Going to the jungle and visiting the coffee plantation was amazing. In the jungle we saw a wild elephant family, which I’ve heard can charge at cars if they get too close. We also saw deer, goats, and boar. The plants are so wild that they seem to take over everything. Although we were safe in our bus, it felt very intimidating to be out in the middle of a jungle where a tiger could pop out and grab you at any moment.
The coffee plantation was so beautiful. The owner and his wife were especially friendly, and made our stay a thousand times more pleasant than any regular hotel. Not only did they socialize with us, but they cooked homemade meals and gave us coffe grounds from their own coffee beans. The coffee they served to us was smoothe and not as bitter as the coffe in the USA. They own around 120 acres of coffee plants, which can live to be up to 200 years old. He inherited the land and plants from his father when he turned 25, but it’s hard to get help in January when they harvest the beans.
White water rafting was indescribable. There were three rapids, called Morning Coffee, Grasshopper, and Nose Dive. After the first rapids we all jumped into the 15′ deep water and swam for a bit, which I think surprised Dr. Vijay and his brother when they saw us. They must have thought we capsized in the calmest water of the river. The last one was the biggest, and we all got knocked around and water in our noses. I will definitely be doing that again sometime!
The rides through the towns were interesting too. Many people carry objects such as big bags or piles of plants on their heads. Cows and bulls roam the streets, as do chickens, roosters, dogs, goats, etc. The local people seem to be as interested in us as we are in them. Most towns seem to have stores to but the essentials and food items.