Kalypso Adventures

Kilometers for kids

2011-12-22T14:03:00.027+05:30

Over 70 participants from Ireland took part in the Charity event to raise funds for Our Lady's Children's Hospital with Action Challenge UK and Kalypso Adventures. They trekked over 5 days through the high ranges of Western Ghats and the rain forests at Gavi.

The team

It was around 3 in the morning as we arrived at the airport to receive the guests for the biggest charity event for the year for Kalypso Adventures. In the morning, we started our journey towards the hills for our trek. Our first stop for the day was at Hornbill camp for Lunch. On our arrival, we were greeted and welcomed in traditional Kerala style with drums and dance.

At Hornbill Camp

Next day morning we walked through the tea gardens to the local school nearby the Munnar town. We had time for a short football game, distributed gifts to the students at the school.

First day walk to the school at Letchmi Estate

Kick Off

India Vs Ireland

At the school at Letchmi Estate

After a short transfer on the second day, we started our trek towards the second highest peak to the south of Himalayas. We stopped at Rhodo Valley for lunch and thereafter continued to trek till we reached Kollukumalai Tea Factory – the highest organic tea factory in the world. A 4x4 jeep transfer took us through rugged estate roads to the Hotel where we rested for the night.

regrouping at Silent Valley

Expedition Leader and Trek Leader sharing a word

Day 3: Trek through the Cardamom reserves near Mathikettan Shola National Park

Naturalist Jijo clarifying doubts about the forests

Day 4: Trek to Chaturangapara

Stream Fording

Cdr. Sam at Devils Ridge

At the Summit

Day 5: Rainforests at Gavi

At the finish line

Day 6: At Alleppey: After the trek

Morgan during the Celebratory dinner at Marari

Mallya Aditi International School - Community Project.

2011-08-08T11:23:00.001+05:30

A 29 member group from Mallya Aditi International School, Bangalore came down to Kerala for a community project at Suryanelli. The school was guided throughout their journey by Kalypso Adventures. The group included 27 students and 2 teachers.

The Muthuvas are a prominent tribe of the Idukki district who lack proper guidance and right orientation. The students from Mallya Aditi International School help an NGO Lifetree with their project Gangothri which is aimed at supporting these Muthuvan tribes.

The group along with Lifetree, plan to build a classroom for the children of the Muthuvan tribe as a part of their Community project.

DAY 1

The Group arrived at Kochi early in the morning, and along with Kalypso started their journey to Munnar. After a long journey, breakfast en-route, they arrived at Anaerangal Camp, A camp-site set up by Kalypso Adventures, where the students could stay for the duration of the project. At the camp-site they were briefed about their project.

After lunch they set out for a visit to the Muthuvan-kudi, the tribal settlement of the Muthuvas. The students spent a good lot of time at the kudi, learning about the cultures and traditions of the tribe. They got to interact with the kids and people of the tribe as well. The group then moved on to the project site, where Lifetree had arranged people to do the basic set up of the classroom to be built - the levelling of the ground etc. They spent the rest of the day back at the camp-site - which was set up with tents for the group.

DAY 2

This morning, after breakfast, the group headed straight to the project-site and started working. They did the brick layering for the wall of the classroom. From 8:30 to 12:00 the students worked after which they headed back to the camp-site.

After lunch, they were taken to the lakeside, where they had a great time rafting.

Before heading back to the camp they paid a visit to the project-site just to overlook the work being done there. Back at the camp-site the students prepared for the cultural event to be held the next day. After a filling dinner they all headed to their tents.

DAY-3

Back at the project-site a little more help with the roof and that would complete the classroom.

The classroom was inaugurated by the tribal chief. And a cultural show was held where students from Mallya Aditi International School as well as the Muthuvan kids performed shows.

And thats the completed classroom!!

Woodstock students out on their Winter Vacations!

2011-06-29T16:14:00.006+05:30

We (Vipin and Me) were waiting at the Kochi airport to receive our guests, few students who are on a cultural exchange program with Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India. The group (Students: Ebony, Magill, Beverly, Annabelle, Nigel; Chaperones: Ms. Anitra & Mr. Alok Maiti) arrived at Kerala after having been to a few places in the Northern India as a part of their winter vacations. We were welcomed at the hotel by Vishal along with a scrumptious buffet. Everyone carefully listened as Hari; the tour leader briefed the group on the agenda and safety precautions to be followed for the next few days of their stay with us. By then it was time for a good sleep as we need to be prepared for an eventful week ahead.

Day 1:
We left Kochi and drove to our first campsite at Suryanelli a little past noon, located a few kilometers away from Munnar. It is enriched with the scenic Western Ghats and a spectacular view of the beautiful Anaerangal Lake. After lunch, we went for a walk around the village and visited the Muduvan tribal settlement in there. It was during Pongal (harvest festival) and there were celebrations going on. The local people extended their warmth by inviting us to dance along with them. It was real nice to see the students dance with the villagers to the tribal tunes. We went back to the camp and enjoyed a delicious dinner around the campfire.

Day 2:
After breakfast, we set off for Anaerangal Dam, the starting point of our trek. Annabelle was not joining us today for the trek as she was down with a migraine. Team Kalypso, engaged the group with a little bit of warm up activity before the trek.
We started our trek through the tea gardens and stopped by a local petty shop for a break where the students went crazy buying a whole lot of orange candies, the 25p ones (I used to love them as a kid). We walked through the Cardamom plantations and stopped for picnic lunch en route at a planter’s dry house. After sufficient rest we continued to trek through the spice plantations to reach the next campsite, Shanthanpara. We spent the evening playing story cubes and Mafia (involves a lot of story telling, rather making up stories) and these kids were really creative. We had an appetizing dinner around the campfire before we could head to our tents for a much needed rest.

Day 3:
We started the day with team building games which added upon to their synergy levels during this trip. Today Annabelle was feeling better and was ready to join us for the trek as it was the last day we would be hiking. Although the trek was tougher than yesterday with steeper climbs, the serene view of the hills around, and the songs we sang along the way helped us make through it easier (Especially the claps for Travis McCoy’s: “we are young, we run free, stay up late, we don’t sleep……..”). The view from the summit was spectacular with the plains of Tamil Nadu on one side and the tropical jungles of Kerala on the other side. When we reached the summit, students were taught by our guides how to make and use a Rope Harness. We had a picnic lunch en-route and resumed our trek to reach the camp. At the camp, the students got to see and learn “How to make Parathas” illustrated by our very own little chef Mr. Regi. We spent ample time around the campfire and enjoyed a tasty dinner.

Day 4:
We were done with our trekking phase and moved towards the plains at Thattekkad. We drove a few hours to reach the Hornbill camp, located on the banks of River Periyar overlooking the world famous Salim Ali bird sanctuary. After lunch and a little rest we all were ready to go rafting. We had an amazing time as we also got to swim in the placid waters, with the ‘Life Jackets’ on. We were back on raft and while Ebony and Magill chose to swim back to the camp.
At evening, we went on a nature walk along with our naturalist Mr. Peter and he explained to us about the flora and fauna around this region.

Day 5:
Today we visited the Elephant rescue camp at Kodanad and sacred grove. We spent ample time at the rescue camp watching the elephants being given a bath and other activities of their rehabilitation program. We soon went back to the camp for lunch and were to ready to go cycling while Mr. Maiti was in love with the view of the river from the camp and hence chose to do kayaking for the evening. It was a great time cycling across the Boothathankettu dam, but stopped soon after we knew Ebony is unwell with her breathing getting harder. Eldo, our safety man was there immediately with the first aid kit for her rescue. We then relaxed for a while but decided to head back to the camp as a matter of precaution. We rested at the camp for the night.

Day 6:
We left Hornbill camp after breakfast and headed for Alleppey, a three hour long drive. Alleppey, picturesque with its backwaters and canals is also known as the “Venice of the East”. We started our journey at the boat jetty where we boarded the rice boat for a day cruise. We were served some yummy lunch with every dish bearing the taste of coconut oil. It was one of the best lunches we had in this trip, I must say. We spent most of the time watching the lovely waterways, the paddy fields and local people engaged at work. By evening we reached at the Lake Haven resort where we were to spend the night.
There was a lot of energy left in us after a relaxed day cruise which we sweated out in the evening playing badminton/ basketball at the resort. We watched the sun go down across the backwaters as we sipped on fresh juice at the resort. After dinner, I and Mr. Maiti sat outside by the backwaters discussing about his musical journey as we watch the girls (Family) squeezing to fit in one hammock to prove their oneness ;-) While there were only two more days left for the trip to end, it was getting more and more interesting and exciting as everyone were getting to know each other.

Day 7:
We were are all ready and waiting to head for our next destination as Mr. Unni; our kayaking guide got there with the accompanying boat. After a quick round of introduction with the group, Unni did a live demonstration of the capsize drill and also explained the safety precautions to be followed while kayaking. We soon started paddling through the mesmerizing backwaters. Nigel and Maiti were enjoying on their single kayaks. Ebony and Magill took it easier (Ebony’s rowing classes at school did show up here). Initially it was tough for Bev and Anna as they did not synchronize. We then changed kayaks as Anna found it easier on a single kayak. It was fun filled as we were splashing water at each other and racing for the chocolates thrown from the safety boat while Beverly also learned to paddle the right way. It was then a cake walk for her without straining her arms, before we could stop for a break en-route after 3 hours of kayaking.
We visited St. Mary’s Forane church one of the oldest Christian churches in India and the Statue making gallery. We then continued to kayak a few more kilometers to reach the destination, a heritage home stay called Akkarakalam Memoirs. The ambience of this home stay will take you back in time. There were happy smiley faces amongst the group as they saw a huge hammock that could accommodate the entire family. We enjoyed yet another amazing lunch and rested for a while. In the evening we went on a sunset cruise. We all gathered at the dining hall, it was such like a family dinner where everyone took a turn to share about their best experiences during this trip.

Day 8:
It was the last day of our tour program. We left Alleppey after breakfast and arrived at Ernakulam Town station from where they were to depart. We bid farewell with warm hugs and pleasant thoughts. It was time that we part ways and but the trek over the past few days, MAFIA, songs during the trek, fun while kayaking, shopping for candies at the petty store in Alleppey, poker games, not to forget the “Whaaaats and Wheeeeres” (the way Ebony and Beverly would say it) and much more... I’m just left with an incredible feeling!

