*Chapter 12*

Say Aare

 
 
It might not be compulsory but Caro’s tone suggested we should all go on Dad’s ‘walk’ so by the time I returned to the front of the Hotel Tourist everyone was stood waiting for the bus to arrive.

“Why couldn’t it’ve been like this earlier?” Laura mentioned.

“It wouldna been so exciting like.” Josh opined.

“I coulda done with a bit less excitement on some of those bends.” I mentioned.

“You should try following you, I reckon you found the wettest bit of road all the way down man.” My roommate complained.

“It was the best line.”

“It was certainly fast.” He agreed.

Dad pulled the minibus round and we all clambered on board.

“Room for one more?” Jemma called over.

“Sure, hop in Jem.” Dad agreed.

The door shut, Dad headed our transport towards the main road.

“Where’re we going Mr Bond?” Mark queried.

“The Aareschluct.”

“What’s that?” I in turn asked.

“It’s a river gorge, you’ll see.”

“Ah think ah saw a brochure for that.” Jamie offered.

Instead of joining the main road we went straight across into a lane that dropped the short distance to the valley floor where we turned right onto a tree lined roadway. After about a kilometre we were confronted by a posh looking building and we pulled into the parking area. We were far from the only visitors, there was even a coach parked up.

“This it?” Mand suspiciously asked.

 
 

Mark pointed to the big sign over the buildings entrance, which answered that question; in letters half a meter high was spelt ‘Aareschluct’.

Dad led us inside, “wait here a minute guys.” He instructed.

“Those hotdogs smell good.” Darren mentioned.

“We’re not here to eat fast food.” Jemma observed.

“I was only saying.” Daz defended.

“Come on you lot.” Dad called from ticket booth.
 
 

Outside of the building a path made its way across a grassy field with no obvious destination, Dad took the lead and our party set off.

“That girl gets everywhere.” Geth stated.

“Eh?”

“Her.” He pointed to where one of those damned posters adorned a post by the path.

“Er yeah.” I agreed.

Claire gave me a look just short of a giggle.

“You have to admit Geth, she’s a bit of a fox,” Darren put in, “wonder who she is?”

“Probably some model.” I offered in an attempt to deflect the conversation.

“She is very pretty.” Claire added with a grin.

No, don’t go there.

“So what’s she got that I haven’t? Mand demanded.

“I bet she’s a natural blonde.” Dar stated.

Ouch! Manda’s hair has been off the radar for a couple of days, I for one have got used to seeing her with a shock of near platinum hair.

“Whatever!” Mand snapped before stamping off up the path.

“That was a bit mean.” Claire declared.

“I was only saying.” Darren replied defensively.

Hey that’s my line!

“Come on you lot!” Jemma encouraged.

I took a last look at the poster, hmm; wonder if I can get a copy to take home?

 
 
The path became squeezed between a cliff and the churning waters of the river, which is where we caught up to the others. Mand was looking daggers at Daz who was squirming under her gaze.

“Okay,” Dad started, “its just over a mile each way through the gorge, there’s a snack bar at the top end where I intend to get a coffee. The path is narrow and can be slippery so take care please, no horsing about, we don’t want anything getting broken eh? We need to be back at this end by seven please, dinners at half past.”

I checked my watch, five past five.

“Everyone okay?”

A round of grunts amounted to as much reply as he was gonna get.

“Right then, times yours.”

 
 
“Come on Drew.” Mand tugged at my elbow.

“Er sure.” I agreed stumbling along in her wake.

The path narrowed a bit more before diving into a dimly lit tunnel.

“Can we slow down a bit?”

“Whatever, that boys a pig.” The pace didn’t change and her vehemence varied not a jot.

“I don’t think he meant anything by it,” I suggested.

“Just because she’s natural,” she chuntered on.

“Mand?”

“I’ll give him fox!”

“Mand!” I stopped dead which as she was currently gripping my hand nearly pulled me over but did cause her to swing around.

“Eh?”

“Remember me?”

“What?”

“Will you listen to yourself, its me who should be upset.”

“He didn’t mention your hair.” She tugged at her locks.

“Dur, poster girl, Drew, the same?”

She paused a moment whilst the cogs worked, “come on, the others are coming.”
 
 

The roar of fast moving water announced our arrival at the first balcony, an iron railed walkway that led along the cliff side and out over the tumbling waters below.

“Geez, I wouldn’t want to fall in there.” Mand mentioned.

“Looks damn cold.” I observed with an involuntary shiver.

We edged our way along the path, twice having to squidge against the railing for other visitors to squeeze past. I had my camera so I took a couple of pics and managed a selfie with Manda. The swirling waters have cut the rock into fantastical shapes, our position above the flow giving a unique view of things.

A bit more tunnel, more walkway and we emerged from the narrowest bit of the gorge, sunlight picking out a waterspout dropping straight into the white torrent below.

 
 

“Looks like someone having a pee.” I grinned.

“Weee!” Mand chuckled.

The path stretched away along the gorge, not level but in a higgledy piggledy series of ups and downs as it clings to the rock face.

“So what was that all about with Daz?”

“He’s a pig!”

“Hang on, you fancy him!”

“As if.”

“You’re blushing, you do.”

“He’s still a pig.”

“Oh come on Mand, he only said my hair was natural, I sort of like yours.”

“Yeah well…”

“Lets face it, he wouldn’t know what to do if ‘Heidi’ was stood in front of him.”

“You’re probably right Heidi.”

“You think I like that he’s lusting over me?”

“The others too most likely.” She suggested.

“Urgh! That is just so creepy!”

“Funny though.” She added with a giggle.

“Come on, I fancy some ice cream.”

“Now you’re talking girl.”

 
 
The gorge was surprisingly busy; a constant stream of visitors walked the precarious route causing occasional logjams at some of the narrower parts. Information boards marked points of interest, the wartime bunker, a glacial chute, and spectacular folds in the rock. After seemingly hours though the end of the gorge came into site and the walkway started to climb upwards towards a building perched high above.

“Bleh!” Mand offered sinking into a seat.

“Not as bad as that climb today.” I pointed out.

“Says wonder woman.”

“Mand!” I censured.

“Soz.”

“Whatcha want? My treat.”

“They do tea do you think?”

“Probably, no ice cream?”

“You could twist my arm.”

 
 
We’d already got our drinks and were waiting for our ice cream delights, banana split for Mand and some fruit bowl thing for me, when the others started to arrive.

“Not stuffing your face Bond?” Josh enquired.

“A food type is on order.” I grinned back.

“Geez man, you are so predictable.”

“Moi?”

“Aye, youse. One of those big fruit things?”

“What else?” I admitted.

I spotted Darren skulking behind the others.

“You should talk to him Mand.” I whispered.

“Talk to who?“ Josh asked pulling out a chair, “what have I missed like?”

“Girl stuff.” I suggested which raised a snicker from Manda and a snort from Josh.

“Not here right.”

“I was only saying.”

“Girls!” Josh sighed.

“Josh!” we both chorused.

© Maddy Bell 29.01.14