Up Coming Events For 2006
Event 1: Holi Bash
Time: Sunday before or After 15th March
Event 2: River Rafting in Rishikesh followed by river crossing, rock climbing.
Time: End of March. 3 days Trip. Expense: 2000-3000 per head.
Event 3: Leh Trip
Time: May end. 7-10 days trip.
Event 4: Cycling Expedition in Himalayas
NOTE: All the timings and expenses of the events are tentative. I request all of you to keep checking the Homepage for regular updates. As and when the events take shape I will keep you posted.
The Moderator will soon set up the group guidelines which has to be adhered to by everyone.
Corbett Uncle: Shukria
I wanted to go out of Delhi...and it all started as a discussion, but I was praying continuously that it should not end just like any other discussion. Thankfully it did not. It was taking shape with each mail, with each meet, with each passing day, it was taking its shape. And finally we were all set to go. Initially 10 of us finally 8 of us. Friday 24th Feb 2006 evening at 22:45, we were to board Ranikhet Express from Old Delhi station. Most of us had attended the office but all of us were looking forward to the evening.
So we all boarded the train. Yogesh was the first one to reach the station, I was second followed by the rest. The train trip was also fun. Men drinking, women feeling sleepy. Passengers getting disturbed. Then we got disturbed with Ramit's snoring.
Next Day at 05:45 we reach Ram Nagar and it was cold out there. We got picked up by Vibhor's Uncle and cousin Tarun who took us to their big home, where people had even bigger hearts. We were made to feel at home at once. After Tea, hot water bath followed by a gala breakfast of pakora, lobia, dal, kachori, jalebi it was time for us to lets go.
Half of us were in Gypsy and the rest were in Geep. And through out the way, the men had all the fun because their Gypsy was more comfortable, secondly since they were ahead of us, they saw all the good things first.
We entered Corbett, and the signals were gone from the cells. It was a different world. Nature with all its special effects. The sound, the sight, the smell, everything was so different. So out of this world. Jungle has its own map, its own roads, its own geography, and terrain. Its captivating under the sun light and haunting under the moon. Its a place where one has to follow and trust its instinct to survive. Its a place where you just have to rely on your 5 senses and your 6th sense to live. In cities we take our instinct and senses for granted but I you want to feel it you gotta be here. Its here you realize, that man is not the only creature on earth, and this earth is not just a home for humans. Its a place on earth where you would realize, life is not just internet, job, parties, cell phones, its much more than that, its about living close to nature, with nature and its signals and hints.
The sound of rippling water, the sound of rustling leaves, the sound of an insect, the sound of leaves falling, the sound air moving, the sound of silence. The feel of breeze, the feel of pebbles under your feet. The sight of frightened monkey, shy deer, flowing water, sky scattered with stars, the noise of our vehicles, all of this mixed with chitchatting of friends, laughter, jokes, careless conversation, aimless gaze, carefree attitude, reckless drinking, ruthless sleeplessness, eardrums crashing snores......all of this I got to find it here. It was loud and clear from God saying I EXIST.
There were not enough rain this year so the river was not full, it was a signal for all of us to behave..before its too late..and we are left alone on this earth without such places any more.
The elephant safari was also great. We went inside the core area of the Jungle but unfortunately could not sight a tiger contrary to our room mates Ken and his buddy from Manchester. Though we could spot pug marks. We stayed in a dormitory in Dhikala and it reminded me of the movie, "Life is Beautiful" because of the bunk beds. We were most of the time accompanied by monkeys and a huge Sambar deer inside the Dhikala complex. The deer infact stood right outside our room door the next morning and I fed him a Marie biscuit.
Saturday Night Fever: How can we forget our Saturdays, so Saturday night was a party night with booze, songs, music, which ended with some special effects and nice vocabulary (censored).
All in all it was a great fun, an experience which can not be captured within 26 letters of English or any other language of this world. I can just say, Its not just a planet, its our home....and I do not want to leave my home...