Biking,Hiking and Kayaking through Kerala

2011-04-04T11:42:00.016+05:30

The UCPA group of 6 from France along with the Kalypso staff.

The 14 day journey started with the a 2 day stay at an organic farm in the company of our gracious host,Prof. Jose and his family.It was an ideal way for the visitors to recuperate from the long flight to India.Relaxing by the pool,a leisurely walk to the Thommankuttu falls,a rejuvenating ayurvedic massage,a guided tour of the self sustained organic farm are some of the activities that we did during our days there.

The following day we proceeded to Silent Valley,near Munnar.From here we started the trek to Rhodo Valley.The 5 hour trek takes us through beautiful valleys surrounded by Rhododendron trees.They are an amazing sight when the trees are in full bloom with their beautiful red flowers.We camped at the Rhodo valley in dome tents.The next day we started our trek to Meeshapulimala.

It is one of the highest peaks in South India.At its highest point it stands at 2637 meters.The views from the peak is mind blowing.We were able to spot a herd of Nilgiri Tahr's(Endangered species of endemic goats).A visit to the Worlds highest Tea plantation,Kolukkumalai tea plantation was another highlight of the day.

We spend the night camping at Suryanelli.The next day we started the cycling stint of the tour.Our destination was the town of Vandanmedu,a distance of 70 kms.I particularly enjoyed the challenging climb of 9 kms from Nedungandom.

On the 2nd day of cycling,we did a 40 km stretch to Kumily.Here we took a days break to explore the Periyar Tiger Reserve.A 3 hour walk in the reserve gave us the opportunity to see a wide variety of endemic birds,elephants,langurs, indegenous plants and trees.Being so close to nature and breathing in that pristine natural air is an invigorating experience.

Over the next 2 days we cycled through Kulamavu heading towards the backwaters of Alleppey.Kayaking through the backwaters is a great way to discover the local village life and interact with the natives.The sunsets here are beautiful and a sunset cruise would be an ideal way to end the day.

After 2 days in Alleppey,it was time to return back to Cochin.Here we spend a day exploring the little hamlet of Fort Cochin,with its mixture of heritage buildings,churches,dutch palace and the Jewish synagogue.In the evening we witnessed a traditional dance performance,Kathakali.

An finally we bid our farewells after 14 days of fun,excitement and adventure.Looking back one feels the 2 weeks passed away in the blink of an eye and even after all these days,our appetite for adventure has only grown.

Cycling Challenge in Rajasthan

2010-12-11T11:44:00.041+05:30

20 November: At last the day is here. We are doing our first independent cycling challenge in Rajasthan. It was a major decision to undertake this challenging task so far away from our comfort zone. As I was waiting at the Delhi airport lounge, I was feeling a sense of pride watching the Kalypso staff in their uniform ready to receive our guests for the next 10 days. Met up with the Chairman of the Regain charity Lord Ivor Mountbatten and when introduced, I asked him (with an ‘if I may be permitted to ask’ prefix), if he was in any way related to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of the British Indian Empire and the first Governor General of independent India. He happened to be the (more adventurous) nephew of LM. It was indeed a pleasure to meet him. I saw Vishal waving to the couple of faces he already knew, Ben & Justin. They were with us a few months back doing a recce of the cycling route. Of particular interest were the few very special guests we had. Steve Osborne, Chris Tucker, John Mackness, and Jonathan Harris on their wheel chairs. After a round of introductions we were on our way to Agra. The sights en-route were amazing as well as amusing with herds of cows in the middle of the road patiently waiting to cross. One step more disciplined than their masters on 2, 3 and 4 wheelers.

After a brief stop over for a rather late lunch we were back on the road to Agra and to a warm welcome at Clarks Shiraz. We suggested a quick shower, dinner for those who are hungry and bed as they have had a long day. Needless to say late evening found the entire group checking out the all so famous Kingfisher beer at the bar. So much for the long day.

21 November: The team was down in the grounds of Clarks, fitting out their bikes for the next day. It is always a pleasure to see the enthusiasm of the participants when they go into the minutest details of fitting out their cycles. Seat heights, change of pedals, jell filled seat covers, bar ends and ofcourse gizmos like gps, horns and led lights. Of particular interest was the hand bikes meant for the tetraplegics. Complicated in looks and rather simple to assemble, these cycles are powered by hands (assisted by batteries) and were technically perfect to make the pedaling as easy as possible. To me it was a new experience and I wondered if in-spite of the fancy looks, they would be able to cover the average 70 kms a day on roads that were even worse than what we find in Cochin. Having got that done, it was time to head out for the magnificent Taj Mahal. To most it was a first time experience and was dazzled by the sheer beauty of the Taj.

Back to the hotel, a quick shower and we were at the next door restaurant where Vishal put up an excellent power point presentation of the days to come and Ben gave a summary of the do’s, donts et.al, followed by a typical north Indian dinner. A taste of things to come.. Early to bed ( I don’t believe it) and all geared up for the challenge next day.

22 November: The big day and it was an early wake up call for the team. All set to go by 0730, the team made an interesting spectacle in their riding gear. I’m sure it would’ve been even more interesting if it wasn’t for the briefing given by Ben (an more graphically explained by Anne) the previous evening regarding dress code. Taking into account the unruly (as mild a term as possible) traffic in Agra it was considered prudent to transfer the team out of the town in buses. Our team had already transferred the cycles sometime in the night and were ready for us when we reached the start point. The canteens filled, a final tightening of nuts, bolts and pedals done and the challenge was ready to go. For good measure, a local Hindu priest blessed the team, applied tilaks on their foreheads and tied a good luck charm around their wrists and the team set course for the first stop of the challenge, the camp at Bashawar. It was amazing to see the tetras on their way and keeping up with the other cyclists. The roads I repeat were horrible to say the least and only comparable to the ones in Kerala, the God’s Own Country.

After a welcome stop at the lunch point and treated to some north Indian delicacies, we were off again heading towards the welcome comfort of the camp.

The tetras out

did themselves and after a few stops en-route to refill their canteens and re-nourish themselves, we were at the camp just as the sun was setting. The camp was spread over a huge expanse of land and had all the ingredients of a good resort. A quick wash and change and the team was ready for the second challenge of the day at the bar cum dining hall. While early to bed and early to rise would’ve been the ideal norm for the challenge days, the team ended up with the unsavoury combination of late to bed and early to rise.

23 November: Today’s the longest day of cycling. Fortunately the weather is nice and not too hot. After breakfast, the team started cycling by around 0800. The destination for the day was Bhadrawati Palace.

Roads continued to maintain its quality and posed the biggest challenge to the riders. I had to get back to Cochin and had to say my farewells to this wonderful team of people. After seeing the team off, I started off for Delhi Airport for my onward journey.

(Continued from the excerpts provided by Vishal……. ). Stop over for lunch at Karikothi, a small village en-route and continued cycling. Post lunch the weather turned and the rains came down. Now that was a bit of surprise for everyone to have rains in Rajasthan. Blame it on the Global warming and climate change. But the team went on regardless and it sure was a sight to see, fully drenched and with the Rajasthan mud sticking on to every exposed part of their bodies. The Bhadrawati Palace was a welcome sight and after a nice hot shower and change, the team settled down to an evening of Rajasthani music and dance followed by dinner.

24 November: Another long day ahead and the rains refused to relent. The ride became more challenging with the rain and the mud and ofcourse the pot holes which had become part of the ride by now.

A heritage temple made an excellent back drop for a refreshment stop en-route. After a brief stop at Baswa, a small town for lunch, the ride continued. A herd of Sambar was a cheering sight and finally we came to the only climb of the ride, a 400 feet ascent to the Hanuman temple. And down below was the camp for the night, on the foothills of Sariska Tiger reserve. Unfortunately it was not so much a welcome sight as the grounds were muddy and slushy. Fortunately, the rains subsided and we were able to have a Camp fire and a sing song session before the hot dinner. The team went to bed, late as usual praying for a clear tomorrow.

25 November: The prayers seem to have been answered and we got a brilliant day for cycling. The terrain was undulating and very scenic. Cycling along the sand dunes was a nice and new experience. Comparatively an easier day. Lunch was once again set up near another Hanuman temple. The tetras were by now pushing themselves hard but were able to keep up. The undying spirit obvious in their sheer effort to keep up with the other cyclists. Steve however seem to want to take off leaving everyone else behind. He was much more experienced and been doing these rides on a regular basis. We had to literally hold him back. The Deola Camp was set up in the midst of the san dunes. An awesome setting

after a long day.

26 November: The final day of cycling. There was a sense of achievement as the team started off in the morning. Today was not a long day, but more of a relaxed day ending up at the beautiful gateway hotel at Ramgarh. It was a fitting finish for the challenge. An awesome spread awaited us for lunch. After a lot of back slapping and congratulating each other we settled down for lunch. Post lunch we transferred to the pink city of Jaipur. Evening was the time to celebrate their achievement. A round of speeches, congratulating each other and keeping the night young till the sun was almost ready to rise on the eastern horizon… It was a proud moment for us, the Kalypso team, when we were given a standing ovation for a job well done.

27 November: Today was a day of sight seeing and exploring this famous and historical city of Jaipur including the Amber fort. The land of the kings.

28 November: Up and about earlier than usual, the team left for Delhi Airport at 0400 for their onward journey to London.

End of another trip for Kalypso. Another job well done. Another first for us when we travelled over 2500 kms with over 40 cycles and personnel, away from home port to conduct a near perfect programme. We have proved once again that we are the best. North or South, East of West, we are the best and we are proud of it.

Finally, hats off to the participants. Nothing was too tough for them. They could’ve stopped cycling and stayed back, cursing the weather and everything around them. The tetras.. It was a lesson in coping with unexpected adversities in life and facing it all with a smile. Not just a smile.. but a very broad smile. Thank you Steve. Chris, John and Jonathan. We enjoyed your company and we wish you many more miles of riding. Thank you Anne from Action for Charity. It was a pleasure to have you with us. Your cheerfulness kept the spirits high and even the winter rains couldn’t dampen that. Hey Ben, Thank you. It was a pleasure working with you. Looking forward to seeing you back in India Mrs & Miss in company. Thank you Pete (of Global Adventure Challenges) for putting your trust in us. I did guarantee you an excellent trip.

