It is quite unusual actually, for me at least, where now due to the small team member in my department (there are only nine of us, 4 expats and 5 national employees); we got the chance to go rafting at Citarik River as our Away Day event.
Normally, in my previous company where there were fifty-ish person, an Away Day event would be a regular outbound activity, not that im complaining though, such as Flying Fox, outdoor games, Paint Ball, or Offroad, followed by fancy dinner and then straight back to Jakarta but now something new to me, “rafting”. I’ve always wanted to go rafting since in college but my Mom always told me not to do that knowing that it would be very dangerous and most of all she still remember that I could not swim and would be drowned eventually, well that was true 10 years ago, now I could swim Mom, hehe.. Thus, I always keep that craving deep inside of me until now, my 28th years of living.
I was picked up very early at 4.30 a.m on Thursday morning, 17th December 2009, and the plan was to get there at 9.00 a.m. for a short team meeting. The traffic to Sukabumi was very heavy, even in the morning and it is even worse than the road to Puncak with only two lanes each for going up and down, not to mention the big trucks and the sophisticated “angkot” driver. Hence, we arrived at Caldera resort (one of the rafting provider in Citarik river) at 9.30 a.m, went straight for breakfast and at 10.00 we started with team meeting to have a brainstorm for our 2009 performance and achievement and decide the 2010 objectives.
We had lunch at 12.00 a.m and soon afterwards we get prepared for rafting. Personal PPE is provided by Caldera such as helmet, life jacket and of course “dayung”. After 20 minutes of riding a truck, we arrived at the upstream part of the Citarik River, this 20 minutes journey itself felt like an Offroad, where the road was very bumpy but it was fun.
Not long after that, the instructor divided us into 2 rafts and gave a brief instruction of what we are supposed to do during rafting. It turns out that there are some words, codes and instructions that normally used during rafting but all I could remember was “Boom-Boom” where you should bend your head and body in upward position and hold on to Dear God tightly because there will be a bumpy raft, waves or even rocks in front. Although there were no rocks or heavy raft in front, our instructor sometimes yelled “Boom-Boom” intentionally just to see our reaction and his amusement.
The 2-hours-rafting felt so short and the stream was not very rough at that times so none of us got injured or drowned, only one of my expat colleague flipped over at one of the raft.
There are 10 – 30 rafts along the river ranging from easy rafts until rough rafts and you could go rafting for 2 up to 4 hours, it depends on your preference but of course the price would be different. We took the 2 hours package that cost us Rp 180.000/pax.
It was quite an experience for me going rafting; we left from Caldera at 4 p.m. and due to the crazy traffic going down from Sukabumi to Ciawi, I arrived at my house in Pondok Pinang at 10 p.m.
Next time rafting would be the 4 hours package at the rainy season.
Mom, wish me luck..!!
Infos:
There are 4 provider of rafting in Citarik River: Caldera, Arus Liar, and two others. Minimum is to have 4 people for one raft. If there are only two of you then you still should pay for 4 people.
How to get there: take the JORR, exit at the Ciawi toll gate, pass the market and just follow the roads going up, after the 2nd or 3rd gas station (in your left side) there will be a right turn going up as well, follow that road you will then see the tea trees and palm trees plantation and when you see the Caldera/Arus Liar billboard sign, turn left. They are located next to the Citarik River.
Traveling time would be 3 ~ 5 hrs (depends on the traffic) Don’t forget to bring an extra shirt and short for rafting, toiletries, and sunblock.
Photos would be taken care by the provider with an extra cost for it.
Normally, in my previous company where there were fifty-ish person, an Away Day event would be a regular outbound activity, not that im complaining though, such as Flying Fox, outdoor games, Paint Ball, or Offroad, followed by fancy dinner and then straight back to Jakarta but now something new to me, “rafting”. I’ve always wanted to go rafting since in college but my Mom always told me not to do that knowing that it would be very dangerous and most of all she still remember that I could not swim and would be drowned eventually, well that was true 10 years ago, now I could swim Mom, hehe.. Thus, I always keep that craving deep inside of me until now, my 28th years of living.
I was picked up very early at 4.30 a.m on Thursday morning, 17th December 2009, and the plan was to get there at 9.00 a.m. for a short team meeting. The traffic to Sukabumi was very heavy, even in the morning and it is even worse than the road to Puncak with only two lanes each for going up and down, not to mention the big trucks and the sophisticated “angkot” driver. Hence, we arrived at Caldera resort (one of the rafting provider in Citarik river) at 9.30 a.m, went straight for breakfast and at 10.00 we started with team meeting to have a brainstorm for our 2009 performance and achievement and decide the 2010 objectives.
We had lunch at 12.00 a.m and soon afterwards we get prepared for rafting. Personal PPE is provided by Caldera such as helmet, life jacket and of course “dayung”. After 20 minutes of riding a truck, we arrived at the upstream part of the Citarik River, this 20 minutes journey itself felt like an Offroad, where the road was very bumpy but it was fun.
Not long after that, the instructor divided us into 2 rafts and gave a brief instruction of what we are supposed to do during rafting. It turns out that there are some words, codes and instructions that normally used during rafting but all I could remember was “Boom-Boom” where you should bend your head and body in upward position and hold on to Dear God tightly because there will be a bumpy raft, waves or even rocks in front. Although there were no rocks or heavy raft in front, our instructor sometimes yelled “Boom-Boom” intentionally just to see our reaction and his amusement.
The 2-hours-rafting felt so short and the stream was not very rough at that times so none of us got injured or drowned, only one of my expat colleague flipped over at one of the raft.
There are 10 – 30 rafts along the river ranging from easy rafts until rough rafts and you could go rafting for 2 up to 4 hours, it depends on your preference but of course the price would be different. We took the 2 hours package that cost us Rp 180.000/pax.
It was quite an experience for me going rafting; we left from Caldera at 4 p.m. and due to the crazy traffic going down from Sukabumi to Ciawi, I arrived at my house in Pondok Pinang at 10 p.m.
Next time rafting would be the 4 hours package at the rainy season.
Mom, wish me luck..!!
Infos:
There are 4 provider of rafting in Citarik River: Caldera, Arus Liar, and two others. Minimum is to have 4 people for one raft. If there are only two of you then you still should pay for 4 people.
How to get there: take the JORR, exit at the Ciawi toll gate, pass the market and just follow the roads going up, after the 2nd or 3rd gas station (in your left side) there will be a right turn going up as well, follow that road you will then see the tea trees and palm trees plantation and when you see the Caldera/Arus Liar billboard sign, turn left. They are located next to the Citarik River.
Traveling time would be 3 ~ 5 hrs (depends on the traffic) Don’t forget to bring an extra shirt and short for rafting, toiletries, and sunblock.
Photos would be taken care by the provider with an extra cost for it.
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