As Lisa was (almost) saying in her famous song: “Peut-être que demain ça ira mieux, mais aujourd’hui ma vie c’est…. GÉÉÉNIAAAAAALLLLEEEEE (Perhaps tomorrow, things will be better, but today my life is…. FABULOUS)”. We woke up to that song; the song makes me smile despite the fact that I would have liked to continue my appointment with Morpheus.
We quickly get into the action:
There was a tablecloth with colourful balloons, Hawaiian necklaces, a cake with a candle as an appetizer for breakfast, boosting energy and merry goers who howled Happy Birthday : the Viking wolf of the pack is 20 years old today.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GABRIEL!
Have you ever had breakfast on the beach for your birthday party?
The weather is nice and warm, a weather miracle since our lucky star once again beat the forecast. Perfect weather for a 30 km river with some short sections of white water as a bonus.
The “Tiglidou” trick
So it is a well-known fact: tandem kayaks are a high risk of divorce. It’s not easy to be stuck together in there. To prevent one of the Cubs from being disinherited, the guides give us many tips for nonviolent communication. My favourite: saying tiglidou at the end of each comment. It becomes ridiculous, it’s inevitable. And the ridiculous don’t kill!
For example “Hey, Dad! You don’t know how to drive, we’re heading in the rocks, TIGLIDOU”; “Come on! It seems to me that it is not complicated, TIGLIDOU”…!
Buttocks in the wind
I cannot ignore one of the most exquisite moments of the day: do you remember the toilet windsurfing (once again, you have to see the photo in reference to understand the concept…)? In fact, the complexity of the landscape offered few options for the guides to build latrines. They managed to ingeniously build a hump behind a fallen tree stump. It was intimate compared to the rest of the camp; it had the effect of a screen, but not to the rest of the river.
No boat was going to pass they said…
Except that this morning, a member of our group was “doing his thing,” suspended over the hole, her buttock in the wind, while a boat with fishermen passed by our island. The only one we’ll see all day.
Everyone bursts out laughing. It’s nice to see everyone laughing … And don’t worry about the member, she too was very rolling on the ground!
At last, as announced: The rest of the pack:
MEDICAL TEAM
Marie-Pierre – She is a wolf as soft as her coat. She is sensitive, generous and endearing. She is a wolf of great cold who has experience as a nurse in the Far North.
Isabelle – It is said that she is a good listener. She is a wolf with a positive attitude, a real go-getter. She has a knack for packing quickly, she dismantles her tent and packs her bag in a snap. I also see her as a sea wolf since she likes dip in the river (even unexpectedly, fully dressed and wearing shoes 😉). Her hidden talent: she is also a wolf potter.
THE FOUNDATION GUIDES/FACILITATORS
Marie-Michèle – She’s an alpha wolf: a real velvet tank. She’s also a clown wolf in her spare time!
Laura – She’s a Nordic wolf (full air-conditioned style). She is a right-hand helper, an excellent teammate. She is connected to emotions, her own and that of others. Her singing is no howl when accompanied by the ukulele. It’s no longer a secret: she is an entrepreneur wolf!
ORGANIZACTION GUIDES
Andréanne – She is an organized, determined and definitely playful wolf. Her co-guides tell us that she is not afraid of adversity, that she is lovely and that she is someone on whom you can count.
Antoine – A simple, relaxed, open, energetic cub wolf. Wolf expert in kayaking and always up for a challenge. He also has an extensive musical repertoire; his specialty: country music.
Keaven – His colleagues say he is a handsomely hairy wolf, calm and serene. He is an excellent communicator and teacher; a reassuring wolf with good self-confidence.
ME – What kind of wolf am I? … It’s up to you to tell me, I would like to hear from you!
Marie-Hélène Beaudry
Half Blogger-Photographer, Half Mystery Wolf
In pictures
