The fog drew away giving way to a cold October morning. Everyone was excited to start the trip. The day started with the bus ride to the campsite which was located about 5 km away from Chanapatna, Karnataka. The bus journey came to halt when we reached the location. All the students excitedly got down the bus ready to start the expedition. As we got down from the bus we were surrounded by greenery, hit by the fresh air everyone was ready for our three day camp. When we reached the campsite, all of us assembled and waited for the other students to arrive. As we were waiting, we were awed by the calm and quiet surroundings, birds chirping and the sound of crickets showed all of us the true beauty of nature.
All the fun started with the activities,the students were engaged in various activities like rope traverse, bull’s eye, pipeline, walk of life, zipline and the Burma bridge. All of these activities fostered in us a sense of courage and team spirit. The activities scrumptious lunch which left all of us wanting more. After lunch, we were given some free time to acquaint people and acclimatize to the place. As the sun began to sink in the horizon, the sky took on a beautiful pink color which gave us a scope of some good photography. We attended an expert talk from doctors who gave us first aid help and tips and prepared us for the trek for the next day. The day ended with a nice bonfire and dinner and then the tent pitching sessions began, we all were allotted tents and we ended the day.
The next morning everyone was up by 7:30, excited for the second day. The day began with a spectacular breakfast followed by a trek all the way to the peak of a beautiful hill. The hike was an extraordinary experience. It invoked a feeling of team spirit, respect towards nature and its beauty. The trek to the peak was a hard one but the view made up for all the hard work. The descent was a tricky one. Loose rocks and the slope tested our concentration skills. On reaching back to the camp we started the second half of the day with lunch followed by one of the most amazing experiences -The rain dance. The feeling of the cold water on an extremely hot day gave us immense satisfaction. After freshening up we were served with hot tea and coffee followed by cake and crispy pakoras. the bonfire began to light up but then came the sound of thunder followed by heavy rains. Students were inside their respective tents or the tents of their friends talking away waiting for the rain to subside.
With the pleasant sound of rain, all the campers ate dinner and went to sleep. The third and the last day of the camp was yet another exciting one. The day started off with several activities like dance and a math game which boosted up everyone’s mind power. Followed by the games, we were given the time to talk to our friends or play within the campsite. the lunch served was spectacular just like all the other days. Then the time came where we had to say goodbye to the camp and all the staff, who had taken such good care of us in the last three days. Bags packed and with a handful of amazing memories, we boarded the bus.The bus journey was rather exciting.The bus filled with excitement as the disco lights turned on the music started playing. The students had a lot of fun while dancing to their favorite songs with all their newly made friends. As the music turned off, everyone with a head full of life long memories got down the bus and began moving to their parents to return back home from a trip that they will remember for life.
-Trisha Manoj
