Highland Adventures

We're up in the Scottish Highlands now, and one of our outdoor activities was "gorge jumping." I can't rightly say why anyone would make a point to go "gorge jumping" in the Scottish Highlands.. but this is definitely not to say that I didn't have the most exhilarating time of my entire life. I've decided that anyone who does this on a regular basis (i.e., our guides) has to have some degree of insanity. And honestly, I can definitely pick it out in two of the three of them. What were the conditions, you ask? Well. Imagine wetsuits... helmets... and life preservers. Imagine all 26 of us wearing nothing but the wetsuits (steamers, as they call them...), shivering our little hind ends off in the 50 degree weather. Very flattering indeed. I specifically took no pictures of this outing because of that reason. Next, imagine frolicking into 37 degree water, and the only words you can utter are, "Oh, crap, holy crap..." as your body tries to get acclimated. Again, I'm not sure why anyone would choose this ludicrosity as a hobby. We climbed rocks, swam against currents, waded clumsily through rapids, slid down miniature waterfalls, and jumped off 25-foot-high cliffs. I kid you not. But it was the most surreal, exhilarating experience I have ever had. Ever. I know I would have regretted not doing any of it, so I threw (almost) all precaution to the Scottish wind and went for it. (All limbs and blood cells accounted for, Mom.) But, our fearless, slightly insane guide Chris (with the thickest, sweetest Scottish accent ever) said today was merely a precursor for tomorrow--whitewater rafting. Stay tuned for Chapter 2 tomorrow... if I make it.