Here’s wishing Action for Charity and Regain all the very best. May your efforts reap fruit and may your tribe grow.

Signing off after my first blog.. Phewww..

Trekking For A Cause - The Charity Challenges at Munnar !!

2010-12-03T20:02:00.055+05:30

The Munnar Trek ......the fascinating terrain beckons.....

The Team Kalypso was was busy in the last few days with two trekking challenges in the Western Ghats at Munnar.

The aim: To support two very noble causes – Concern Worldwide and Hike For Hope. The trekkers most from the UK & some of them in their 80’s, were on hand to trek through the gruelling mountain trails. What made the trip memorable was pelting rain, leeches (!) and of course the spectacular sceneries. It was indeed a sight to see the groups of nearly 100 trekkers negotiating this trail within a few days of each other. The camping was done at locations with panoramic views of the Western Ghats - with high altitude evergreen forests (the shola forests) , rolling grasslands, deep crevices and myriad mountain streams, pools and waterfalls – indeed a magical world of pure natural beauty!

The start of the challenge....

Starting off on the trek to the Anaerangal Lakeside, soon found a group of local school children in animated conversation with them - language not being a barrier. After some good walking, soon reached the lakeside camp - locally called Antony's Camp.

Second day....

The Kolukumalai Tea Estate is the world's highest tea estate. Established in the 18th Century, the tea estate and the factory were the first stop on the second day of the trek. After an interesting interlude at the factory, the trekkers were off through the tricky trail to the Bottom Station near Kurangini. The rain which pelted down was of no consequence and all made it to the camp well in time for a campfire and a great Indian dinner.

The Third day....

The real Challenge started the next day with a steady climb of over 3500 ft ! Following the old tea worker's trail, the trek wound its way through grasslands and montane forests to Top Station - where the old ropeway had its 'Top' station. The trek lasted the full day and by evening everyone was in the camp - tired and awaiting the excitement of the next day's Challenge.

The Fourth day's challenge...

The most difficult part of the calimb was to come today - a 15-km trek - challenging and through spectacular mountain scenery.

The forests and grasslands constantly crisscrossed by mountain streams gurgling down to the plains below and myriad water falls of all descriptions, till the team reached the valley of the rododendrons where the camp was set up for the night.

The climb to the summit...

The last day of the trek took the trekkers to Meesapulimala, the second highest peak, south of the Himalayas ! A great feeling of triumph for having endured (and enjoyed !) five days of the most difficult terrain of the Western Ghats - all for a great cause!!

Dramatis Personae (Team Kalypso)

Roheen (Trek leader) & Ravi (camp 'boss' at Top Slip)

Hari, Vishnu, Jerin, Vasant, Manoj, Antony

At the 'Finsh Line' & Packing up !

The navy is here...

2010-11-05T19:16:00.015+05:30

Not often do we see the Singapore navy in action in the mountains of the Western Ghats. Rarer still, a hundred of them trekking through the beautiful Munnar landscape. So out they were in the midst of the mountains for an ‘exercise’ in survival ! An Early morning start and off to Munnar, stopping en-route for a cuppa and off once again to start the day at the picturesque Anaerangal Lake..

Calisthenics near the Anaerangal Lake before the trek starts..

And off they go through the grasslands.

No, no one is sick here..just a CASEVAC drill in true Navy style..

'Stream Fording' near Shantanpara. A fabulous route if there was one, with the Kalypso Boys leading the way through dense forests (and (leeches !!) ..

Camp at Shantanpara

Kalypso Camp Boss Ravi keeping a weather eye open in the wilderness.

Next day off again through the spine of the Western Ghats towards Chatuurangapara, negotiatinng the tricky Devil's Ridge. Out comes the ropes with Eldo, our ropeman, gingerly helping everyone across, the job is done and over in a jiffy.

A short break - Prateeque and Michael near the peak.

Everyone reaches the peak at Chaturangapara (The Chess Rock !!) with fabulous views all around.

At last, for the cameras - after a fabulous trek through the mountains !!

Abacus Children's Camp, Suryanelli

2010-10-05T09:43:00.005+05:30

The Kalypso team was all geared on a beautiful Tuesday morning for the children’s camp at Suryanelli. On arriving there, we were absolutely taken aback at the scenic splendors of the place. If one were to describe the most beautiful thing they have seen, they would be at a loss for words. Suryanelli seemed to have that kind of an effect on me. Being my first time at the camp there, the first bit of my trip lay in just looking out into the landscape. The one thing that stood out so magnificently was the strip of water running down from the foot of the mountains. What looked like a line of mounds piled in rows and rows and soon disappearing into the mist was Suryanelli. This got me extremely thrilled. I knew the next few days were going to be just brilliant.

A couple of hours after our arrival, we could hear the distant screams of excitement. The children had arrived. They were thrilled. They were like little kids at a candy store. Everyone was running and jumping around, till the sound of the loud whistle hushed them up. “I am hungry” yelled one little kid. They were starving. After a long journey by train and then a long bus ride to Suryanelli, they were exhausted but all set to camp it out. Thus, after a short briefing about the camp, the kids had lunch.

After a heavy and relieving round of lunch, they were divided into two groups. The first, named them IBN (Irritated By Nishit) and the second BC (Butt Crackers). On forming the teams and the spirit of competition slowly beginning, we headed for a tent pitching demo. The teams were asked to watch the guides set up a tent, and later, each team was given open space to pitch four tents each. That got the whole team working together, lot of laughter and fun. They finally successfully pitched eight tents with a little help from the guides. We then started the team games. The two teams were further divided into two groups within their teams and simultaneously had two games going. The kids loved it.

We then moved on for tea after which we had the boy’s tug of war. This was where all the adrenaline came to play. The girls cheering for the boys in their teams at the top of their voice… the boys struggling and the tug of war boy’s champs were “TEAM IBN”.

That wound up all the activities of the first day. The evening ended with a nice camp fire set up for the kids and a lovely dinner.

The next day was a bit of a downer for the children because it started raining but that didn’t kill their spirits. They had a trek arranged for two hours, and they completed it successfully, without any complaints. After lunch and little time to relax, the kids enjoyed the river crossing. Later, the girls had their tug of war competition, which was even more interesting than the boy’s.

The highlight of the entire trip, however was on the third day. The kids were all taken to the lake, where they were made to build a raft and had a few competitions. This was followed by a lunch which was to be prepared by each team with a certain amount of provisions which were provided. The children enjoyed themselves thoroughly. This was the best part of the entire trip for them

The last day concluded with the competition games. And entertainment programmes by the kids. After lunch it was time to depart. All in all, the children found this an experience to remember a long time forward.

Mallya Aditi Children's Camp

2010-10-01T10:13:00.006+05:30

The first view of the camp

It was a typically chilly Bangalore morning that greeted the children of Mallya Aditi . The reason, they were about to venture out on a 4 day outdoor camp at Germalam. None of them, including the teachers had any notion of what would be in store for them over the next few days………..…… The first views of the camp send their spirits soaring.

The briefing

On the first day at the camp, the children were busy getting settled in and preparing ourselves mentally and physically for the days ahead. They were split into four groups and asked to come up with names and logo’s for each of our teams.

Team building games

After much deliberations, discussions and heated arguments, the teams finally came out with a few interesting options. Group 1 called themselves Gorbachov’s, Group 2 was Veerapan’s, Group 3 The Haboobies and Group 4 was the Fluorescent Adolescents (F.A). And thus began the camp games, which the children enjoyed thoroughly.

The second day started with a 2 hour trek into the forest and its periphery, where they were on the lookout for wildlife and some interesting varieties of flowering plants that are found in these parts. Although we didn’t have much of a wildlife sighting, we did have a night visitor, a solitary bear, the very same night.

Post lunch, the emphasis was on some team building games. Each of the teams went through the Spider Web, Pipeline, and Minefield.

Tug-O-War

The teams had an opportunity to test their strength with the Tug-O-War. Being a competitive event it was held over the 3 days and team Haboobies proved to be the strongest. We even has an all girls team which created quite an upset when they beat Gorbachov’s.

Love Shack

Now it was time for the teams to build the team shelters. Creative juices flowed, forgotten skill sets were brought out of their closets and spies were send to other team camps for reconnaissance. At the end of it all Team.F.A were declared winners.

En Route to build rafts

The Relay

On Day 3,we were taken to the Tibetan colony nearby. Here we were given detailed instructions and taught the fine art of raft building. After toiling for more than 2 hours we all finally managed to get the team rafts ready. And now we were all set for the raft race. A relay race with 6 in each raft competing against the other teams for the honor of being the first to cross the lake and return. Then they exchange places with another 6 members of their team. After a grueling and closely fought race, Team F.A was declared the winners.

Hungry tired and famished we trundled along. Only to find out that there was a surprise treat waiting for us. Authentic Tibetan Momo’s. We gobbled them up. Prannoy was the momo champion with 8 helpings (After which he had to be carried back in a specially build stretcher).

Cultural Programme

The last and final item on the competitive list was the cultural programme. Each team was allotted 10 – 15 minutes to showcase their talents. We were kept amused by an entourage of talented singers, actors, dancers and musicians.

F.A won the cultural competition too and was crowned the overall champions.

By now we were all starving. A delicious dinner was what we were hoping for and that’s exactly what we go. A sumptuous spread of local cuisine.

Mallya Aditi Team

The last and final day was quite a sad one. The camp was such great fun that none of us wanted to go back. There is no doubting that they will definitely be back soon.

World Challenge - The Edinburgh Group (Day 4)

2010-06-29T10:18:00.004+05:30

After an enjoyable 3 days of trekking and interaction, we all were under the impression that we had quite got the hang of things around Munnar. Trekking was almost second nature to the group as we moved along noisily everyday.

Little did we know what Day 4 of the trip had in store for us!

The trek today was a lot more challenging and strenuous. The entire group was quite exhausted by the time we were done.

