Adventurous Journey for Bronze and Silver Level

The IAYP Silver & Bronze levels Adventurous Journey was held for Symbiosis International School, Pune from 25th to 30th October, 2015. Forty-five Silver level and two Bronze level participants were taken to Manali. They took a flight from Pune to Delhi followed by a 14-hour bus journey to Manali. They stayed at Prini base camp located 3kms from Manali.

The participants reached Manali on 26th morning. The 3rd practice trek took place on the first day from the base camp to Jamdigni Rishi temple. The overall trek was 6kms long and all the participants were able to complete the trek successfully. It was a fitness and endurance test and the participants showed the same perseverance like the 2 earlier practice treks. The same evening, they participated in a number of team activities like stretcher - making things out of limited resources available in the wild - and pitching tents. They learnt valuable and crucial life skills. It also promoted team spirit, co-operation and using presence of mind and analytical skills among the students.

On the morning of 27th October, the participants were divided into two groups. Half of them went for a cycling journey and the other half went for rafting. The cycling team travelled to Naggar castle located 18 kms from the campsite. The total journey was 36 kms to and fro. The cycling trip pushed the participants to their limits. It was a test of extreme perseverance and grit. Most of the participants had never covered such a massive distance on a cycle, which made it difficult for them to keep up but they worked to the best of their abilities and completed the journey. The road journey had many uphill and downhills at various points and the castle was located on a hilltop. The trip was extremely strenuous and challenging, however, the participants did not give up. This journey boosted the confidence of the participants and showed them the importance of stamina and will.

While half the group participated in the cycling trip, the others went white water rafting on the river Beas. The starting point of this was Pirdi. The journey was 14kms long and ended at Sharavai. The challenging part of this journey was the extreme temperatures of the water, which was very difficult to bear. The participants coped well with this physical as well as mental challenge. Rafting also promoted team work and co-ordination. Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable experience.

The same activities continued on 28th October. The group that did cycling switched to rafting and vice- versa.

A cultural programme was organised for the participants in the evening where a local dance troupe performed 'Kulvi Pahadi Naati'- their folk dance. This helped the participants understand their culture.

29th October was the last day in Manali. The participants embarked on a trek in the morning to Arjuna gufa (cave).  It was a to and fro journey of 10kms. They travelled to a cave where Arjuna, an important mythological character in the Mahabharata, had meditated in peace. This was an insightful experience and the participants got to admire and appreciate the elaborate history and beliefs of the religion and country. The trek was quite tiring physically but the participants were motivated as it was the last day. They completed it in time. The participants covered a humongous 60 Kms trek in 3 days.

Finally the participants leisurely spent the evening at the local market before leaving for Pune. The Adventurous Journey was extremely memorable for all the participants. They learnt important life lessons that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. This exhausting yet enjoyable journey left an indelible impression on each one of them.  Click for pictures

Adventurous Journey to Rishikesh

Parth Athley, Bronze level participant from Billabong High International School, Bhopal, shares his experience of his Adventurous Journey which was organised from 10th - 15th January 2015.

I stumbled in the dark, my feet sliding on gravel, my hand trying to grab anything at my side, but finding only fragile grass. My back was killing me. Having overestimated the number of jackets I would need to fend off the cold, I had over-packed, and I was now paying the price as my rucksack dug into my shoulders and strained my back muscles. I peered ahead, aided by the dim light of the torches of my group mates, and took another step.

It was an hour past midnight. My group of 28 fellow students and 4 adults (read assessors) were walking down a rough path, cut into the mountain and barely wide enough for two men abreast, carrying our packs on our shoulders. To my one side were jagged rocks and grass growing between them; to my other side was pitch black darkness. In the distance, I could hear the rumbling of the mighty river Ganges, infinite gallons of water rushing past.

We were near Rishikesh, headed to camp at the banks of the Ganges. We had intended to arrive by late evening, but first our train from Bhopal had been delayed by a few hours, and then the bus ride from Delhi had taken almost 11 hours. Although it was late, most of us were well-rested, having spent part of the bus ride in deep slumber. We had had a lot of fun, singing songs and playing dumb charades and other games all night in the train, and all day in the bus.

After what felt like a long trek downhill, racing against time, we reached the bottom, miraculously without any casualties. After depositing our bags near the row of tents, we were shown around the camp. It was amazing. A covered dining area-cum-meeting hall was situated closest to the river, and apart from the camp, near the row of functional toilets, was a volleyball net. We promptly gathered for a delicious meal of paneer and egg curry. After satiating our hunger, we divided ourselves into groups and headed to our respective tents for a good night's sleep.

The next day, there was a palpable feeling of excitement rippling in the air. We were going river rafting.  Many of us were amateurs at it, while others, including me, had prior experience. There were four rafts to hold us, and we formed groups of eight. One raft contained all boys, while other groups were mixed: seven students and one teacher escort.

The rafting was physically taxing, but nonetheless incredibly fun. First, each group spent nearly an hour in relatively calm water learning the ropes: how to hold the paddle, proper sitting posture, basic paddling skills, etc. Then began the real adventure. We rafted through six rapids, the first of which was Good Morning, while others were called Crossfire, Black Money, Three Blind Mice etc. Some were Grade III rapids, meaning we encountered huge waves and a few rocks we had to navigate through. Thankfully, none of us slipped off the boat. However, we did seize the opportunity to jump into the river whenever we reached calm waters between the rapids.

In the evening, when we returned to camp, we had several games of volleyball, fully utilizing the last vestiges of light until the stars became visible. The night sky was absolutely brilliant. I could actually see the band of stars we call the 'Milky Way', and the stars were almost ten times as numerous as would be visible in the city. A bonfire was set up, and our entire group gathered around to warm ourselves. After another delicious dinner of paneer and chicken, we retired to bed.

On the last day of our stay, we travelled to the picturesque town of Rishikesh. Although much of our time was spent trying to avoid the monkeys, our group traversed the Lakshman Jhula. We then visited historic temples dedicated to Lord Lakshman and the Goddess Ganga. An excellent meal at the famous Chotiwala restaurant quieted our growling stomachs. On reaching the Ram Jhula, we opted instead to take a boat ride across the river. Then, we departed back for camp.

We had to get up early the next day to reach Delhi in time to catch our train; instead many decided to stay awake through the night. Lounging by the bonfire, we played more games. Highlights were Ghost (each player utters a letter until a word is formed) and 12 questions (one player decides on a well-known person and others have to guess by asking questions). A couple of girls demonstrated a telepathic magic game, and the rest of us tried to crack their trick (we never did).

As I journeyed back home, my body sore and aching (in a good way) I thought how the trip had been unique and rewarding. I visited a new place, experienced a different way of life, did things I hadn't done before, grew closer to my schoolmates, and enjoyed amazing food. It was definitely a memory to last me a lifetime! 

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