Breathing was the ONLY skill we never had to learn. It's the first thing we do when we entered this earth. Some of us did it easily, some with a little fuss, but we all did it.
When something is easy, we say it comes as naturally as breathing.
Now I have to relearn breathing - and my entire head it revolting at the idea!

Every time I jump into the water, it's natural instinct for my mouth and eyes to shut tight - and nose to suffer with the consequences of that!

Rewind to two weeks ago, when my friend was saying how great learning to swim is!

It's always been on my list, there were classes at a time and location that is quite comfortable for me, and it seemed like one more perfect thing to check off my list before I turned 30!

So I joined last week. The first 4 days were brilliant. They were blissful. Float keeping me a float securely, I just has to move my hands and legs to go forward in the water. It felt almost effortless. Towards the end of class 4, one master after jokingly asking me to try floating with a float, actually helped me do it. So easy!

I was so wrong!

Enter class 5, couple of laps, and my normal master goes - "Let's take off the float now"
Luckily for me, I wasn't alone. I had a friend (A friend of the friend who suggested we join swimming classes). We were both in initial classes, and at the same level.

"Float across width of the pool" the master suggested. "I'll be at the centre to push you along, don't worry"

Beginners luck long gone. Yesterday was when I found that I'd forgotten how to breathe.

I later realized that I hadn't forgotten to breathe, I was too stuck with my old way of breathing, that my body was absolutely rejectly the idea of trying the alternate breathe-through-the-mouth method. In my body's defence, it rejects the alternate idea even when I have a cold - which has had be waking up breathless in the middle of the night multiple times. [Said out loud, I realize how silly it be-s]

However, sputtering and gasping for air, we both made it across the width of the pool. Each of us feeling like we did worse than the other.

About three times into that, and the master said ok, go to the ladder and climb out.

Had we done so bad that we're getting evicted from the pool? Can they do that to us in the fifth class after we've paid for thirty classes?

Those thoughts and doubts were shortlived. After that moment, we were actually wishing that we'd just been evicted instead.

We were invited oh so sweetly to just “take a seat” by the edge of the deep end of the pool. My friend was busy voicing the thoughts that were screaming in my head “Please please don’t ask us to jump in here. We’ll drown. We’ll sink right to the bottom! It’s just the fifth class! I’ll die!”

Before I joined, my friend said "When you go, blindly follow what the instructors say. Don't tell yourself you know better" - At what cost, an imp in my head questioned.

The masters laughed sweetly and said “Just sit ma” Oh the endearments. Never trust the endearments!

“Now take some deep breaths”

“Ok. Please don’t ask us to jump” was that a quiver in our voices? Most definitely.

“It’s okay. Just breathe”

I’ve always known that water has the ability to clear our head. My snorkeling experience is still the most serene memory I ever hold. I was about to find out that water can wash our brains clean. Lol.

“Now jump”

I want to say that we either bravely or obediently just jumped. But no. We sat, we shivered, we pleaded with our eyes, hoping they’d change their minds. No luck. Finally, I decided to get it over with.

One deep breath. It became a prayer. Lungs and mouth filled, and splash.

The nose tried desperately to do what used to be so easy – to just take in oxygen and breathe out carbon di oxide. What went in was not air. What went in was a shock of water that seemed to fill your skull with the only objective of chocking and drowning the brain. The hands and legs moved. Not as they were taught to – it was a primal tune they danced – just to stay afloat. Just to stay alive. The mouth and eyes shut tight – another primal instinct? I never knew we had these.

When I did finally manage to bring my head up to the surface, it was only long enough to blow out all the water in my orifices. And before I knew it, before I was ready for it, I was back under water, cursing it as it went to attack my brain once again.

Some distance voice – from within my head? From outside? Shouted – instructing me to keep my eyes open. I opened them. Just water everywhere. This helped though, it didn’t feel like I was being water-boarded in a black hole anymore. It also helped me see the ladder not too far away. I desperately reached for those. When I did reach them, and held on for dear life, I could feel the water draining away slowly.

“I’m ready to go again” I heard my mouth say. 

Exoticamp : An experience sharing and review (Vagamon - Camp above the clouds)

Waking up to the sound of the strong breeze gently passing by

Stepping out of the tent and into the clouds

Gingerly dealing with your business in a strategically placed port-a-potty

Finding a beautiful path which feels like it’s straight out of a storybook

Taking that path for your morning walk

Walk a good twenty feet away from the path, cause there’s a calf grazing

This place can make anyone a photographer! PC: Me :) 

Wondering if Pixies and Fairies live in this carefully preserved strip of nature

Ending up in a clearing, then a cliff

Overlooking a valley where more than seven hills meet

Watching clouds gently fluff and puff their way,

Snaking through the gaps between the hills

Spending the most perfectly peaceful thirty minutes –

Listening to the wind rustle, birds chirp, just feeling the breeze

Even developing the plot for your novel – like I did

Finally feeling satiated and happy, and ready to go meet humans again

Have an emotional farewell with that location – because I might never go there again

Head back down slowly

Find another happy camper (literally) wielding her camera

Searching for spider webs with dew drops

Helping her hunt for those

Found em! (PC: Dhi Clicks)

Finding out that she hasn’t been up to the peak

Taking her there – cause you can’t be that close and miss a peak at heaven

Have another beautiful thirty minutes

I could stay here forever - for the rest of my life! (PC: Dhi Clicks)

Head back down together

Find an entire search party looking for you

Head back up with the full group – and be in a mannequin challenge

Cause, hey! Why not!

