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Class IX - Camp at Jim Corbett

Diya Nanda and Richa Bhargava, Class IX

On the 20th of November, we left school at 6:30 a.m. for Jim Corbett…it was a long and uneventful bus journey except the short stop at a Dhaba for breakfast. After the long journey we reached the camp Corbett campsite.

91.jpg (20536 bytes) The beauty greenery and crisp air were a change for our 'daily senses'. On reaching the campsite we had a small lunch and put our baggage into our cottages (yes, cottages!) and they even had attached bathrooms with water heaters!! Then we trekked down to a nearby stream. After that we were divided into 2 groups - Tigers and Eagles. The next day the Tigers woke up early morning, 5:00 a.m. to go for a safari. It was cold and we weren't able to see much (except a few baby elephants, spotted deer, samars etc…) but even then it was a wonderful experience.

We then returned to our campsite, this was after a short stop at a temple and a long bus journey. As we reached there, the Eagles left for the safari.

It was around 2 O'clock by now, so we had lunch, and then left for a 2 hour trek (after which we stopped off at he stream for a quick swim) we returned to the campsite and it was already time for dinner. Around the campfire we had a meeting with the teachers and were then divided as boys and girls.

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3rd day - The boys left for their trek and a visit to the waterfall, the girls stayed back and played a few games. Later in the evening we left for the falls. There are no words in which you can describe the sheer beauty of this waterfall. We swam there and the water was FREEZING!

After the swim it was time to get back to the camp, as it was quite dark. This was going to be our last night at camp. We played cards, darts, carom etc around the campfire. We obviously did not sleep at night and soon - it was morning. Time to say "Bye Bye! Camp Corbett".

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We left and this enjoyable, learning experience had come to an end … so soon??!!

 To Sleep or Not to Sleep at Jim Corbett

by Aatish Bhatia (IX C)

 

OK, so here I am…finally writing this article I was supposed to have finished 3 days ago, on our class IX camps. I choose to write about the severe sleep deprivation that my not-so-intelligent friends had to suffer, as a result of attempting to avoid sleep for 3 days. Why, you may ask, would I choose such a topic? Well, one reason might have something to do with the fact that its 3 AM AND I REALLY WANT TO GO BACK TO SLEEP!

I remember the first night we spent in camp, we had these ambitious plans of staying up all night. We were meant to get up at five in the morning the next day for a walk to a nearby river, I think. (I might have my days mixed up!) Anyway, the conversation that night after being shooed off to our rooms went something like this:

 When the night was still young…
(For your convenience, all friends have been numbered)

Friend # 1: Quiet everyone; I think someone's coming.
Friend #2: No you *@$#%$ that's just the kids in the next room.

(Also all abuses have been omitted for ease of reading)

Friend #1: Are you absolutely sure? That doesn't sound a lot like Friend #3.
Friend #2: Of course I'm--
Teacher: FRIEND #2!! ARE YOU STILL AWAKE??
Friend #2: No, ma'am!
Teacher: Oh that's good because I though you were.

Many, many face washes later into the night

Me: Must stay awake. Must stay awake. Must stay awake.
Friend #2: ZZZZZZZzzzz
Me:     @zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Friend #2: ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz.

(And so on. You get the idea)
3 hours later

Me: Whoops! I think I dozed of for 15 mins back there.
Friend #2:
Me: I'm lucky Friend #3's snoring woke me up. I think we're the only ~ guys who are still up.
Friend #2:
Me: WAKE UP!!!
Friend #2:
Teacher: IS ANYONE STIILL AWAKE??
Friend #2: YAWN! (in whispers) Well done man, you managed to mess things up again.
Me: Were you sleeping?
Friend #2: No, just resting my eyes.

Later in the night

Me: What's the time?
Friend #2: How would I know … the lights are off. I can't see my watch.
Me: Do you think it's five yet?
Friend #2: Yes. Now can we go back to sleep? 

5 AM (really!)

Me: YES!! We did it! We made it through the night without sleeping a bit. Isn't that cool, guys?. guys?…
Friends: GLhbrhbhrbbrZzzzz   ... GlbherrerebulooogabuloogaZzzzz.

 That's the last I can remember of the night. After that I think sleep got the better of all of us. All in all, I think it was quite an enjoyable camp during the day. The next night my overly ambitious friends, with whom by now I am reasonably certain you are well acquainted, decided to deprive themselves of sleep for yet another night. They were snoring away one hour into the night, leaving me with no one to talk to. We had a pretty good time there. My friends of course, short of attempting to commit mass suicide through sleep deprivation, tried every trick there is in the book to stay awake, but failed each time. I pity them, for I never really understood what compelled them to torture themselves in this manner. Still one can only admire their determination, for lack of anything else to admire.

Now -- and I really mean this -- can I PLEASE go back to sleep?

 

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