A Crafty Traveler | Family and Travel Adventures

There are few things that can get me out of bed before 8am on the weekend. Generally it’s a flight to somewhere new and exciting, but on two weekends in the last month it was a trip into North Wales to float down the River Dee.

In the picturesque town of Llangollen, home to a historic steam train and a plethora of lovely bakeries and cafés, the River Dee slices through the centre of town, making it a water lover’s playground. On a sunny Sunday morning three friends and I made the 40 min drive from Chester to partake in one of many water sports available on the river, white water rafting.

Shortly after arriving at the home of Whitewater Tubing UK we were doled out wet suits, life jackets, helmets, and paddles and we were set to go.

If you are looking to become closer to your friends then I would suggest being in the same room while changing into a damp and cold, borrowed wet suit. It’s hard to not become close after you have uttered the phrase “can you help me get my ass in this?”

The horror of the wet suiting behind us, we were off to the river for about two hours of rafting under the skillful guidance of the lovely Caz. We floated, paddled, splashed, bumped, dunked, and laughed our way down the River Dee and we all lived to tell the tale.

What did I learn on my rafting adventure?

1. No one looks good in a wet suit and a yellow helmet.
2. One should never take themselves too seriously.
3. Falling out of the raft is the best part of rafting.
4. There are few things as satisfying as the hunger one develops from significant physical exertion.
5. Smelly wet suit will linger on your skin long after the removal of said wet suit.

I don’t think there is any better recommendation than returning for more fun on the river only two weeks later, this time for whitewater tubing. Again the sexy wet suits and helmets were donned (this time I managed to get my own ass into the suit, if anyone was wondering), and we took to the river on individual inflatable inner tubes.

If keeping your makeup and hair perfect and not looking like a total ass is your priority then these are not the activities for you. If falling into fast-moving water and laughing until your cheeks hurt sounds like your idea of a good time then get yourself down to Llangollen for a memorable day. You can’t argue with four webbed thumbs up, can you?