Head back down to the camp site

Gobble up a sumptuous meal – all that walking can get one really hungry

Then inch back into civilization slowly

Aahh…

Rewind 2 weeks

On the way to to peak (PC: Aditya)

I heard about Exoticamp’s Vagamon from a friend who wanted to go - up for any travel, I signed up immediately. Though, initially a little apprehensive about the idea of camping out in the open. That is something that’s probably more my sister’s cup-o-tea. I’m the clean stay-at-hotels and kinda traveler mostly. (Except my one time trek at Nagalapuram!) However the images they shared and just the idea was so poetic, I had to go and check it out myself. And boy am I glad that I did go.

There is something completely different about going to a place and living differently – We’ve all taken vacations where we go around, enjoy nature then go back to the comfort of a hotel room. I didn’t realize that just being in a hotel room is a comfort space that we never challenge – or at least fail to challenge often. Enjoying nature, and staying right in the middle of it – having a thin sheet of plastic separate you from the pounding rain, sweeping mist or even an animal or two – that’s a different living all together, one that has to be experienced to be properly appreciated!

View from the camp site *.*

This is not going to be a post where I describe in detail about what we did and how we got there. I do not want to spoil the fun of experiencing it yourself.

I do want to, however, tell you about the brilliant idea that is Exoticamp, and if you were to go to Vagamon – I’m happy to share a few tips about what to expect and what to be ready for J

Exoticamp Adventures:

Exoticamp was founded by 3 travel enthusiasts who wanted to make camping accessible to all – women and families especially. As boys, I guess they loved camping and living the rugged life so much, and when they became men and had families and babies, they wanted their wives and kids to experience they joy that they experienced.

5:00 pm - As we looked around,
the bags and camp fire logs lay waiting!

They find offbeat destinations – like Vagamon, Meghamalai, Kodaikannal to name a few, and they’re constantly on the lookout for more places to expand to. Their travel groups are a small enjoyable size of 20 to 30. They’ve made the camps family and women-friendly, but by no means coddle them. They let us women explore and live the wild dream is safe ways.

The cost is also extremely affordable – At Rs.5000 for 2 days (Including travel from Chennai) – (Rates as on November 2017) it is very wallet friendly. The price includes bus fares from Chennai/ Bangalore, Jeep transfers,  4 meals, Snack, Tent stay and all that (Only thing not included are 2 meals – for the morning we reached and the evening we left, where we were taken to good

Breakfast - yummy puttu

quality cheap restaurants). The experience they give us – making sure we are individually attended to, trying to ensure than we all get introduced to each other, so we’re basically one big group of friend on an adventure – worth every buck and second!

Some cool things about them:

They do customized camps - even for smaller groups

They do theme based camps

They conduct camps for kids

They're safe and friendly 

What to expect/ Do’s & Don’ts

Happiness is an authentic Jeep Ride!

• Be ready for a small but friendly gang of strangers. You don’t have to talk to everyone, but talking to at least a few makes the whole experience more enjoyable
• The tents are to be shared by 2 or 3 people. So if you’re going alone – try to find partner(s) to bunk with early
• The ride up the hill was quite bumpy, almost like a roller coaster. I loved it! But if you tend to get motion sickness, keep medication handy.
• Waterbottles are given out but often shared. If you prefer having your own bottle, just bring a bottle of yours and fill it. Keeps things easy.
• If you don’t like eating with your hands, bring a fork/ spoon (they do give plastic spoons sometimes, but they useless with meat. [Food given at Vagamon was authentic Kerela food]
• Don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout – don’t be without drinking water for fear of the port-a-potty – it’s a fun experience, trust me.

  

  Camp site : Where heaven meets earth!

• There is no cell-phone signal for the most part, so keep your family informed. Also don’t try to keep searching for signal, it’s awesome to let go and live for yourself in the moment. Try it!
• Bring some snacks, if you eat smaller meals more frequently.
• Take a power bank and a torch. Don’t forget the torch!
• Take an umbrella!

  

  6:00 pm - Suddenly the clouds decided to pay us a visit. They stayed around for a good 2 hours or so. This was "Camping within the clouds" entertainment segment of the evening!

