Last weekend was spent in an out-bound training camp at Coorg (Madikeri) in Karnataka and need I say what awesome fun we had!

After a 6-hr train journey (from Chennai), followed by a 6-hr overnight bus journey (from Bangalore), the luscious green of this beautiful hilly district on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats is a rejuvenating sight.

Here’s a picture of our camp site, taken at around 6AM on the day we reached.

Apart from the regular group activities and games, we really enjoyed jumping endlessly on the trampoline and lazing around on the hammocks.

However, the highlight of the trip was waterfall rappelling (from a height of 120 ft)! I think this is easily the most adventurous thing I have ever done. It was thrilling, a wee-bit unnerving, and physically taxing – I got slightly wounded on the elbows and legs when I lost balance somewhere in the beginning, but then what is a winning warrior without the victory scars :D!

I have been basking in the glory of the achievement ever since, and, yes, it is going to take a while for me to “deflate”:p.

So this is yours truly on the walk to fame….

And, here’s the full view of the very picturesque waterfall…

This was my first visit to a coffee plantation, and I realize coffee plants don’t make as wonderful and grand a sight as tea estates! We tried looking for ripe coffee berries, but apparently this was not the season – most were green or barely turning red (much to J’s disappointment)…

Apart from the rappelling, our constant engagement with the blood sucking monsters during the treks was the defining element of the trip. These bloody leeches were everywhere – their vicious fangs on so many of us. Thank god for A who got salt (the uncrowned hero of the trip) that saved us all!

The splashing in the waterfall in the middle of the trek, and dancing in the bus by every single person, during the return journey, made for some amazing Kodak moments and great memories!

Oh, by the way, there was another (mean) feat accomplished too…climbed onto the roof of our bus at a gas station and was super kicked!!!

Back in Chennai, still reeling from the “hangover” – creaking bones, aching muscles, drooping eyes, all need rest to come back to normal functioning!

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Work took us to Munnar (Suryanelli, actually) in Kerela for an out bound training camp.

You wouldn’t think of office colleagues much for company on a weekend out, but believe me it was great fun – much more than I had expected.

The huge and largely the only negative was of course the journey – we traveled 19 hours one way to be at a camp for just about 24 hours!

The one more regret that I have is that I was drugged (only on avomin :p, given my tendency to mountain sickness) for most of the scenic part of the journey uphill and downhill. This really meant I missed the beautiful view of the western ghats, the luscious curve of the meandering road, and the umpteen picturesque country side clicks that my colleagues captured (which of course were readily shared :)).

Here are some highlights of the trip:

• The train travel – Was traveling by train after a long long time, so the sight of the compartments and bogies did thrill me! No, I didn’t really expect to meet Shahid Kapoor and do a la Jab We Met at some random station. But, it was fun to occupy the top most berth, play antakshari in 3 languages (tamil, telugu and hindi), bluff around (with playing cards), play the ‘I spy” game, stand at the entry door, and be at our rowdiest best as the train chugged away!

• The mist – The mist enveloping the hills, rising and settling as the day progressed was an absolute delight to watch. The only morning we spent there was one of the most magnificent and serene dawns I have ever woken up to.

• The tea plantations - How can one mention Munnar without talking about the rich green tea leaves that cover most of the terrain. A visual fiesta!

• The tents – My first time in a real tent! I never thought a sleeping bag accompanied with an air pillow could provide sound sleep. A large ugly bug just outside the main sleeping area and the huge spider in the tent in the morning provided some entertainment to the neighbors much to my plight :).

• The trek - Not much of a fitness freak (read a lazy unfit city slicker), I surprised myself by completing the entire trekking trail – uphill got too arduous by the end, but I swear downhill was a breeze!

• The raft building exercise – A first again! And the most enjoyable activity. We had to build a raft using logs of wood, tubes and ropes, and then set sail on it. To be honest my contribution to the team was not much – but I was so thoroughly kicked about the whole idea – Would love to do this again!

Hot, noisy and polluted Chennai welcomed us back with open arms. Though still recuperating from the minor aches and exhaustion, I am glad I made the trip!

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A kumaoni by birth, I have been very proud of my “native” land – the hills of Uttarakhand (formerly, Uttaranchal, and before that a part of the state of Uttar Pradesh). Most of our vacations during my growing up years were spent visiting breathtaking valleys and mountainous ranges of Nainital, Bhimtal, Almora, Pithoragarh and Lohaghat – the lesser known but much more beautiful cousins of the more popular – Mussorie and Dehradun.

This time around I visited the hills after a gap of 5 years. The journey was as always arduous and my affinity to mountain sickness does not help matters. But forget that. Dad took a less-traveled route to Almora – our chosen destination - and it was undoubtedly one of the most scenic drives I have ever taken. The long winding roads wrapped around the mountains with royal pines spread out till as far as the eye can see, and the mist rising softly as if from below the mountains – heaven is here.

But before I could completely lose myself in the picturesque view that enveloped us, the driver screeched rudely at our first halt.

Rickety shops lined along the road serving food that has never known the word hygiene. Sanitation is at its worst. No, you don’t want a description of the restrooms.

We tried to drown the ugly reality in the beauty of nature and reached Almora - a town that has not changed with the passage of time. I do not know if I mean this as an appreciation. Almora still does not have a drainage and sewage system. The vehicles have increased but the roads have deteriorated.

Move to Nainital – all that is good about the place is what the colonial rule bequeathed on us. We have barely been able to maintain the infrastructure developed by the British more than 200 years ago. The number of people visiting these places has multiplied manifold, and the “mall” road has become a mess of smoke and noise.

What makes me so bitter at the state of affairs is that nothing is being done, nobody is bothered. What should not change – the weather, the majesty of nature, the peace and solitude of the place – is changing thanks to global warming, unchecked pollution and total disregard for our natural heritages; And what should change – the infrastructure, roads, education of the local population, sanitation – is not changing.

It is a frustrating experience seeing these places that offer hope for retreat and sanity in a world that’s maddeningly complicated, simply fade away their charm and glory.

However, I must mention that Bhimtal is a few notches better than the other two places. There is a serenity in the place that is intoxicating. So maybe next summer, you could plan a trip to Bhimtal to beat the heat. Leaving you with a picture of the calm and placid waters.

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