An awesome dinner made up for whatever aches and pains we were complaining about. A huge spread - just what the doctor ordered in after the long and tiring trek.

An there was still more to look forward to - The Cultural Programme. Our objective - to give our Edinburgh team members an insight into the local culture of Kerala and India. Looking forward to it!

We get back to Kochi tomorrow! Log in soon, for a full fledged account of our eventful 5day Munnar trip. And don't forget to check out our videos and photos once we're done uploading them!

Want to go on a similar trek? Contact us at Kalypso Adventures and we'll cook up a trip tailor-made to suit you. Visit our website at www.kalypsoadventures.com! We are looking forward to hear from you!

World Challenge - The Edinburgh Group (Day 3)

2010-06-28T10:43:00.004+05:30

Day 3 proved rather interesting in terms of sights to take in but was challenging as we spent almost 14 hours walking around.

The group's enthusiasm remained through it all and kept their spirits up. The group went through cardamom plantation and the Kalypso crew did a splendid job of teaching the group about tea-processing. Doubts and questions continued to be asked as we trekked through the plantation.

A long day of trekking and we finally reached our camp for the day Santhanpara...

Santhanpara is a picturesque village nestled among the dense forests of Idukki District. It is about 30km from Munnar. The name Santhanpara is derived from the saint Santhamuni, who is believed to have meditated in this place.

Situated in the foothills of Western Ghats, the magnificent stretch of land with tea, pepper and cardomom beckons one into an aromatic and dreamy landscape. The mountains surrounding the place make it ideal for trekking and long walks.

Last day tomorrow! Looking forward to it!

Check our updates out regularly as we trek through Munnar!

World Challenge - The Edinburgh Group (Day 2)

2010-06-28T10:36:00.006+05:30

Today we restarted our trek early morning.

More beautiful scenery and more climbing and trekking brought us to a tribal village. We mingled with the local people and the children in the village and spent some time there.

The group from Edinburgh had a lot of fun giving the tribal children a lesson in performing arts at the tribal school in the village. The kids too, thrived in the attention, and showed off their prowess. The group mingled well and everyone seemed to have a real good time.

The tent pitching competition was held at the camp in Suryanelli. The competition was rather challenging with the wind blowing hard and disrupting the groups trying valiantly to pitch their tents. The wind speed at the camp here was insane!

Suryanelli is an enchanting hill resort near Munnar in Idduki District. It is enriched with the scenic western mountain ranges and an ideal place for a break. Suryanelli has a beautiful lake, surrounded by tea plantations. Anayirankal Dam and Power House Waterfalls are next to this spot.

Tomorrow a 14 km trek awaits! Log in for more as we progress...

World Challenge - The Edinburgh Group

2010-06-28T10:17:00.008+05:30

I was privileged enough to be selected to go along with the group based from Edinburgh who were now in Kerala, for The World Challenge Expedition organized by Kalypso Adventures.

If you haven't been reading our older posts, World Challenge organizes expeditions to different countries for students in the United Kingdom as an opportunity to develop skills that cannot be taught in the confines of a classroom. Kalypso Adventures is proud to be able to give these students a chance to see more of India (Kerala to be more specific) and challenge themselves as they trek through the terrain in Munnar.

Munnar is a town located in the Idduki district of India's Kerala state, situated in the Western Ghats of India. The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) to 2,600 meters (8,530 ft) above mean sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The temperature ranges between 10 °C (50 °F) and 0 °C (32 °F) in winter and 8 °C (46.4 °F) and 16 °C (60.8 °F) in summer. The tourist season in Munnar is from August to May. However, even the monsoons are lovely with many streams and rivulets in the area and post drizzle the dew drenched tea gardens looking majestic and heavenly enshrouded in light mist.

Early today, we started our trek in Munnar and were enthralled by the beauty and serenity the hills of the region had to offer. The sights and sounds and smells, the chatter of the group as they made their way along the trekking route with the guides - everything seemed surreal and peaceful as we took in the beautiful scenery around us. Even the occasional drizzle didn't dampen our spirits.

We had a few thrilling moments every now and then - the most interesting being the seemingly precarious crossing over the ricketiest bridge I'd ever seen! Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they watched their team-mates crossed over.

We trekked through a leech-infested land and a steep uphill climb along a barbed wire. The girls from Edinburgh seemed excited and chattered away as we trekked, not really bothered by the leeches or being tired.

Our day ended with a tent-pitching demonstration carried out by our very own Kalypso Adventures guides. A competition among the group would be held the next day, and the girls listened intently.

An eventful first day of the trip!!!!

Check out our progress tomorrow night, as we move on to discover more around Munnar!

World Challenge - Team Kerala, Dublin

2010-06-16T15:03:00.007+05:30

World Challenge organizes expeditions to different countries for students in the United Kingdom as an opportunity to develop skills that cannot be taught within the walls of a classroom.

Last week, Team Kerala came down from Dublin with the objective of challenging themselves. The team was an all girls team and ably guided by their Team Leaders – Peter and Helen. They checked in to Kochi on the 5th of June and settled down to familiarize themselves with the climate and culture of a different country.

Chinnakanal was the first destination about 13 kilometers away. From Chinnakanal, we started the trek through the grasslands to the Anaerangal camp in Suryanelli. The sky was overcast but the team was lucky that it didn’t pour. In Kerala, whenever it rains, it pours.

It was on this route that we were fortunate enough to sight elephants. We did have the necessary ammunition to scare them away – fireworks, but we didn’t have to use it, luckily! More exciting things happened when we hopped across a wooden bridge to cross a stream, a bit more of a challenging task than it looks at first glimpse. It wasn’t so much of a bridge as few logs put together!

The next part of the trek was when the group moved from the Anaerangal camp to a place which we call Suryanelli Camp. On the way, we were able to interact with school children at a tribal school. The group donated toys to the kids through the funds that they raised and brought a smile to their face. The group also managed to go to a tribal village to see Keralan way of life and interact with the locals. The locals were initially a bit hesitant and observed the group from their

rooftops.

At the Suryanelli camp, the group had to set up their Basha beds, a hammock sort of bed although

it is covered – good protection from pesky mosquitoes. Check out the pics, if the description isn’t enough. It was over here that the group got themselves involved in outdoor team building activities. Aside from being lots of fun, these activities showed the group the importance of working in a team.

We were awoken by a girl screaming and we ran over to see if there was some wild animal attack. In a way, perhaps, but it depends on whether you count a leech as a wild animal.

The most striking thing about the group was their bundle of energy. It is outstanding to see a group so filled with enthusiasm – they sing throughout their trek. The day’s trek started near Anaerangal dam. The destination was Santhampara about 13 kilometres away. The trek took us through the world famous Cardamom Hills. We passed the Mathikettan Shola National Park, although we did not enter the park per se. The word Mathikettan is derived from Tamil and means “Mind Confuser” – signifying that once you enter, you forget the path. A place you shouldn’t enter, obviously.

From Shantampara, we moved on day four to Chaturangapara. This section of the trek is relatively difficult as the path is steep. The trek also goes through the Kerala-Tamil Nadu state border. On the right side, lies the state of Kerala and on the left, Tamil Nadu. Although the distance was only ten kilometers, the topography of the area made it probably the most difficult bit of the trek. However, Team Kerala did not lose any of their resolve and managed to complete it without any unnecessary breaks and little fuss. Kudos to them! The wind was blowing at a high velocity and it made climbing very difficult indeed. Again, team work helped as people decided to move in groups and conquer nature’s obstacle.

At the Chaturangampara camp, we organized a cultural ceremony. A simple event to understand one another’s cultures, and we really did understand the Irish! The team sang songs and performed traditional Irish dances; they even taught us a bit of their language, or rather, their dialect. They even taught us a lesson on Indian culture when three of the members dressed up in saris and performed the AR Rahman song “Jai Ho”. Imagine our shock. Not to be outdone, we too put up a show and performed songs in different languages, including Tamil, Hindi and our native Malayalam. However the energy of Team Kerala just proved to be immense and we, sadly, had to concede defeat. They graciously cooked us a meal of noodles, soup and chicken curry as well – a little experimental, but worth the effort.

It was sad that the expedition had come to a close, however for Team Kerala, their project was still left. And after we said our goodbye’s the team proceeded towards their project and to make a difference in the lives of a lot of Keralite children. In Thekkady they were interviewed by four regional TV channels and are considered mini celebrities in our state – what all one can achieve just by teaming up with Kalypso!

The Student "Challenge"

2009-08-15T15:53:00.000+05:30

At Kalypso Adventures we are veteran adventure organizers and have just started facilitating schools from abroad to come down, have an adventure and do some volunteer work as well. This past month we brought down six schools from the UK to participate in what we call a Student Challenge.What happens is these groups have about 4 days to work in a local school to do simple projects that help these schools. So we sent 3 groups to a small village called Germalam near Satyamangalam to help out in the local government schools and I was sent along to “coordinate’ the whole thing. My task was to make sure that everything went smoothly acting as the middle man/translator between the schools and the groups.

At Germalam we had a campsite run by Mr. Daniel who had been in the area for the last 25 years. Originally a farmer, Daniel had for the last five years set up a campsite on his property and ran it with the help of his wife and daughter. The campsite was beautiful with the hills in the foreground and forests on either side and the sound of elephants to keep you company at night. I was told that we had three layers of fences two of which were electrified to keep out the elephants that were apparently known to stroll by. I arrived two days earlier to make preparations for the groups coming.

'Wild' Valley Farm

The first 2 groups were from a school called Kingsley. They would both work in the same local school, group 2 finishing the project that group one started.

The first group consisted of 13 girls, 1 teacher and 1 expedition leader. They arrived on the 20^th of July after a long bus journey and were relived to find that the campsite had bathrooms equipped with WC toilets and lots of toilet paper. After the long queue to the bathroom diminished and the girls settled down we had a cosy dinner in Daniel’s dining hall and I briefed the girls about what they would be doing for the next 4 days.

Dining Hall

These girls would be working in a local school half a km away. It was a government school with only three teachers and way too many kids. The school had only one tap which was used for 130 students, their bathroom, kitchen and teachers. So the group would build them a pipeline that would give them more taps and a connection to their bathroom and kitchen. Also a new building was being constructed and the group would paint the front façade. The local school had just received 5 laptops but unfortunately no one at the school knew how to work them so the group would have to try and teach the teachers some computer basics. Finally they would have to interact with the students teaching them some English and playing games and other activities.

