Adventure Camps 2013

Class 12 - Rafting Expedition, Alaknanda River

It’s often easier to talk about camps in terms of what they lack, but for once, it being my last year, I want to talk a camp that had few defects, and if anything, helped me discover more about my batch than any other, bar Yamuna Yatra. Even in Yatra, the feeling of unity as a batch wasn’t as prominent as it was this time. The camp itself was pretty well organised. When you’re into your last camp of school, you want time to chill, catch up and generally do what you want, which we got. Back that up with a few hours of rafting and beach volleyball every day, and you have the perfect ending to years of being together.

Our trip began with a train ride from New Delhi to Haridwar. I know for a fact that teachers had abandoned the idea of controlling us on the train when the trip was conceptualised, so we had fun, and people fell into their junk food like we were under a famine, but I’m not one to criticise. I’m not the healthiest eater either. To sum it up, the train ride was fun, pretty much an opportunity to be sentimental and stand at the door, or just sit and talk. We had a three hour bus ride from Haridwar, and once we had completed the formality of unpacking, we set off.

Each day had a few hours of rafting, and then setting up camp and sleeping under upturned rafts on a river beach, but the last day was special. We weren’t allowed on the famous ‘Wall’ rapid because of some earlier accidents, but there was a thundershower on the last day, so the river was really choppy. Several people just fell off, and rafts went up at sheer right angles. It was amazing, and nobody minded their numb bodies. On calm stretches, we floated along the river, back-flipped, talked and generally had a good time.

I couldn’t have asked for a better end to my years in the best school. Heck, even the food was great.

- Aditya Srinivasan