Sunday night we boarded the train to Delhi, and I just wanted this trip never to end. But life goes on...its going on even in Corbett..it will go on in Delhi too...it was going for those who did not join...but there is a difference...we have come back with an experience...and life seems great...everywhere... for us. We thank God, he called us to Corbett so that he could show us..a piece of his painting....and we are all waiting to see some more of his paintings. The journey shall continue till we see the Master piece.
Moderator Thanks
I started the Lets Go group purely for selfish reasons. I wanted to travel around but never had a proper company so I thought how about having a group of similarly placed travel freaks...Group was formed but the travel didn't happen untill last week, 4 months since it started, may be because the first few members who I thought were similarly placed weren't really similarly placed. By December I personally kind of stopped writing to the group due to lack of active participation. I didn't know what to do with the group. And then this new kids joined the group and everything changed. Thanks to all those new bees for putting back life in this group with their overwhelming enthusiasm for the Jim Corbett trip. You people planned and executed an excellent trip in which I just had fun. Here goes my personal thanks to all....
Thanks to
Vibhor and his
Uncle's family in Ramnagar. A warm traditional welcome proving every letter of the phrase "atithi devo bhava" true was waiting for us at the home of Vibhor's Uncle, who picked us up early in the morning from RamNagar Station. We went their home, got freshen up had a grand traditional breakfast. Uncle and his family extended their warmth till the time we boarded the train back to Delhi.
It's unbelievable how a bunch of guys (us) who were just virtual IDs couple of weeks back were getting along so well as if we were friends for ages. It was unbelievable the amount of love and care a family can show to a group of complete stranger us. And then they say Internet isn't really the place to meet people.
Thanks to
Amit for joining the group and also getting Vibhor on board.
Thanks
Monica for joining, the trip wouldn't have been the same in your absence and thanks for getting Ramit on board.
Thanks to
Abhishek for all the efforts he had put in arranging the trip and getting Monica back on the trip.
Thanks to
Ramit for bringing glamour to the trip with his laptop and his high funda photo download upload and 'all that Jazz'...
Thanks
Yogesh for just being who you are, for sticking around the group throughout its dormancy
Finally thanks to
Snigdha, for taking the initiative of arranging the trip...we had so much fun sharing our secret school time jokes
You all gave me a trip I was waiting for so so very long...
Moderator speak
The first backpacking has taken its toll on couple of members of the group and some good friends. Like all event planning this one too met with ego clashes, unnecessary assumptions, over drawn conclusions, personal differences, flaming messages, pissed off moods frustrated outburts etc. The result, Monica, Sundeep, Kreeti and Asheeth left the group.
As announced we had the Final Jim Corbett Ice Breaker Meet where 6 of the original 10 participants including Monica met up. We managed to sort out our differences. Best part is Monica has joined the group back and is now ready looking forward to the trip. I realize the root cause of all clashes was the fact that to most of us here, company is more important than the journey, which is not totally wrong...sometimes a good company can make a boring journey memorable...
As a moderator I failed to manage the group, I failed to moderate the flame wars. I learned a few things may be at the cost of hurting
Asheeth, here is my sincere apologies to him...As members the guys were too impulsive, impatient they reacted at every small issue, people took decisions at the spur of the moment.
All's well that ends well... let's see how the trip ends... Kreeti and Asheeth having dropped out the 8 of us are all set to leave tonight, but as I said on the mailing list, nothing is certain but death. So we never know unless we board the train...
To those who left the group if any day you feel like joining back you are welcome.
Wait for the updates...and pics
The show must go on
what should you carry in the back pack
Most relevant parts of the Mail originally posted by Ramit on the Yahoo Group Mailing List...
#1) A corpus of money is being created, wherein upfront each of the 8 members will deposit Rs 1000 with me, when we meet at 2130 Hrs at Old Delhi Station Enquiry today evening. So thereafter all the spendingrequired for the grp will be done by me. This is apart from the Rs 270 that needs to be given to Snigdha for the train tkts, by whoever hasnt yet met & paid Snigdha. Also note that since ATMs are scare there, we also suggest each of us to have spare cash of Rs 1000 separately with ourselves, as a backup.