The Germalam School

With this long list of tasks to be accomplished the girls looked worried but also excited as they went to bed to get a good night sleep before their early start the next day.

The first day started at seven with a short walk to the school to meet the teachers and to take the measurements for their project. The students of the school would not arrive till nine and this would give the girls some peace to take measurements and talk to the teachers. The teachers were very happy to meet the group and wasted no time listing out the long list of maladies that the school suffered from. Unfortunately it had to be explained that they were only here for 4 days and they would do as much as they could. After taking the measurements for pipeline and painting projects, the girls returned to the farm for breakfast and a surprise. It was one of the girl’s birthdays and Kalypso had bought a cake and Mrs. Daniel had decorated the dining hall with balloons and streamers. Breakfast and cake boosted morale and the girls were eager to start their projects.

Walk through farms to school

Breakfast birthday Cake

Materials for the project had to be bought in the next town 15 km away and so the group hired 3 sumo taxis for the ride. There was a Tibetan colony near the town and so the group decided to visit the monastery and use the tranquility there to plan for how much material they required. After some hard bargaining the pipes and paints were bought and by two in the afternoon the group was back at the farm for lunch. After a quick bite the group decided to go back to the school to begin work on their projects.

Zen planning at Tibetan Monastery

Haggling in different languages

They reached the school a little wary not knowing what to expect and were greeted by a mob of smiling children who stared at them in awe. For most of the students these were the first fair skin-blond hair people they had seen. After the teachers managed to get kids in order, the girls got down to the tasks at hand.

I was a little apprehensive about how these 16 year old girls were going to dig trenches and paint walls but these girls surprised me with their enthusiasm and were quickly dirty with mud and paint. The rest of the day was spent in clearing the area of rubble, digging the trenches for the pipeline and applying a coat of white wash on the walls. Some of the girls even started playing with kids teaching them a few action songs. The girls worked till six o’clock before they returned to the farm.

Digging and Painting

The next 2 days were a little more relaxed with work staring at ten. By now the students had become friendly and ran to greet the girls as they walked up to the school. The group divided themselves into 3 teams-- digging, painting and teaching. More trenches had to be dug and the digging girls took turns getting their hands dirty. Even I gave it a hand and trust me it is not easy. The girls were digging along the back of the school connecting taps along the way as well as digging a trench to the main line along one side of the building and a line to the kitchen. Trench digging was slow and tiresome but the girls didn’t give up. The painting girls had to apply a coat of white oil paint as a base coat before they could paint more. Every time I checked on them though, they seemed to be getting most of the paint on themselves. The teaching team made the most noise surprisingly, with loud action songs and lots of fun games.

Putting their backs into it

The hokey-pokey

After digging the trenches the girls had to measure, cut and lay the pipes. Daniel showed them how to do one and then it was all up to the girls. The painting girls had decided to paint some alphabets and pictures of fruits and vegetables and spent some time trying to decide which fruits and veggys( The ones chosen were the easiest to draw) would make it on to the wall. Everyday after 4 when the school children went home the teachers were free for their ‘introduction to computer’ class. Hard work and two days later most of the work was done.

Daniel showing how its done

A for Apple

Even i want to play Pinball

The finished wall

The final day, and the girls had a few feet of pipeline to complete and some finishing touches to the painting. With some determined effort they finished their work by twelve and went back to the farm for a quick lunch and to prepare for a sports day they were organizing for the school children. The school kids arrived at the farm at one thirty and it took all the groups energy to try and maintain some order. They split the children into different groups and organized different events like a sack race, tug of war, dodge ball, cricket, football and just random running around. The kids enjoyed themselves and when it was time to go there were tears in both the girls as well as the student’s eyes.

Sports day

Saying goodbye

Kinsley Group 1 ended their time at the farm with a BBQ dinner, a bonfire and lot of stories about their time here. They were all sad to leave but were looking forward to their next project in Kollam. In the beginning I was afraid that there would be too much work for these teenage girls from the U.K, but at the end of four days I was afraid that the next group would not have enough to do…

Skinning the Chicken

BBQ!!

The second group from arrived on the 26^th of July a lot earlier than the previous group and this time there was no beeline for the bathroom as they had a pleasanter journey. It was another all girl group with one teacher . This group was going to complete the pipeline started by group 1 and paint the other half of the front façade.

Their schedule was similar to that of the previous group with half of day 1 spent purchasing the materials. This group had to connect 2 overhead tanks on one building, connect one tap assembly on the back of the school, and complete the connection to the bathroom. I was told that this group had more artists among them so the painters were encouraged to do a more elaborate job.

The school kids by now were also familiar with the routine and wasted no time, this time around being shy. They ran to the group as soon as they saw them; climbing, hanging and hugging these girls who were quite taken aback by the welcome. The second group again got down to business from day one as soon as the materials showed up.

A warm welcome

Accurate measurements

Day 1 Digging

Once again they split in to 3 groups— pipes, painting and interaction. And over the next three days they worked remarkably hard. The diggers had to extend the trenches to the bathrooms. This involved going through a big stone that proved no match for the Irish will power of Kabir, the expedition leader. The group also had to fix the overhead tanks which involved getting 65 bricks on to the roof. I played catcher as they threw them up to me. The mason also needed some help inside the tank.

The Man and his Mountain

An inside job

Trench Warfare

The painters decided to paint an “Under the Sea” mural on the wall. This was a big job and the girls got down to it from day 1. It was really interesting to watch how the mural took form. From just a coat of white to little fishes and dolphins popping out I was impressed and the kids loved it.

Evolution of the Dolphin

Looking for treasure

The girls in charge of interacting with the kids taught them lots of action songs with Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes being one of the favorites. While the children picked up English words quickly. The kids were allowed to play with the computers and it was evident that they learnt much faster than the teachers (Although it was pinball and paint for the kids and word and excel for the teachers). The teachers were taught after four everyday and were very grateful for the lessons.

Computer Basics 101

Granny Crocodiles

The last day for the second group was again similar to the previous group. Half a day’s work to finish the project and then return to the farm for another sports day. The painters put on the finishing touches. The diggers had got the tank in place, the connection to main line complete and taps connected but….. No Water!! There was no electricity for the pump. With a shrug and hopeful that they would see water out of the taps before they left, the group returned to the farm for a quick lunch and to prepare for the sports event.

The children from the school arrived post lunch at one thirty and were quickly divided into seven teams, each with its own color. One of the events was a relay race where the girls tried to explain the rules. Unfortunately with the blow of the whistle all the kids in the line ran from start to finish. Once the chaos was controlled and the hysterical laughter subsided the other events like tug of war, balloon race, wheel barrow race were conducted. At the end of the event we were told that the electricity had come back at the school so we could go check if the pipeline worked. The kids were so excited and determined to not let this second group of girls leave that they clung to each one of them on the walk back to school. We all waited with baited breath as the first tap was slowly turned on and Splash!! We had flowing water. The kids went berserk starting an immediate water fight. Unfortunately it was getting late and it was time to go. Once again faces were wet not just with water from the taps but also tears as the girls realized that they had to leave.

I'm guessing Orange team?

Relay Rules not Relayed

"Sports"

Water!!

Koala bear goodbyes

Under the Sea

The last night was spent with the girls turning hosts and cooking dinner for everyone on the farm. Stir fried noodles, baked potatoes and lots of Sprite filled us up nicely with the girls talking excitedly of their next week of relaxation.

Young Chefs

The third group was a large group of 22 from a school called Charters in the UK. They arrived early evening on the 1^st of August and like the previous groups were immediately taken aback with the beauty of the farm. The group was a mixed group with boys and girls, 2 teachers and the expedition leader. They quickly settled into their tents and were soon about exploring the farm. The boys finding the volleyball court for a quick game before dinner.

The Charters group was larger, here for longer and had a bigger budget than the previous groups so we decided that they could do a lot more for a school. They would be working in a school 10km away and would have to be bussed there and back everyday. The next day being Sunday there would not be any kids at the school but just the Principal, so they could visit the school and find out what the Principal wanted them to do.

Drive to School

It was a scenic drive in the morning to the school and the kids were quiet in anticipation of what they were in for the next week. Andy, the expedition leader, quickly took charge identifying projects other than the pipeline and painting that the group could undertake. It was decided that they would level and landscape the playground, paint the nearby health centre and nursery, wire a classroom and pay for a few upgrades for the school. The group was divided into different teams and each task had a leader who was in charge of getting it done. They measured lengths of trenches to be dug, area of wall surfaces to be painted and determined other materials that they would need.

The next day was “shopping day”, and a delegation went to the next town to buy all the materials required. The group had also decided to buy benches for the school as well shoes and sock for each kid. The materials would only arrive the next day so the group used the remaining afternoon to do some much needed laundry.

The materials were delivered to the school the next day and the group got cracking. This school had a similar water problem as the previous one with only one tap for the entire school. Thus 2 tanks were going to be installed and a pipeline was going to be dug to connect the bathrooms, the nursery next door and a separate line to the kitchen. Since the task was bigger than the previous group a plumber was hired to help out.

Babu the Plumber

Lift with your knees

The painters had many different tasks this time. They had decided to paint the local health centre with some informative pictures, the nursery, the playground equipment, a new gate and a sign post. Andy being supervisor would keep checking on the different groups to make sure things were going according to plan.

The health center

The nursery

Boss man Andy

Leveling the playground was a huge task and few local men were hired to help out. For the landscaping bit of the project, the group had decided to construct an embankment between two levels on the playground, a bench around a tree for the students to have lunch and steps to make it easier to get to one of the classrooms. The group hired some masons for the construction and had to help by clearing the field of stones and carrying materials to the masons.

Heavy Lifting

Team work

Lunch tree

Steps to knowledge

Colorful swing

Each team took turns to teach the children some English as well as few songs and dance routines. The students at this school were a lot younger than the previous school and were a lot more timid the first few days. But like they say, familiarity breeds contempt, it was not long before they were yelling, screaming and climbing all over the group. The teachers more or less abandoned classes the time the group was there, as the students were uncontrollably curious to watch all the stuff happening at their school.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes..

