28 September 2011
I was jumping with excitement right from the morning. This year our school was taking the 9th standard students to an adventure and personality development camp in Bangalore. Our train was due at 7:15. Knowing that the Kachiguda Railway Station was well away from our house, we started two hours early. After taking directions from many people we finally reached the station. It was drizzling continuously and the railway station was very wet, muddy and stinky. Dad was getting very anxious. He bought platform tickets which was really unnecessary.
Our shoes!!
After running hither tither for some 15 minutes we reached Platform number 3. My coach was S12. I reached it only to find a stinking drippy mess inside. All the people who came for seeing off their relatives and friends were crowding inside the train. The lights weren't switched on yet. I knew I couldn't tolerate it so I kept my luggage on my seat and came out only to be driven back to my place by my over anxious parents who were scared that I would catch a cold because of the slight drizzle outside and also they feared that someone who take away my seat. Later the lights were switched on. My friends started arriving. Surekha maám arrived too. My parents rushed to her and made sure that I would be made to call them once every week. Everyone were constantly getting in and out of the train. Alast at 7:20 our train made its first move. Lots of goodbyes, take cares, waving hands, last minute instructions and shouts of joy and laughter filled the air around us and slowly those familiar faces out there in the station faded away. Yeah I was on the way to my very first official excursion. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me and my girlfriends!!
With my best friend Lorry!
Initially all of us girls sat together and shared foodies and tried playing S.T.D (situation truth dare). Later Lorry and I decided to go find an empty and less crowded place for ourselves so we left them and found ourselves a place near the teachers and started playing Deepest Darkest Secrets. But that couldn't last long enough because other people started joining us. Later Dhruva, Rahul, Trishala, Neha, Rishabh, Saisagar and Shreya joined us and we played quite a few games and then dinner time came. Mom sent me two mushroom and egg Frankies and most of my neighbors were either vegetarian or were fasting due to Navaratri so I relished them alone. Then the teachers played spoilsport by making us shut the windows and go to sleep in our respective berths. Lorry took the lower berth on the left and I took the upper berth. There was a mirror placed right in front of us and it was placed in such a way that we could see each other's faces but not our owns. So we started showing each other actions on the mirror which later developed into a game of dumb-charades. I went to sleep later and so did Lorry with her special mosquito repellent bed sheet.
29 Sepetember 2011
We were awake till 12 am that day as it was our dear friend VV's birthday. We called him up from NP's phone and wished him happy birthday. Lorry even wrote a poem for him and recited it on the phone.
Lorry is making fishtail plaits for Neha!!
I heard stories about some notorious kids smearing tooth paste on the faces of the sleeping kids so I slept in constant fear of that but thank God I woke up next morning relieved to find that I wasn't their victim. We brushed our teeth and ate some biscuits and then went back to talking, singing and also hogging. We reached the Bangalore railway station at 7. That placed stinked real bad. Surekha maám I must say knew the station real well, she took us and started moving towards the exit but thanks to some careless kids, confused teachers and over burdened guide, we roamed around the railway station for some good 15 minutes. It became so irritating.
At last we somehow managed to find our way out. There were two buses parked there and our group boarded the first one but unfortunately the lively and awesomer kids boarded the other bus and we got bored after some time so Lorry and I started playing This or That. To our immense pleasure we found out that we had so many similarities and only some 8-9 odd dissimilarities. We reached our destination after a half an hour ride. The place was called Breakthrough. We were greeted by three smiling ladies. Two were the ammas with trays of chocolates on their hands and there was Linda the manager who was all smiles and more smiles. She showed us our dorms and told us to skip our baths and come down for breakfast immediately after choosing our beds and keeping our luggage. I was the first one to rush inside the dorm. We found ourselves two bunk beds in the corner. The upper one for Lorry and me and the lower ones for Trishala and Neha.
Then we went down for breakfast. We were served puris with some tasty tomato and gram delicacy. After that we all assembled in the garden house. There Linda told us about the rules and regulations one should follow during our stay there and made us all sign a contract on the white board. We felt important after that. Then we all went outside and then Timmy told us why the organisation was called Breakthrough and gave us a few clues as to what we would be doing there for those three days. Then Sam ( BT staff) told us all to find a partner each with equal little fingers. Lorry and I were so glad to find out that we had equal little fingers but hopes came crashing down as Sam told that we should make two groups with the two people with equal sides on either sides. Thus our groups were formed. We named our gang 'Pirates' while the other team was 'Spartans'.'Pirates won in almost every game that was played out there. We played Man- bear- gun which is the cooler version of rock-paper-scissor. We played another game with ping pong balls and bats and a basket. Then we were told to rest for 30 mins and we assembled again.
The Contract which was signed by all of us!
Me doing one of the low rope activities with all of my friends spotting for me!!
Another low rope I did with Pooja!!
This time it was time for the low ropes. We were divided into three groups. Ours was called the Devil Rangers and was headed by Sam, a true professional. he taught us about spotting people which means you got to make sure the person who is doing the activity doesn't hurt himself or fall down. Then we headed towards the Shakira bridge then there a few other activities all something to do with ropes and balance. I could do everything real well. Sam told so and even Manjula maám. Then came time for lunch. The head cook, Ruth is great. The food was fabulously yummy. It made us feel at home. After lunch we played another game which was all about skill and cooperation. After messing up 15 times we did it. Then we were served awesome pakodas and lemonade by Padmamma for tea. Next we went for the giant shoe activity. Our group consisted of Harsh, Saisagar, Vrinda, Anika, Ruth, Ashwath, Manoj. We came second in that race. We could have done better as our team was the strongest but it is fine. Next we had this water game. There were long tube with a few holes. there was a plastic ball inside the tube. You had to cover the holes and fill the tube with water so that the ball would rise. I and Ashwath played that game crazily. I covered two holes with two of my index fingers and pressed my cheek into another. Ruth got the ball but then Manpj and Harsh left the holes and thus the ball slipped out of Ruth's hands and we lost.
