Almost death on the Nile

Have you ever had a day so perfect you wanted to hold on to it forever? I seem to be having a lot of them lately, which makes me a little bit nervous. Like, what happens if I use up my lifetime quota all in one go, and then have to live the world's crappiest life when they're all gone?

Yesterday I went whitewater rafting on the Nile, and almost died. Or at least it felt that way. We tipped over in a class 5 rapid called The Nile Special (which, incidentally, is also the name of the beer I've been drinking since I arrive in Uganda). I remember seeing this huge, green wall of water looming about 15 feet above me before I was sucked down, down, down for what seemed like forever. Or 10 seconds. And how does this add up to the most perfect day ever? Excitement? Happiness to just be alive? I don't know. I just know that it was so much fun that I can't wait to do it again. Never mind the sunburn. Or the moments of paralyzing fear. It just made life seem worth while. So much more so than sitting behind a desk or watching reality TV.

And the scenery. It's so green here it almost hurts my eyes. So in between defying death, I just lay back and soak in the loveliness.