Picture card learning

For six days the group worked hard from nine to five everyday bringing the projects closer to completion. The last day that the students would see the group was Friday so they decided to organize a small activity for the children. They got the kids to play Frisbee, tried teaching them how to skip and taught them the Macarena. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and even the teacher joined in the fun. To end it on a high note the group then distributed the shoes that they had bought for the children. Most of the students didn’t know how to put on socks and needed help with laces. It was wonderful to watch the sheer happiness in their eyes as they received their gifts. Unfortunately it was time for the children to leave and so once again I had to watch the sad goodbyes as the kids left.

Jump and catch

Macarena

Next teach her how to tie laces

Kodak moment

The last day was a Saturday and the group came to school to finish up their projects and to clean up. The pipeline was ready and we had water in the taps. The paintings looked good and the teachers were very happy. The playground was ready and the group inaugurated it by sliding down the slides and swinging on the swings. The principal was thrilled and couldn’t thank the group enough. The group proud of what they had accomplished left the school for their last night at the farm.

Simple pleasures

It's my turn!!

Quality control

Leaving after a job well done

Once again the group turned hosts. They decided to do a BBQ with some noodles and chips. After dinner everyone sat around a big bonfire reminiscing of the week spent and looking forward to the week ahead. They were pooped from their week of labor and it was with (I’m guessing) contentment and exhaustion that they collapsed in to their tents for their last night at Wild Valley Farm.

Almost four weeks and three pipelines later my work was done and it was time for me to return to Kochi. Leaving the tranquility of the forest for the hustle of the city was difficult but i was looking forward to my bed. My time here taught me many things--- plumbing, never underestimate the ability of 16 year old girls, Tamil(the language i was supposed to be translating) but more importantly how just a few people and some hard work can make a difference to this world. So if you are reading this, stop what you are doing and Take The Challenge.

For more pics check out our Facebook Page or visit us at Kalypso Adventures

Even the Rains couldn't stop us...

2009-07-13T13:38:00.037+05:30

I was super excited about my first ever trek in Munnar but at the same time also extremely apprehensive about whether I would actually be able to go through with it. I do enjoy a tad of adventure in everything I do. But seriously, this was the real deal. I didn’t even know if I had the stamina to walk long distances, let alone trek! But one thing I had decided was that I was going to give it my best shot, try to enjoy it and come back triumphant.

For those who don’t know much about Munnar, it is one of the most picturesque locations in Kerala. Munnar is at an elevation of about 2200 metres above MSL and is mainly a tea country. It is also a wild life sanctuary for those fleet footed nearly extinct Nilgiri Tahr. These gently undulating hills also turn a sea of violet once every 12 years with the rare blooming of ‘Neela Kurinji” (Strobolanthus).

Day 1
I was told that the vehicle would pick me up at 6 am. Considering that I was home on holidays, I hadn’t really seen those wee hours of the morning. Surprisingly, I was all packed and ready to go by 05:30. You can imagine how excited I was.
It had just been a few hours since we had departed Kochi, the scenery was spectacular. It was nothing like the city and it was almost like we had reached a different place altogether. This place, it was a breath of fresh air. Well, not for too long really. The winding roads and the uphill climb were causing all this exotic scenery to revolve in my head. We pulled over and I purged my stomach of the breakfast that I had had that morning. Yes, I threw up and it was disgusting. My stomach behaved itself for another two hours but the only question on my mind was “Are we there yet?” Thankfully, by noon, we arrived at Suryanelli. A blanket of thick mist covered this beautiful town even at midday and the weather was simply perfect, albeit the incessant drizzle.
My empty stomach welcomed the so called ‘light’ lunch and we geared up for our first trek of the trip. We pulled up our leech socks (whose worth I would only realize on the day I decided not to wear it) and grabbed a few bottles of water and started our trek. During our climb, we covered a distance of 8 kms uphill from Chinnakanal to the camp site at Suryanelli. It was almost impossible to traverse the steep descents without any support. I managed to grab on to the elephant grass (rightly called so, visibly much taller than I was) for support unaware of how sharp they were.

going down...

We then made our way across what the guides called a ‘bridge’. It only looked like a sad excuse for one to me. It was simply three wobbly eucalyptus trunks laid down with a flimsy metal wire between two standing trees on either side to hold on to. Luckily, we managed to get through to the other side safely.

The 'Bridge'

During the last leg of the trek, we noticed Das, our driver, waving out to us. Boy, were we glad to see him!! That last stretch was indeed the easiest. We binged on the snacks especially the local peanut ‘chikkis’ that Das brought us and were back on our feet with renewed vigour. A little while later, we could see the road. The guides assured us that we would be at the camp in no time. Clearly, we differed in our sense of distances. I’m positive we walked more than 2 kms till we finally reached our destination. With the camp staff cheering us on, I think we almost sprinted towards the camp. The camp overlooked the idyllic shola grasslands and provided a magnificent view. After lazing around and whiling away sometime, I took a refreshing shower and gorged my dinner. That night I slept like a baby.

Day 2
The next morning, after a game of key punching we packed our bags for our next trek. I was told that we would be taking a downhill route to Anaerangal. We began the trek on the road but took a route that landed us on giant rocks. The previous nights’ rains had caused the rocks to become very slippery. We slid down the rocks, which I thought was a very innovative way of getting past them. We watched the mist gracefully lift, slowly revealing the splendid scenery.

before we started slipping and sliding..

We then carefully made our way downhill to the Muduvan Tribal colony. We had brought a few sweets to give the local children to coax them to take pictures with us. They took the sweets all right. But literally headed for the hills thereafter.

And then there were none..

One tribal accompanied us to our next road interception as the area we were going to cross was known for its wild elephant population. He wore a lungi, flip flops and carried an umbrella. I must admit we felt a little stupid in all our trekking gear at that point of time. To me, he certainly didn’t look like he could save us from the elephants but I liked how confident he was. We managed to reach Anaerangal an hour later and as luck would have it with no elephant encounters on the way.

Since we reached the camp ahead of time, we decided to play a few games. However, the rain played spoilsport and we called it a day. We had successfully completed our second trek. Just when we were about to retire for the night, the elephants decided to pay us a visit. Fortunately, our guides burnt crackers and Das (to the rescue!!) chased after them with the jeep. Too terrified to even come out of our tents, we missed all the nights’ action.

Day 3
The next day, we started our trek at the Anaerangal dam and made our way through the well manicured tea plantation. Although the climb was tough, it was really worth it.

through the planations.

We entered the cardamom plantations with our local guide, Jayan stopping at almost every plant to give us its specifics. It was nice to see his enthusiasm, but we were only too happy when he finally finished with his discourse. We enjoyed a quick lunch with the plantation labourers.

lunch at the plantations..

It was good fun listening to the girls and the labourers exchange pleasantries. The girls were trying out the few words of Tamil that they had learnt and found it very amusing to hear the labourers reply in the little English that they knew. We proceeded to the Shanthanpara camp. During the steep climb, we wondered how the camp staff and the guides actually managed to lug all the camp stuff to the site considering the fact that there was no jeep route (all hail the Kalypso supermen!!).
That night the guides decided to scare us a little with their story of ‘Elizabeth’ the friendly ghost who apparently regularly visited the camp site. It was pretty clear the story was bogus, but I must say we were a little creeped out when we saw moving shadows outside our tents at midnight.

Day 4
We were already told that the trek on the fourth day would be the longest and toughest of all the treks. After leaving the camp site at 08:30, we walked for about 5 kms on the road before we finally reached Chaturangapara, where we would be trekking.

Strategizing ..

The climbs were very steep and the winds were against us. Along the way, two blood sucking leeches decided to tag along with me. This is when we tried a very interesting way to get rid of the leeches - tickling them. And it worked!! This trek was indeed the most challenging. But once we reached the summit, it was just brilliant.

its all about the grip.

We were actually walking on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The topographic contrast between the two states was evident and the view was out of this world. Moving down was a whole lot easier because the winds were literally throwing us that way. It was near impossibility to go down together so we divided ourselves into groups of three. The groups locked hands and were accompanied by the guides one by one. I’ve got to say, these guides are insane. We were cribbing about climbing up once and these guys climbed up and down thrice. Their energy was insane. Hats off to them!! ( you know who you are, go on give yourselves a pat!)
We treated ourselves to a well deserved lunch and continued to our Chaturangapara camp site. Once there, we tried our hands at fishing. Sadly, the fish weren’t very interested to be a part of our dinner platter. Thereafter, we lit a camp fire. The landlord’s children presented before us the traditional art forms of Kerala, only that the sword was substituted with a spoon and the shield with a vessel lid. The performance was definitely entertaining. It was then decided to have a dance off between the girls and the guides. I really don’t know who deserved to win but the night was definitely a lot of fun. An honorable mention goes to Das, whose break dance performance was the highlight of the night.

Day 5
As this was a last day, we loaded all our stuff into the mini-van, bade goodbye to all the camp staff and left for what would be our final trek. We had to take a couple of deviations, since last nights storm had uprooted trees, blocking our beaten path.The trek lasted only 45 minutes and seemed like child’s play to us now. After the trek, we boarded the vehicles and left for Kochi. I was adviced to sit on a newspaper to prevent myself from throwing up (I successfully managed to bust that myth by the way). The journey took us about 5 hours, which we spent relaxing (read: sleeping).

From stopping to pluck wild fruits to take back to camp to singing all the way to keep us going, every aspect of this trip will be etched in my memory forever. Despite all the sweating and panting and weariness, we managed to enjoy every moment of the trek and surprise ourselves each day. This was indeed the experience of a lifetime. Not only did I complete the trek and thoroughly enjoy myself all along, I brought back a whole lot of wonderful memories. Well, apart from leech bites and the cuts on my hand courtesy the elephant grass. But then again, I guess that’s what a REAL trek is all about, right?

Paintball in Kerala, Kalypso Adventures

2009-05-06T11:14:00.018+05:30

'PAINTBALL' COMES TO KERALA

Kalypso Adventures introduced paintball for the first time in Kerala.This was a scenario based game where terrorists had taken hostages and it was up to the commandoes to help save the day.

gear layout

strategy is the key to victory.