Another activity where we had to make structures with paper, straws and cello-tape
Then came the bathing time. Everyone rushed into the washrooms. People were going crazy. They were banging on the doors and yelling at people to come out fast. after that everyone dressed up and went downstairs to the hall to watch the Disney movie "Cool Runnings." It was a nice movie about some bobsledging champions who aspired to get into the Olympics. After that we had dinner and at night back in our dorms everyone got up on our beds and we played S.T.D again and then had chips and biscuits and went to sleep.
30 September 2011
We got dressed early in the morning and roamed around the compound for a while. It was still 6:30 and breakfast would be served at 8:30 so Lorry and I started gossiping and then we met Linda who was about to leave to meet her dad as he was going to have an eye operation done. She told Vivian would be in charge that day. Vivian was this cute school boy looks type guy. He rocked. He was like this no nonsense guy who made sure that everyone minded their own businesses. But we just couldn't stop exclaiming how cute he was. That day we had tons of activities and also the very amazing zip lines. While going for the zip lines up the huge rock, Linda told us four (me, Lorry, Neha, Shruti) the story of her daughter, Tanya's proposal.....it was so cute and adorable. Later we found out that we were the only privileged ones to hear that story. It was so thrilling to leave ourselves from a height of 40feet.
Me ready with the harness and helmet to try out the zip lines!!
Suddenly it started raining heavily and we all rushed bak to our dorms. After the rain ceased all of us kids started playing Lock and Key, Chain cut and Chor police. I even fell on a puddle and dirtied my clothes. Next we started playing Dumb charades and Antakshari. Our team was doing fine though we lost by 2 or 3 points.
Us playing Dumb Charades
Me showing the actions during the game.....as you can see my clothes are all muddy because I fell on that puddle
After that lorry and I rushed for our baths. Came down had dinner and then was the time for the campfire. Harsh was the dj. We all danced like we never danced before. It all ended with another shower and we all ended up on our beds by 11:30.
That is all of us with me in the centre just before dancing!!
1 October 2011
Our last day in breakthrough. We went for the cave activity after breakfast. Me and Lorry went inside together into the dark cave where you could not see anything and we were also the first ones to come out. We felt very proud about it. Then while we were discussing about it, I suddenly stood up and thanked Lorry in front of everyone for having held my hand and for guiding me throughout our journey inside the cave. Many people followed suit and thanked their partners after that. We got our certificates. Then was time for us to say adieu. We almost felt like crying. Sanjay the awesomy but camera shy guy wouldn't take a photo with us so I pulled him by his sleeves and somehow managed to have our photo taken with him and Sam. While leaving, I got along with me a red leaf from their garden. It is still here though the redness has gone. The last minute over there was the saddest part as we all boarded the buses and all the Breakthrough staff were waving at us from the gate. Will never ever forget that scene.
Me, Lorry and Anika with Sanjay the awesomy and Sam the professional
Us with Linda the coolest manager ever!!
Zebra's butt captured in the lens in the zoo!!
Next we went to the Banerghatta National Park which was a big wastage of time. They could have instead taken us to Commercial Street or M.G. Road for shopping. We reached the railway station at 6 only to catch the train at the nick of time. While coming, Nitish, Ashwath, Siddhant, Ruth, Anika, Lorry, Neha, Trishala and me sat together. We had lots of fun initially. Then suddenly someone told something against NP's bf. NP couldn't tolerate it and left us and started crying. The boys were surprised to see how NP reacted to such small things and they got NP back/ We all had our dinner and at night after everyone slept, we switched off the lights and tried to talk sense into NP's head. Personally I don't find anything wrong with being in love but what she was doing was totally different. She just defends that guy like anything. She herself says that she is always wrong and he is always right, she always cries and apologizes when that guy cuts the call even if it is not her mistake. She won't tolerate anyone speaking anything against him. Their love story as we all feel is one sided as, we won't deny that he loves her too but it is not only love NP does but also devotion. She is devoted to him. So we counselled her for the whole night till 3 am. In those few hours all of us came to know each other so much better. NS cried after remembering his dead cousin who was only 16, TV almost cried while telling me how lonely she felt during the whole excursion and she told me how all her friends were drifting apart. RM cried after seeing NP's condition. I was almost about to breakdown but I controlled myself. It was such an intense moment. After that we all went to sleep. Ashwath and Siddhant took the lowest berth on the left, Anika on top of them and Neha on top of Anika. Ruth on the lowest berth on the right, me on top of her and Nitish on top of me. Lorry slept differently due to lack of space.
On the train while coming back!!
2 October 2011
Then at 4:30 Surekha maám woke us all up telling that the station was only 5 minutes away when actually it was some 1 or 2 hours away. All of a sudden when I was still half asleep there was this loud commotion and I heard people shouting "Where is Rishabh?" I was surprised at first thinking where would he go....people searched for him all over. I thought someone must have kidnapped him while we all were sleeping. Then suddenly he comes out from nowhere as if nothing happened and tells us that he was in another coach. Felt like kicking his ass for scaring us like that. Atlast we reached Kachiguda railway station. I felt bad thinking that our excursion had come to an end. Will never forget those awesome days. I found new friends. Met new people. Learnt to overcome my fears. And the biggest thing I travelled alone. Thank you everyone for making this trip so memorable.
With Chewie!!
The yummy Dosas Ruth prepared!!
Lunch time!!!
Same clothes!!
