That morning a sudden ring woke me up. I received the call, eyes half opened, not knowing who is at the other end. When I said, hello, the voice kept my half-opened-eyes into full-opened-eyes. She was my supervisor Ms Li Zhanfeng. She asked me if I could join them during a study trip to Yichang along with other students. Without more ado I replied, yes Laoshi (Teacher) your wish is my command, in fact I would come running to be a part of such an innovative teaching and learning environment.

The author (L) goes rafting with his teacher in an undated photo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Although I had been to Yichang one and a half year ago, but my teacher's offer excited me more than before. Yichang is a place really worth visiting as it has good attractions but the most I cherish about it, is a tranquillity and serene environment. No more traffic, green and clean city and not to mention the Three Gorges Dam. Especially the area of Three Gorges Dam has now been transformed into visitors' resort more than a dam.

My teacher put the responsibility of buying my train ticket from Wuhan to Yichang on the other girl student whom I was to meet at the train station. Well, totally seven students were invited by the teacher for such a marvellous and exuberant study trip. Every student hailed from different cities of China. On July 2nd everyone was to reach at a restaurant near the train station in Yichang where we had lunch. After having delicious and exquisite cuisine of Yichang we set out for a hotel near Three Gorges Dam where we had to spend our next four nights. Now we, all students with our teacher, were in hotel rooms. Let me tell you that I was the only foreigner and male among the seven Chinese beauties. So everyone shared the room other than me that's why I was really comfortable and free to smoke in my room. That evening teacher also told us the schedule of the trip that such and such things will be done. That day was rest day and we just took a stroll around the bank of mighty Yangtze River.

Next morning we did for what we were there, yes just study, teacher took our classes in the morning and evening. Following the classes we all the students unanimously decided to go for rafting, a famous feat here in Three Gorges, so we contacted the travel agency to take us for the thrill of rafting the next day. Let me tell you that there goes a saying that 'one who visits Three Gorges Dam and don't go for rafting as if he did not visit'.

The singeing sun welcomed us, after the 2 hour bus ride from the hotel, at the rafting resort. Every one had put on caps to escape the singing heat. When we got off the bus my fellow girls suddenly yelled 'hao re' which reads in English 'How hot it is'. These are common words during summer season uttered out by girls, especially. Anyways, now the time to get on the rafting boat was getting closer so does our thrill was increasing and passion getting out of control. We all were ready for rafting after having all safety measures like life jacket, helmet and knee guards. I got onboard with my teacher and sailed with the flow of water, it was awesome to be between the steep mountains standing tall from the both sides of the fast flowing stream. As we were going downstream more fun and thrill were to be explored, its vertical drops and zigzag thrusts of water were adding more to the fun.

Once through rafting one would notice the pleasant screams and laughters echoing in the gigantic green mountains. An axiom is famous about the rafting here which says 'girls will scream and scared while boys will laugh and thrill'. That is true I just noticed the screams of girls when just going through a sudden slide and vertical drop of water flowing through the stones beneath the water. During that course, boats of many couples capsized but thank God we survived through our maiden ride. Though I was nervous at the outset, I enjoyed as the boat sailed through the river. Many times our boat was filled up to the edges making us completely soaked. This filling and spilling of water continued until we reached our finishing line. But the breathtaking journey of rafting have undoubtedly left indelible imprints in my memory.

Rafting had always fascinated me since I had seen on the television screens but that day I made it in real I could not believe my eyes that I had done what I had cherished since long ago. It was just like a dream came true because I could not even imagine before that I would be rafting someday but in China I could materialize what I was longing for. Though I have visited many places like Guilin, Luoyang, Harbin, Shanghai, Chengdu, etc in two years but that visit because of rafting was fantastic and unique.

I believe China is travellers' paradise, where every visitor can find his visiting resort according to his liking. No matter what kind of traveller you are, be it historical place, natural beauty, mountainous or hilly, beaches, trekking, cycling, cruising, skiing, skating, to name but a few, one cannot help loving China.

After rafting our routine came back normal to studies where we resumed our academic activities for the remaining days. Now everyone was more enthusiastic as if rafting had infused new breath into our lives. 

The author is from Pakistan and he came to China in September 2009 to pursue PhD degree in media studies at School of Journalism & Communication, HUST, Wuhan.

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