A paintball marker (gun) with a muzzle velocity of almost 300ft /sec,works almost like a real gun,the difference being the bullets are small balls of paint.

Darth Vader wearing colors.

Super commando shabeeb in action

2009-04-15T15:38:00.066+05:30

GREAT ARC VINTAGE CAR RALLY 2009

The Great arc vintage car rally started from kanyakumari in the southern tip of India to Mussorie in the Himalayas to commemorate the ‘great arc’ survey done during the 19th century.
The Great Arc, a mammoth project, began 200 years ago by a visionary called William Lampton.The plan was to map a line 2500 km long from north to south that would reveal the curvature of the earth and begin the task of accurately mapping the entire subcontinent. Nothing similar had been attempted before nor has been since. A half -ton theodolite had to be transported by foot through unchartered territory- but the heat and malaria took a heavy toll. The project took over 50 years to complete, claiming countless lives including that of lampton himself, all in the name of science. indeed such was the nature of the task that it would arguably never have been completed had it not been for the determination and genius of lampton’s successor, sir George Everest, after whom mount Everest was named.
Hailed as ‘one of the most stupendous works in the history of science’, the great trigonometrical survey, set the base for the definition of Indian topography. This is the foundation on which all of India’s infrastructure-roads, the extensive rail network and telecommunications are planned.

This car rally was organized by ROARR (rhythm of the road rally) and kalypso adventures. The rally consisting 27 participants in 12 cars and 3 SUV’s.We recreated the living environment of ancient 19th century camp at each of these locations. Luxurious tents in scenic spots in rural countryside with attached toilet, hot water bath, dining areas with a moving kitchen, were transported across the country to cater to the rally schedule. Needless to say that the mobility and functioning of this mega facility involved phenomenal logistics and supporting vehicles and a specialized crew.
Starting on the 6th of February ’09 at Kochi in the state of Kerala this rally passed through 10 states covering 5000 kilometers to reach Mussorie in a month’s time.

The cars participating were:

1935 Bentley special sport
1937 Lagonda
1952 Chevrolet convertible
1958 Jaguar XK150S
1965 Volvo 122s
1966 Volvo 144s
1968 Mercedes Benz280sl
1969 MGB roadster
1970 Mercedes Benz 280sl
1970 Buick convertible
2007 Land Rover 90 Defender

Camp Dindigul (Tamil Nadu)

Six days of hard work furnished us with a camp fit for kings.15 luxury tents with attached western style toilets,hot water showers and a central dining area.Now all we had to do was wait for the royalty to show up.much to our surprise ,when they did it was much before the scheduled time .over a span of seven hours the rallyist trickled in and we had our hands full settling everyone in.

A good shave and a massage after a long long day

Day 1. This first day we had something special rolled up our sleeves.A wine tasting session(in the middle of no where with the bar being a bullock cart!).

Day 2. For the early birds we started the day with a birding walk,sighting quite a variety . The plan for the day was a drive up the palani hills and back by late afternoon followed by a formal dinner.

Formal dinner

Ten years of age and a veteran of three rallies already

Day 3. An easy day in comparison.Generally around the camp and working on the cars for the next days long drive to ooty.

Tinkering

Camp Hampi(karnataka)

Day 1.yawn, 18hours of straight travelling and the 14hours of overnight sees the camp completed.Quite an achievement considering it took us 5 days to complete the first camp. But then we have only 8 hours to complete the next one.This campsite is on the bank of the river Tungabhadra situated in a river island called the 'hampi island'.

'BEST VIEW BARBER SHOP' Hampi

Day 2. This day is spent lazing around in camp, some go on a historic tour of hampi and ofcourse some use it to tinker around with their cars.A special candle lit dinner is in the cards.

A hampi sunset

We call it the island of light

Camp Kaddam (Andhra Pradesh)

Situated in northern andhra pradesh, it was quite a surprise for even us to find forests over here.In fact on recce we met a couple of officials running DNA tests on tiger skat.Seems like there are about a dozen tigers roaming in these jungles and yes we did spot a leopard that night in the vicinity of the camp.anyway , so like i was saying, only 8 hours to prepare this camp!
Good morning bentley

This day an optional drive and picnic lunch was planned,an loop of 120kms and lunch on a river bank near the dam.

joy ride

Camp Panchmarhi(Madhya Pradesh)
Panchmarhi is a old cantonment town, it is also our last camp for this rally.The campsite being a police firing range. Again we had only 8hours to complete the camp, but by now every one was on top of what they were doing so wasn't much of a problem getting it set up.

Alignment

the catering team

final fare

This is where we part ways, the rallyist drive further north passing through three more states to reach their destination whereas We head south glad that everything went according to plan. till the next time.....

cast and crew

TREKKING AND RAFTING THROUGH KERALA

2009-01-13T10:19:00.040+05:30

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Raleigh expedition, one phase of which involved a 17 day trek and rafting experience across Kerala, organized and run by Kalypso. This was no easy feat especially for someone like me with no previous experience in trekking or any strenuous physical activity for that matter. So having to one day start trekking with a heavy rucksack, for an average of 10 hours a day came as a bit of a shock to my unprepared body. But as a group we stuck with the challenge, overcoming exhaustion and pain, while focusing on reaching the campsite for the day.

The first 2 days were definitely some of the hardest, not only because of the tough terrain but also because we had to keep it up for up to 12 hours each day. Despite this, some my clearest memories come from these days as we trekked up and down mountains in what seemed to be a constant drizzle, sat on top of mountains eating lunch while taking in spectacular views and sceneries, walked as fast as possible through forests crawling with leeches that attached themselves to us anywhere they possibly could, crossed streams as soon as we began to dry out, slipped and slid down rocky mountains spending more time on our rear that we did on our feet and took turns to sit around a fire during the night to keep a look out for elephants while trying our best not to fall asleep.

Our Kalypso guide- Jerry

Reaching campsites at the end of each day filled me with such a sense of achievement that I had managed to finish yet another day of trekking, but our work did not end there as we had to set up tents, cook dinner and complete all the other tasks that needed doing before settling down for the night.

Cooking on a campfire

Getting a special meal ready

One of our many campsites

As the trek progressed, we got into the routine of getting up at the unearthly hour of 4.30 each morning, packing rucksacks and taking down tents in the dark, stuffing as much porridge as we could down our throats and setting out for yet another day. As we headed out each day I would anxiously wonder if this was the day I would finally be unable to reach the campsite. But thankfully with a little help from my supportive group, most of whom spent quite a bit of time holding my hand and pulling me up hills, we managed to reach campsites everyday in good time.

Girls will be girls

Honing our navigation skills

Along the way, we would stop at tiny chai shops where a nice hot cup of chai and a banana did a lot to rejuvenate tired bodies and spirits. If we were lucky we would also manage to spot tiny restaurants and gorge ourselves on parotas and egg, fish, chicken and beef curry, pretty much buying the entire place out and thus avoiding the much dreaded “rice bags” which we carried as lunch. As we stopped for breaks in these small towns, intrigued locals would stop and ask us why we were walking with all our heavy gear when we could just as easily take a bus.
We also developed an affliction we termed “the trekker’s waddle” which was the result of all the aches and pains and which replaced our normal gait with a mix between a limp and a waddle.

Lending a helping hand Sitting outside a tiny chai shop

As the days wore on, we trekked through forests so thick we could barely see the person ahead, got a few more leech bites, climbed to some of the highest points in South India, jumped into rivers whenever we could for a welcome swim and wash, washed clothes as we sat on rocks in the middle of a river, nearly had our tents blown off in the middle of the night as we camped on top of a very windy hill and I personally discovered that I have a very poor sense of balance.

Time for a wash

Learning the art of lungi tying

As the final day of trekking drew to a close, we finished on a high, having had to push ourselves on the final stretch which was all uphill, finally arriving at our campsite with whoops of joy and hugs all round. We ended the day with a candlelit dinner around a table (a rare occurrence) which was kindly cooked for us by our host.

Celebrating the end of the trek The final sunset in the mountains of KeralaThe next day we set out for Neriamangalam to begin the rafting and it was a relief to be able to sit in a moving vehicle rather than be on our feet. On reaching we were instructed on how to build raft with bamboo poles, rope and inflated tubes. Splitting ourselves into teams: ‘The Pirates’ and ‘The Titanic’, we completed the task in about 3 hours and set out on our journey down the Periyar River. But due to the dam being shut, the river was as still as a pond and no current meant that it took us about an hour to do 1 km. Rowing was hard work but us Pirates (Arrr) and the Titanic persevered, despite one of our tubes developing a hole which I held closed with my thumb for the last half hour thus earning me the name ‘Captain Gluefinger’, and accidentally losing one of our paddles leaving us with only seven rowers. The rafting proved to be tougher than imagined but was an equally memorable experience.

To bring this adventure of ours to a close, we decided to spend our last day at Fort Kochi and had a relaxed time wandering around seeing the sights before heading back to Mysore to say our last goodbyes to everyone.

This trip has definitely been an experience of a lifetime and it still amazes me that we actually accomplished all that we did. Some of my most memorable moments were taking a small detour down a slippery and rocky mountain path to see the most beautiful, pristine waterfall in the middle of nowhere which I’m positive only a few people have ever had the opportunity to witness, sitting and having a wash in the middle of a stream while watching tiny fish swim past, deciding to slide down rocks instead of navigating it on foot, pretending to be pirates, a whole lot of hand holding and the sense of achievement and pure joy on reaching the final campsite.
This is an experience I would recommend to anyone!

CARES 4 KIDS KERALA BIKE RIDE'08

2008-10-20T12:56:00.075+05:30

The journey continues....

If you put 400 km,5 days,50 cycles and a bunch of highly determined people together what you get is a challenge.So it was, traveling from kochi at sea level to the hills of Munnar averaging 5000feet and back to sea level to the beaches of Marari. A journey through rainforests,interior villages,rubber and tea plantations and the spice hills of kerala.It was a journey undertaken by 50 people from different paths and different parts of the world with a mission to raise funds. Cares4kids is a UK based organisation who raise funds for children around the world who are disadvantaged - socially, mentally or physically. This is how the journey unfolded....