#2) Weather at Corbett is warm through the day, so suggestion is light wear like T-shirts,slacks etc. For the nights,though a lightwollen jacket will be sufficient. In the train it may be chilly as we will be travelling in the nite, so all are advised to have a Bedsheet & shawl or covering sheet for the train.
#3) Following items come to my mind which are very essential in each of our backpacks but its upto each individual what he/she wants to finally bring along:
- Good pair of walking shoes
- Flashlight (whoever has extra pls bring it)
- Candles & matchstick
- Common medicines like Dispirin, Pudin Hara, Gelusil, Vicks Action
500 , Boroline(basically anti-septic creams)& any other common type
medicine ppl may have at their homes
- Women need to carry their own personal hygiene products
- Soap, Toothpaste, Towels, shampoos, combs
- Min 2 pairs of Socks
- 2 sets of clothes
- Bathroom slippers
- Sunglasses
- hats/caps
- fav music CDs if any, we have a Laptop to play it.
#4) Each one is getting his/her own stock of Liquor and Smoke. So dont miss on your unique brands if you want them since, the only liquor vend at ramnagr doesnt even stock smirnoff etc...also specific brands of ciggaretes should be carried from delhi
Ice breaker Meet for Jim Corbett Trip
Having finally announced the group's first trip to Jim Corbett, it is being felt by everybody that we need another ice breaker meet between the participants. It's really important that you know who you travelling with. So here it is...
Event - Ice breaker Meet for Trip to Jim Corbett
Venue - Costo Cofee, CP, Outer Circle Near Nirulas
Date - 23rd February, Thursday
Time - 7 pm onwards
Pariticipation - Invited from those final members who are going to the trip.
Please Be there
Weekend trip to Jim Corbett National Park
We are all set to leave for our first weekend backpacking... 2 days and 3 nights to Jim Corbett National Park.
Final List of members who are going...
1. Abhishek
2. Amit
3. Sanjukta
4. Kreeti
5. Asheeth
6. Vibhor
7. Monica
8. Snigdha
9. Yogesh
10.Ramit
Train - Ranikhet express
Date - 24th Feb 2006 Friday
Departure time - 22:45 (10.45 pm)
Old Delhi Railway Station.
Coach Number is S7.
Return from Ramnagar
Date - 26th Feb 2006
Departure Time - 21:10
Reach Delhi - 27th, Monday early morning
Arranging this trip hasn't been easy a lot of efforts have been put by each one...now fingre crossed we have a good time.
2nd letsgo Meet
The 2nd Lets go meet was also fun. Held in Dilli Haat, on 17 Feb 2006, 6:30 p.m. The agenda was to finalize everything for Corbett and get the tickets done. Tickets have been booked and we are 10 people who would go. I hope this turns out to be fun. This is the first group outing and if all ends well, we might arrange some more trips so that people who missed the trip this time can join in.
Last evening, the meet was attended by Abhishek, Monica, Kreeti, Asheeth, me, Sundeep. Sundeep had come for the first time. The more and more all of us are meeting, the more comfortable we are getting. Good.
By the way, we had coffee, tea and chicken kathi roll from Fresh and Honest Coffee in Dilli haat. And I must tell you that I have kind of started hating coffee now, because after that coffee, I could not sleep till 3 a.m. in the morning. Was rolling on my bed. I do not know about the other guys.
So next time if we are meeting in the evening, no coffee for me.
Smile
Stay Connected Everyone
The first letsgo meet was good fun. Attended by 6 members and 2 non-members. But active participation by all. It was great.
We are all planning for the first group outing, hopefully most of us will be able to join and go to Corbett National Park. Infact, this group was formed for backpackers. But till now nothing had shaped up. But now things are changing. And they are changing for good.
Lets keep an eye on it...will continue after coming back...stay connected till then.
