On Sunday morning, we gathered at the bus after breakfast to head out for our rafting trip. After generous applications of the strongest sunscreen and bug spray we could get our hands on, we felt prepared to take on the Biya River, which is an outflow of Lake Teletskoye. Our bus driver dropped us off on the river bank, where we split up into two rafts and received instructions from our rafting guides. They told us that the rapids were only rated 2 on a scale of 1-6, which was reassuring. What was less reassuring, however, was the realization that our guides would be giving instructions in Russian. As obvious as this might seem, I think that none of us were really prepared for that reality. Nonetheless, we climbed aboard our rafts and pushed off from the bank.
We hit our first rapid within the first two minutes of the trip. Despite the language barrier, we managed to follow our guide's instructions and made it through the rapid, though Maddy and I were the first ones to experience a refreshing splash of river water. After the rapid, we had a chance to glide along the river and appreciate the natural beauty surrounding us. The water was calm and as clear as glass; there was hardly a moment where we could not see the smooth gray stones on the river bed. Everywhere we turned, we were surrounded by steep mountain slopes covered with Siberian pine, birch, and fir trees. Occasionally, we could spot a black kite perched on a high tree branch or searching for prey overhead. It was incredibly beautiful, and I tried to take in the view every time we took a break from paddling.
In total, the trip down the river was 20 km (about 12 mi). I can't speak for the other group, but my rafting group certainly had some difficulty with synchronized paddling, which led to a little bit of friendly bickering. However, we paddled through several rapids without issue. The final test, which our guide referred to as a "surprise" as we approached it, was a small waterfall. Professor Galloway, Joan, Maddy, and I got thoroughly soaked, but in the 90 degree heat, we had no complaints. Soon enough, our rafting adventure came to an end and we clambered from our rafts onto shore.
Next on the agenda was lunch and banya, but we were on the side of a road, surrounded by forests. Suddenly, we were being led through the forest by one of our rafting guides. In bathing suits and flip-flops, we trekked down narrow trails and climbed up and down hills along the river. En route to our destination, we had a stunning view from a small hill overlooking the Biya River and the surrounding mountain peaks.
Finally, we passed through a small wooden gate and found ourselves in a hidden Siberian paradise, complete with banya and river views. It was here that we met our host Maria. She was an Altaian woman, dressed in traditional Altaian clothing, and the property tucked away in the woods was actually her family's ancestral land.
After the men and women took their turns in the banya, we sat down to a traditional Altaian lunch which consisted of soup, salad, and kasha. We also tried alcohol made from milk, and чай brewed from local plants.
My favorite part of the day was when I had a few quiet moments to myself sitting beside the river. Right before we left, I plunged into the cold river water one last time, since I knew I would not get another chance. After lunch, Maria led us back to the bus and gave us a heartfelt goodbye. We had a long bus ride home, but we arrived in Barnaul just in time to see the sun setting behind the city skyline. It was a perfect ending to the weekend.
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