A 12th grade trip after Prelim 1? All of us wanted was a break from the hectic pressures of our final year at school. And boy did we get much more than we expected.
It was the 27th of December when we finally finished our Prelim 1. The following afternoon was spent packing and at 10:00 pm, we were off for our rendezvous in Coorg. We travelled through the night and reached Mysore just in time for breakfast. After yoga and a scrumptious breakfast, we set off for the hills. We reached our homestay at around 10:30 am.
The morning was spent playing a series of engaging environmental themed games. After lunch, we learnt to identify snakes by observing their moulted snakeskins. Some of us were initially hesitant to touch the skins, and were later amazed by the fact that they quite resemble tissue paper in texture. The evening was spent playing Lagori and other games until nightfall. We wrapped up the day with a bonfire.
We started the next day with a trek up the mountain. Often, the mud would slip under our feet and we had to hold onto the vegetation for balance. We braved the wilderness, feeling quite like Indiana Jones in some remote place, seeking a lost temple. But when we reached the top of the mountain, all the thorns, leaves and bugs were worth it. We had breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
We trekked down and returned to our homestay where a hot breakfast was waiting for us. In the evening, we visited one of the nearby coffee plantations. Coorg is known for its coffee and here, we saw firsthand the process of growing and cultivating coffee. Some of us even helped the workers harvest the coffee beans.
The next day – our last day at Coorg – we visited the famed Iruppu waterfalls. It took us quite a while to muster all our courage and enter the frigid waters. After the falls, we made our way to the Tibetan town of Bylakuppe, where we spent a couple hours before heading back to school.
This trip was one all of us are likely never to forget. It was our last trip as a grade and we really made memories that we will cherish forever. We would like to thank IHS and Nirvana Nomads for giving us this opportunity.
– Uthara V, Class 12