This is what they have to say....

Ninety-eight Award participants (32 Silver and 66 Bronze) from The Sanskar Valley School, Bhopal completed their Adventurous Journey from 16th - 22nd October 2015 at Rishikesh Neelkanth area.  Let's hear from the participants after their journey.

Devak Namdhari, a Silver level participant says, "Spartans! What is your profession -- HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!" Teenagers shouting this at the top of their voices identified our group. Almost a hundred students participated in this adventure trip, and each one went home with more than a thousand memories. We laughed, we danced, we planned, we conquered our fears and we had fun. From bonfires in the night, to swimming in the bone-chilling waters of the Ganges, this was a true adventure trip. Kayaking, Natural rock-climbing, Rappelling, Paintball, White water rafting and Trekking -- we saw it all, and we did it all. Quite a lot of us faced our fears and we learnt how to overcome them. We learnt more than a dozen life-skills, without even realising it. Most of us who are busy with our urban lifestyles, often forget to appreciate nature but we never expected our technology-addicted selves to switch off our cell phones and admire the serenity of the water, the prosperity of the forests. This well-planned and action-packed trip to Rishikesh and Shivpuri shall always be in our hearts as a memory that we'll forever cherish.

Sakshi Pradyumn, another Silver level participant said - "What you see is what you believe. And what you experience is what you remember.' And this IAYP trip was in no contrast to this statement. It had all the elements of adventure one can think of from fun to fear. Not only did the scenic panorama of the Shivaliks thrill me, but also the alternate shallow rapids and calm waters of Ganga made me wonder. The trip taught me to adapt, to support, to take responsibilities, to adhere to rules, to take challenges, to respect Nature, and most of all to believe. Whenever the feeling, 'Oh my God! Could this adventure be done!' arose in my mind, I believed in my true self and here I am writing this review. Late night strides, curfew timings, enough dumb-charades at the campsite, were some of the experiences that were joyful. Long trekking, rock climbing, river landing, paintball fighting were the adventurous (rather really adventurous) things I did. The trip was well managed and the food was really good (as I am a foody). To sum up, this IAYP trip was the epitome of adventure and joy. Surely, I look forward to many more like it.

A Memory of a Lifetime

Anushka Ghosh, Bronze level aspirant from Delhi Public School, Gurgaon took part in her first Adventurous Journey during her Bronze Level Award.  Here she is sharing her experience with us.The excitement began a week before the fourth of November as the bags began coming out of the closets. The trip kick-started as all the Award aspirants who were thrilled to see the teachers accompanying them left for Rishikesh on fourth night. After an overnight bus-ride, enthusiastic singing and dancing, the participants finally reached the destination, Beas Ghat in Rishikesh. We were elated to see the campsite on the banks of the river Ganges. The tents were beautiful and the view of the river and the serene mountains was splendid. During the days spent there, activities such as flying fox, trekking, beach volleyball, river rafting and body-surfing were introduced to the participants. Rafting emerged as the most thrilling activity for the participants, especially as it was a new activity to the majority. Apart from the rapids, we were allowed to swim freely in the chilling Ganges waters, which took the spirit of adventure to a whole new level. All the difficulties and fears faced by us were taken care of by the instructors and our teachers too ensured that we were well taken care of. The trek arranged for us gave us a new perspective and a deep bonding with nature. The view of the turquoise waters blending into the orange of the skies due to the setting sun left us in complete awe.  The changing colours of nature, the tinge of purple in the rocks and the rustle of the leaves narrated a different tale to each one. Singing, dancing and enjoying meals around the bonfire, and watching the beautiful starry skies was absolutely euphoric. Apart from this beautiful experience and the joy and knowledge of the unknown, Rishikesh gave us a memory that will always be an intrinsic part of our lives.  Click for the pictures