Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Motorbike Trip: Day 13

I went on a canyoning tour. Ramses, Koon, and Paul also joined the tour. In the morning, we took a van to a random spot on the highway outside Da Lat and walked into the pine forest. They taught us how to rappel using ropes and harnesses. Then we went to a small “rock slide” in a river. It was a 20ft rapid where water flowed across big, smooth rocks. We put on helmets and lifejackets. We slid down the rock slide on our backs, headfirst. It’s a crazy idea. The first time I tried it, I smashed my lower back into a rock and it was bruised for 3 weeks. It hurt!

On the next rock slide I banged my leg into a rock. The third time I went, I hit my butt on a rock. I thought the whole rock sliding thing was painful and not much fun.

Then we went to a 20-foot waterfall and rappelled down the waterfall. It was fun, but pretty straightforward. Next, we went to a 30-foot waterfall that had a lot of water flowing over it. On this one we rappelled into the water so we got hit with the falling water as we rappelled. It was exciting.

Paul, form England was hit with a lot of water and got smashed against the rock wall. He tried to stand up but the water kept hitting him and knocking him over so it took him a while to get on his feet. It was intense.

We ate lunch in the sun on a big rock near the waterfall we had rappelled down. After lunch we went cliff jumping. It was a 30-foot cliff. I jumped off the cliff twice.

Then we rappelled down another waterfall called The Washing Machine. So named because you rappel into a huge stream of water in a narrow rock channel. It pours tons of water on you and you are pulled down below the surface and down the waterfall. Then you let go of the rope and it washes you out at the bottom. It feels like you’re in a washing machine.

I wore the water shoes that Mrs. An had given me in Hoi An. I thought they would be great for canyoning because they were designed for water, but they were too big so they were constantly being swept off my feet by the current. It was annoying.

After the tour I returned to the hostel and rested for bit. Then I went to the Crazy House in Da Lat with a few guys from the hostel. The crazy house was interesting to explore and it had a nice view of the town of Da Lat.

We walked to the Da Lat market and looked for food and souvenirs. Then we returned to the hostel. I went to V Cafe and played guitar. I played 4 or 5 songs. I was with a guy from he hostel named Benson.

We went to the hostel and played drinking games with the guests there. I showed them how to play a card game called Drunk Driver. After that we went to a bar that had a lot of backpackers. It was a fun, high energy scene.