Class 9 - Campus Naukuchiatal, Bhowali, Bhimtal
1. It had been an extremely long day. We woke up at 3:00 a.m. in the morning and started our trip from school, where we got on the bus and set out for the railway station. We took the Kathgodam-New Delhi Shatabdi Express and after hours of travelling, we reached Kathgodam. The train ride was truly exciting. We played cards, dozed off for a while and of course, kept on talking non-stop. We then took a ride to Bhowali and reached Camp Walnut. The campsite was mesmerising.
We were amidst the mountains and familiarised ourselves with our surroundings and instructors. After eating lunch, we were divided into different groups following which we went for a small hike; we bonded with our friends and instructors. The bonfire and hot soup served in the evening helped us cope with the cold weather. Eventually, we ate dinner and went off to sleep in our warm and cosy tents.
The next day we woke up, got ready, did a few power up exercises and then ate breakfast. We went off for do various activities planned for us with our respective group. To name a few: Mission Impossible, Community Service and Rock Climbing. Mission Impossible highlighted the importance of teamwork as our group members collected the items while floating in mid-air. It gave us butterflies in our stomachs, while we experienced fear and excitement at the same time. Community service filled us with immense gratitude for all that we have and gave us a sense of giving back to the community. We painted a nearby school's office and got the opportunity to teach a mixed age group of children at that school.
Rock climbing was a lot of fun and it made us overcome our fears. The three groups did these activities one by one in a course of two days. On the third day, we participated in 'Helter Skelter', where we played a set of new games to earn our team points. On the very last day, we were sad that our trip was coming to an end. We said goodbye to the camp Instructors and departed. Surprisingly, the train journey did not seem to be all that long this time around.
Time flew as we chattered amongst ourselves. We soon heard the announcement that we had reached Delhi and with our masks on and our luggage on our backs, we boarded the bus and reached school. Although, we were back home with our family, the memories of this trip will be cherished by us forever. Even now, whenever I think about the trip, the sweet memories lift up my spirit. - Shreyasi Jindal 9A
2. Dring! Dring! For the first time, I was overjoyed to hear the sound of the alarm, because our long wait for the School Camp was over! We were going to Bhowali, which was next to Bhimtal. When we reached school in the morning, we could feel the cool breeze brushing upon our face, and I could already tell this camp was going to be melodramatic. The chitter-chatter in the buses set the tone for a pleasant morning, and we couldn't wait to get on the train to have fun!
With Coronavirus looming right above us, we had to take precautions, so we all wore masks. The aroma around us students was filled with trepidation and elation at the same time. Our seats were assigned to us by the teachers and we finally got on to the train. The train ride was comfortable and the alluring tuck kept us entertained. We played cards, talked to each other about our predictions for the camp and also slept occasionally. We were fairly disciplined and when we finally reached the train station at Bhimtal, we were refreshed and ready to go. We each took our bags/luggage and went into jeeps. These jeeps escorted us to our campsite, and the journey helped us get used to the hills. The fresh cool breeze brushed our hair aside, the small shops on the streets were cosy, the hills were a wonder to watch and the hustle-bustle of the hillside were all our way of 'acclimatising' to the hillside.
When we reached the campsite, we could see the cluster of tents, the main common area, the fields and the lofty trees. We entered the campsite and put our bags out. We then went and had lunch, after which we settled into our cosy and comfortable tents. We unpacked and tried to make our tent as immaculate as possible. After being divided into three groups, we were taken out for a nature walk, so that we could experience the beauty of the hills. We then put forth our views on what we expected from this camp and talked for a while, before returning to the campsite. We had scrumptious snacks with tea in the evening. After playing football, we sat around the bonfire and played a few games. Thereafter, we had dinner after which we slept. The next day, we woke up at around 6:15 am. We then went for some morning exercise for warm up. This was done through different games. Then, we had breakfast, after which we started our activities. There were three activities for the three different groups- Community Service, Rock Climbing and Mission Impossible. Over the course of the next two days, we did these activities along with the usual meals and snacks. They were certainly adventurous and most importantly, a lot of fun. I personally loved all of them, but if one had to stand out, it would be Mission Impossible. The sheer teamwork was amazing and a joy to watch. Helping the children during Community Service was empowering, and it made us realize how fortunate we are and filled us with a sense of gratitude. The next day, after the last activity, we participated in the activity 'Helter Skelter'. However, since there was rain and hail that day, we had to do it indoors. It was substantially fun, as we got to bond with our friends and enjoy the games. After tea and snacks, we had a talent show, wherein we had to display our various talents. We got prizes for this. Thereafter, we had dinner and enjoyed the last night at the campsite.
The next morning, we packed our clothes and then went to the main common room for a feedback session. Then we got into our jeeps, admired the view for one last time and headed home. It was an extremely enriching experience for all of us. - Anivartin Daga 9B
3. Early morning we awoke, filled with a sense of overwhelming enthusiasm, knowing that in just a few hours we would be on our way to Camp Walnut in Bhowali, Uttarakhand. It would be a well deserved getaway from the city life we were so accustomed to and we were all looking forward to this break from our fast city lives.
At the hours of dawn, we noisily climbed our buses. Even constant reminders by teachers couldn't keep us calm and quiet; the noise of our chitter-chatter and laughter could be heard throughout the way. After impatiently waiting at the station, we finally boarded our trains and set off to our destination.
Waiting all those long hours was certainly worth it and we all bubbled with excitement at the sight of what would be our home for the next few days. We were served lunch and then divided into groups for our activities over the course of three days. We went with our groups for a quick nature walk and did some team bonding activities, after which we headed back to the campsite for the night.
After a chilly night, we woke up the next morning to the sound of birds chirping. We went for an early morning jog where we spotted various animals roaming about the hills. After our power up exercises, we were briefed about the agenda for the day. The three groups were to alternate between the following activities-rock climbing, mission impossible and community service. We continued with our assigned activities till lunch before switching with the other groups. However, due to the lack of time we were unable to complete the third activity so that was added to our schedule for the next day. We spent our evening playing with our friends and soaking in the beautiful view in front of us.
The next morning, all our plans were dampened with the heavy downpour of rain which continued relentlessly and never seemed to stop. Our outdoor activities were postponed, but we didn't let that come in our way. Instead, we started off early with 'Helter Skelter' and spent the first half of the day playfully competing against the other teams. As luck would have it, the sky soon cleared up and we headed towards our final activity. We spent our last night rejoicing in front of the bonfire, before we left for Delhi, the next morning.
Hurriedly, we packed our bags the next day as it was finally time to leave the camp. Wistfully we looked backed at the place where we made all these unforgettable memories which would forever be etched in our minds. Undoubtedly this was amazing trip and I would like to thank our teachers and instructors for making it so memorable. - Saanya Anand 9C