School summer excursion to Mashobra, classes 6 and 7

On 24th May, 2016, we, a group of students of classes VI and VII, assembled at School at 9:30 pm. The long wait was at last over. We were departing for Mashobra! Excitement was in the air as we all waved cheerful goodbyes to our parents and eagerly boarded the bus. The journey was a pleasant one, with breathtaking views. We sang and chatted away and the time flew. It took barely an hour to break the ice between the two classes, which doubled the fun! We kept awake most of the night in our fervour and only caught a few winks. Many of us were lucky enough though, to catch the first rays of the sun and the approaching mountains, a view which would remain in our minds. The mountain air was beginning to work on our appetites too. Luckily, we arrived at our journey's switchover point just in time for breakfast. After eating to our hearts' content, we were off once again, on a journey which lasted 3 hours. It would have been extremely tiring if not for the company of our friends which kept us suitably occupied. [gallery link="file"] Upon sighting our destination Camp Mashobra Greens, we were amazed to see the lush and extravagant flora. The instructors at the Camp introduced themselves and oriented us with the safety measures we would need to maintain, after which we were allotted our cottages. We were surprised at the sight of well-maintained rooms in a remote area such as this. At the sight of our freshly made beds, we were very tempted to curl up and get into the covers but we had activities lined up and awaiting us. We were divided into groups for an activity by Mr. Raju Kansal, Team Head. In this activity we were asked to think of and describe a nation of our imaginations, design its flag, war cry and anthem. The various teams came up with innovative ideas. Later, many war cries from some enthusiasts amongst us could be heard echoing across the camp through the day! It was both a fun and educational activity. Next, to test our physical abilities, we were taken uphill to attempt the flying fox! As we zipped down the steep slope, it seemed to unleash the dare devil in us! Back at the camp, piping hot pakoras and hot cups of tea awaited us. We were given time off to laze around in our cottages for a while. Soon the sun set and we were surprised by the sudden drop in temperature! Just moments ago the warmth of the sunshine was so soothing and now it was cold! At dinner time, we proceeded towards the dining hall and found a crackling bonfire outside. The hot soup served to us was extremely welcome in the cold weather. Suddenly, popular music could be heard from inside too. We needed no invitation. We saw a DJ seated inside so we quickly cleared the chairs and tables to create an impromptu dance floor! Finally, dinner was served. After the vigourous workout on the dance floor, our food flew off out plates. Back in our cottages, collected fatigue overcame us and we were asleep soon. Sunrise the next day was beautiful. We started the day by playing an engaging game in which we were blindfolded and then handed shapes. The purpose of the game was to calculate the number of shapes with the instructor using different methods. Besides being interesting it taught us to work together as a team. Other activities such as rappelling and the Burma Bridge were also lined up for the day. Another game Am I a good friend? proved to be unexpectedly entertaining. Teams quizzed each other to gauge how well connected they were as a group. Finally, the day was over. The next day, it was time to leave. After expressing our appreciation to those those who had helped organise our visit, we boarded our buses, albeit reluctantly. But we soon realised that we should make the most of our journey back. It was enjoyable to view the passing fields of neighbouring villages interspersed by roadside dhabas. Soon, we were back in Delhi and our parents eagerly awaited us at the School gate. We were home. Mashobra, we left behind but we carried with us magical memories of the moments shared. Samaara Ravish, VII A.