It has been one of my long awaited desire to go for an
adventure camp but never got any opportunity until this vacation break. I had already
set up my mind not to go home this Diwali but to try and do something different
and the idea of going to adventure camp came from nowhere just a few days
before the vacation began. I had a look at the details of the tour came to know
that there are lots of known faces in the tour that helped me to be even more
firm with the decision to be a part of it and got myself registered at the very
last minute and started preparing myself for the camp which was still a few
days away from the due date that was 14th.
After all the day arrived when we had to leave for the camp,
had to wake up early at 4 but literally I
didn’t had a sleep at all due to the excitement and was already awake before
the alarm. Deactivated the alarm and got up ready. One of the parent had come
to pick me up from the school itself it was quite convenient to reach there
before time in fact we were the first to reach to venue from where we were
supposed to leave. Slowly others started joining us and by 5:30 everyone was
there quite a few were surprised to see me there. After the attendance we were
into the bus and I found my company in some of my dear students whom I believed
we had a better level of understanding and could have good time together. The journey
began and after few hours we were there to the destination point that was Dang
Forest at Ahwa Dist. Of Gujarat. It seemed to be quite dense than the most of
the forest areas I have been to.
We reached to a place I believe “Kalli Bhel“ we were given stay at a Ashram like something.
There we were given instructions to be followed for the rest of the camping
then we made our way to the room where we had to stay. Soon after the breakfast
we had a small introductory game which helped us to know about each other as
well as some interesting facts about different animals then we were given a
demo on how to set up a tent followed by a few more games and then lunch. After
lunch we were taken to a river for bath in jeeps, I got chance to be on the top
of the jeep and in real sense that started the real adventure with beautiful sight
seeing from the top of the running jeep. It was quite a fun to be underwater
though I don’t know swimming but those who knew took great advantage of it. It
lasted for an hour or so then we were back. We were served with biscuit and tea
which was badly needed then we left for another quest this time by foot. We reach
to remote location where we were told how to climb up the mountain and how to rappel
down. We were given proper safety to perform those activities but the climbing
was not that difficult so I could do it without ropes. It was dark by the time
girls completed their rappelling so for boys it was sensible to postpone the activity
and we marched back to the our camp, My toe got twisted for a bad landing while
coming back it was quite a pain, We came back had dinner and I had to apply
Iodex on my leg it gave me some relief and again went for night walk to see
starts and constellations in the open sky. There I believe I saw a shooting
star. As we moved ahead we got the chance
to see a giant spider with its full furnished web it could go quit scary at
night never mind we came back after that to the ashram got a good night call
and told about the next day schedule. It was a tiring day so there was no
chance of being awake late. We slept in our sleeping back for me it was the first
time quite uncomfortable still couldn’t resist my sleep.
 |
The next day we were supposed to get up at 6 and I got up a
little earlier than that After everyone got fresh we had a half an hour morning
exercise I am already habitual to it so it was nothing new after that we had
breakfast and then we went for trekking first on a long way on jeep then by
foot. It was really one of the most difficult way I had ever travelled. First climbing
up on the hill then coming down, many slipped, many fell, many got hurt as we
sent to the destination which was a mini water fall my toe got twisted for the
second time I had to bear the pain and concentrate on the beauty of the place. We got the chance to see a black headed water
snake there too, a small one without poison. We rested there for half an hour or
so I had gone barefoot into the waterfall which gave me some relaxation to
continue the journey. While coming back the path became even more difficult due
to the lack of energy and water on the way anyhow we came back after that we
had lunch and then activities river crossing and trust fall. Both the activities
were new to me and I enjoyed a lot. It was night by then had dinner and an hour
of camp fun and then slept.
Once again the same routine was to be followed, after exercise
breakfast and then went for another trek this was indeed a longer path we had
to climb really high and all we could see from the top was valleys and valleys.
There at the top to our destination point was a residue of an old fort of
Shivaji which might have been used for invigilation in earlier time. There
rested on a dry step well which was formed to hold water there after half an
hour of rest we took a different way to return back. This time it was going to
be even more difficult one as the climbing up is easier then coming down and
that too on a very narrow and slippery path one wrong step and you fall and not
only you but others too who are lined up on that narrow path with you anyway with
great difficulty lot of sweating and two stoppage we could finish it. Back to
camp had lunch followed by river bath which literally makes you forget all the difficulties
of the trek and feel fresh again then evening we got biscuit and milk which I converted
into Bournvita after that we went for rappelling for the remaining
participants. It was my chance to perform. Basically I am very much scared of height
but I have decided to overcome by doing the things that scare me so I went for
it. We had to walk backwards slanted holding the rope. I was confident that I would
be able to do and I started well suddenly the rope slipped off my hand I started
falling thanks that I was tied with another safety rope. I managed and was able
to come down safely. It was scary after the activity we came back had dinner
and a game called “Save the world” It was fun basically a mind game where our reaction
and instinct were checked and I love such games initially every team had
problems so as our team but once it was all set we could do it easily with a
little dispute and few attempts our team were won it.
