Then I found myself above water gasping for breath with what looked like mountains of water all around me coming towards me. Way off in the distance I saw the boat, and in a blind panic I swam towards it.

The whole day was incredible. Unlike something like bungee jumping you feel like you have really put some effort in and it lasts all day with incredible scenary. We saw crocodiles along the river as well, and the guides teased us by claiming they were about to eat us all the time. It was great just larking about and having a good time pushing people in.

The day was so great as a whole that it made up for the moments of panic and terror.