   
• If you use contacts, don’t go to close to the campfire/ remove your contacts when you do
  
• Be prepared for a lot of insects. If you’re uncomfortable around them, where full sleeved clothing with elastic cuffs if required. They’re mostly harmless and not a problem – just tickle.
• The places are beautiful, and Exoticamp adventures are set up in unexpectedly gorgeous locations – however, try to avoid preconceived notions to make the whole experience more enjoyable.
• They’re very flexible in terms of stopping on the way to enjoy a view, or for a shop – as long as there’s no bus to catch J
• Be ready to trek, hike, get wet – live basically ;)

Base camp - which also has private access to a segment of a waterfall

My favourite part of the waterfall - the little pool of water collected,
where I tried to baby sit a little girl.
"I want to go in the water or to daddy! (who was in the deeper end of the pool)"
I gave up in 20 minutes I think . Heh.

 

Trek to the camp site from the base camp

 

Stopping to say Good Bye and enjoy the view - one last time - until we're back.
Syanora!

Try it and you will Have fun!

I did!

PS: Many photos in this post are by others. Thank you Dhiya, Aditya, & Bragadeesh for the photographs :) 

Exploring the Wild Side at The Wild Tribe : Part 1 : The Obstacle Course

The safety harness was all strapped in, and safety rope in place and the gritty determination and the excitement on my face were quite evident.

Flashback:

Chennai Bloggers Club was having registrations open for an Experience and Explore an Adventure Park - Wild Tribe Ranch event. Though I'm not an out and out outdoorsy person, I have gone through quite a bit of WipeOut and Takeshi's Castle during my dinner time and gone: 

"Pshaw! He couldn't event do that right!" At every guy or girl who took too long at an obstacle course.

Present Day:

Now that I was all strapped in, and stood staring at the looming length of wooden planks hanging ...dangling away rather, by ropes, I had new found respect for every winner, loser and even the attempters of those obstacle courses!

Going up the stairs to the first level of the two levels was easy enough. Once there, looking at the many different courses - now that's where the fear kicks in, and the adrenaline is pumped in as if through a water hose to put out a fire. 

The obstacle course was more of a huge hexagonal iron structure with a beam at the center. There were iron rods connecting each of the sides and to the center as well. In between those were two levels of amazingly well thought out and interesting "Courses" which were made by combing ropes, wood, tires, tubes and what not!

(Pic of the Course as we were leaving - missing it already!)

For the next 3 or so minutes, as I stood facing the first course of level one, I was certain that I am never getting on those dangly planks, and almost gave up. But there were people watching, and there's dignity to protect ;) Oh to be human with all those conflicting emotions I tell you! So I mustered all the courage that laughing friends inspired in me, I turned the other way to a Net made of sturdier net, and decided I can do that! I would just hang on to those ropes for dear life, and get through it! Easier said than done really.

[Don't you think almost all things in life are easier said than done? Except the big L word maybe ... there it is (I feel) easier to demonstrate than say it. Of course, some do say it easily}

Just a random side thought - like the many that were going through my head as I very poorly tried to emulate spider man. I slowly got through that, and THAT my dearies is the moment when Adrenaline takes a back seat and you're thinking to yourself : "Hey I did that! Then I can probably do the rest as well" and then you really start having fun. Quite a bit of fear mixed in, but so much FUN!!!!!

I tried a relatively simple ropey bridge next.

Then it I tried some different wooden planks ... I accept that things got real shakey there, and I was doing pretty intense acrobatic moves (trying to not look too stupid ;) ) and worked my way through that. There were hanging tubes which I didn't even go near! (Picking my battles there!)

There was a fish net kinda bridge, that was so fun I tried it twice!

The tires were waaaayyyy too swingy for my liking, and I tried them just to make a point.

I loved how the safety rope navigation system was so well thought out, that you could let another pass through - when you just wanted to take a break, hug a pillar and feel calm and safe for a moment or two.

With so many friends around and questions like: "Hey, was that course easy?", "Did you get through that?!" bouncing around, and us being reassured that somebody else is facing the same things we are, and getting through it, so we can do it too! That motivating us to look around and tell someone "Don't worry, I was able to get through it, so you can do it too!" Good things those :)

It's also interesting how focused we become on a task when it gets so demanding of your attention - in the best possible way! A little like sinking into a lovely hug; while the whole world fades away for that moment!

Of course, this was a lot more challenging and a lot less comfortable than a hug. But that's the point. That's their point which they proudly claim - Get out of your comfort zone, and face the fear - We'll handle the safety!

My first life-size obstacle course was an amazing experience and I hope to go back there and conquer more of the levels, if not all !!! You should try it too ! Go gick the fear at the Wild Tribe Ranch :)

[This, of course, was jus the first of the many rides that were there. More to come in this space!]