BIKE FITTING DAY

The day before the challenge was allotted for the participants to familiarize themselves to their bikes and to set the bikes to their specifications.

Waiting for their partners

warming up

DAY 1

This day we covered a distance of 70 km riding from Kochi to the beautiful Hornbill camp situated at the banks of the river Periar,riding through villages and the Thattekad bird sanctuary.

Calling upon higher powers

With a little help from his friends

hmmmm..

A modest lunch

Rest at the end of the day at Hornbill camp

DAY 2

This day we cycle for 75 km, from the rainforests of Thattekad to the hills of Munnar,gaining 5000 feet in altitude.

an early start

First glimpse of the hills

Gaining stardom

DAY 3

This day we ride down through beautiful tea estates and spice plantations to end the day at the Spice Village resort at Periar covering a distance of 75 km.Enroute we visit an orphanage and interact with the children.

Starting the third day from the Lockheart gap

Anerangal lake

DAY 4

This day we cycle for 59 km to Vagamon.Though it is shorter in comparison to the other days it still is a hard day of cycling. We end the day at Summer Sands resort and a fancy dress party follows.

Big Mo escorting the ladies

Spice Girls and the Bling thing
a pint of O+ please.

DAY 5

Today we cover a distance of 117 km ,losing 4000 feet in altitude ending the challenge in the Marari Beach resort,in the shores of the Arabian sea.

the pilot vehicle

Sea of green Country roads Congratulations The venturers and the organisers

At the end of 5 days of hard cycling we end our journey to the beats of a temple band and to everybodys surprise ,an elephant waiting at the gates of The Marari Beach resort.For team kalypso it was yet another opportunity to learn and to share.We thank the participants of the Cares 4 Kids kerala bike ride' 08. Looking forward to the next challenge we end this chapter. To be continued........

THE KERALA WALK, 08

2008-10-06T14:28:00.060+05:30

A few days ago Kalypso conducted a walker’s tour through Kerala for participants raising funds for The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, a voluntary, non-profitable, charitable organisation. It was set up in 1963 to increase knowledge and awareness of CF and to give advice and support to people with Cystic Fibrosis and their families.

Participants arrived in Kerala on the 25th of September and were transferred to the beautiful Marari Beach where they were given time to settle down and adjust to the new location, climate and culture. The day was spent relaxing by the sea side and going on a short walk along the beach with the sound of the waves and the birds as their only companions. In the evening the Kalypso team briefed participants about the walk ahead giving them details about what they could expect, safety precautions they would need to take as well as a small introduction to God’s own country Kerala.

Day 2 dawned, bright and sunny. So after an early breakfast participants were taken to the starting point of their walk: Pullinkunnu Junction. The walk included manouevering over narrow bridges while heading towards the homestay at Emerald Isle, an ancestral country house set in the beautiful waterways and backwaters of Central Kerala. After a delicious lunch at Emerald Isle, the group boarded a houseboat that took them on a relaxing cruise down the serene backwaters as they made their way to Alleppey.

Setting out

Short break from the sun

A peep at the backwaters

Lunch at Emerald Isle

Lazing in the houseboat

Disembarking

On day 3, the group started out from Marari Beach Resort walking to the Aruthungal Church. Today’s walk covered 7 km and was another day walking through Kerala’s beautiful coastal plains. On reaching the church, participants visited the beach nearby after which they were taken for lunch to the Arakkal Homestay, a heritage home set in a village along Marari Beach. Post lunch they decided to visit the Mararikulam church nearby and were invited to attend the service being held there.

Lunch at Arakkal Homestay

Partaking in the Holy Communion

On day 4 the group was required to reach Munnar, a hill station set at an altitude of 6000 ft. with an unending expanse of tea plantations, pristine valleys and mountains. They were transferred by vehicles most of the way and stopped en-route at the Neriamangalam bridge where they went for a short 2 km walk. Post lunch, they continued on their way to Munnar till they finally reached Tea County, their destination for the night.

Indian welcome

The spread!

Walking through the Keralan countryside

The fifth day saw everyone wake up to the clear skies and cool weather of the hills, a contrast to the sultry and humid climate of the coastal plains. Today’s itinerary included a 9 km walk through eucalyptus plantations and tea estates starting from Silent Valley. The walk came to an end at the Mattupetty Dam where a few adventurous participants went on short elephant rides. The rest of the day was spent doing a little sight seeing until they returned to spend the night at Tea County.

Walking through tea estates

Admiring the adorned elephant

Starting out at the Anaerangal Camp today, the group headed out on their 10km walk. The walk took them through a route with breathtaking views while passing through tribal colonies and plantations along the way as they headed towards the lake. Following a picnic lunch at the picturesque Anaerangal lake the group spent some time enjoying themselves at the lakeside, after which they were taken for a visit to the Tea Museum that highlights some very interesting facts and figures about the growth and development of tea plantations in Munnar.

The Anaerangal Camp
Warming up

Refreshments
Curious localites

Lunch camp

The entire team

Day 7 saw the group being transferred to Thattekad, where they headed out on a 7 km walk through the lowland forests of the area. The naturalist that accompanied them helped them take note of the unique flora and fauna of the area.

Walking through the lowland forests

Lunch at Hornbill Camp

Venturing out on kayaks

Kochi is a city located in the midst of many islands and narrow peninsulas. Fort Kochi is noted for its buildings and architecture that reflect the Portuguese, Dutch and English influence on this ancient trading port. The group began their history walk through Kochi at the Naval Museum, and went on to walk through the Dutch Cemetery, the old St. Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was first buried, the majestic Santa Cruz Basilica, and moved on to stroll through Jew town while stopping to visit the Dutch Palace. They also tried their hands at the unique Chinese Fishing Nets which are only found in Kochi outside of China. They ended their walk through history with a celebratory dinner at the resort.

Walking through tree lined avenues

A path dotted with European style houses

Inside St. Francis Church

Handling the Chinese Fishing Nets
Santa Cruz Basilica
Lunch at Cochin Fort
This walk that was organized for the great cause of raising funds for research into Cystic Fibrosis proved not only to be an opportunity to help others but also enabled participants to visit the beautiful land of Kerala, expand their horizons and make new friends.

KALYPSO @ THE KERALA TRAVEL MART, 2008

2008-10-06T12:12:00.009+05:30

From the 21st to 23rd of September, Kalypso Adventures participated in the Kerala Travel Mart to promote our products and attract new buyers from the vast number who attended the travel mart this year.

The Kerala Travel Mart is a biennial event that showcases Kerala, Asia's new age destination. It is the only tourism even in the sub-continent that brings together the business fraternity and entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala.

Here are a few snapshots from the KTM.

THE TRIATHLON MAIN CHALLENGE (1st to 8th August, 2008)

2008-09-03T11:42:00.060+05:30

The second Raleigh program was held in the months of July and August. Their last activity involved a strenuous adventure challenge organized and executed by Kalypso that included a two day trek, a day of cycling followed by a 24 hour survival camp and 3 days of bamboo and river rafting. The challenge was framed keeping in mind the abilities of participants but also with a view of testing their stamina.

The Raleigh team arrived at Hornbill camp on the 31st of July. Set on the banks of the Periyar River, Hornbill Camp was the field base for the 7 day adventure challenge. They were divided into three teams of about 15 each and briefed about the days ahead. The three groups were to simultaneously undertake different activities, led by the Kalypso team, so as to complete all the trekking, cycling and rafting tasks at the conclusion of the week.

The challenge was to be a competition between the three teams who would be presented with a variety of “secret agent tasks” which would all count towards their final group score when they returned to Hornbill camp on the 8th. The next 7 days were truly going to be a test of their survival and innovative skills.

As a start to the challenge, the teams were given some interesting tasks to complete. It involved thinking outside the box, as well as a whole lot of teamwork.
Rallying themselves into their groups, the participants discussed strategies for the days to come in whispered tones and pumped themselves up for the challenges ahead.

Getting to know their team

One of the many 'secret agent tasks'

Time for strategies

The trek portion of the program was probably the toughest on each team. Two days of mostly uphill trekking from Lakeside to Korangani and then to Top Station, over rough paths strewn with rocks and stones certainly took their toll on the young participants, not to mention their encounters with leeches. Despite this, they persevered each day, setting their sights on reaching the campsite for the day. The trek took them through some spectacular locations, with views overlooking pristine valleys. and some exciting encounters with wildlife.

Encounters with the passive Indian cow

Enjoying the welcome shade

Across streams...

and mountains

Birds eye view

Planning for the days ahead

Creative juices flowing

The result!

Packing up camp

Teams set out early for the cycling bit, as they needed to cover 50 km in a day. For safety reasons, they were not allowed to cycle past 4 p.m. meaning they had about 8 hours to complete this challenge, which involved a lot of uphill cycling. Undaunted by this, the teams set out early and started on their course. All teams were not able to complete the entire course, but they each did reasonably well, taking into account the unpredictable weather and steep, bumpy mountain roads. The route took them through the lush, green Kerala scenery till they reached Lakeside where they set up camp for the night, in preparation for survival camp the next day.

The next day saw the teams being challenged to survive on their own for the next 24 hours after being given a few essential commodities. Each member of the groups learnt some useful new skills after this survival challenge which included a GPS treasure hunt, a night elephant watch, cooking a meal with some basic ingredients and sleeping in basha beds they had to construct from scratch during the day.

Initial briefing

Passing by the lush green tea plantations

Tired out

Chai break

Setting up camp

The last activity of the challenge was 3 days of bamboo and river rafting. The first day of this activity required them to build their own rafts with the materials supplied to them. The materials included bamboo sticks, ropes and inflated tubes. Using this they constructed the rafts and paddled down the river to their campsite at Neriamangalam.
The second day saw them embark their rafts for another day on the Periyar River, to reach Hornbill camp where they happily camped for the day, with access to modern toilets and facilities they had sorely missed the last couple of days.
The bamboo rafting portion was relatively easier for the teams and they had a fun time bonding and splashing around as they floated down the river. Despite the hot sun beating down on them and the slow current, most teams reached the campsites in good time.

The thought process

Instruction time

Starting problems

Ready to go

We've reached!

The last challenge was a rather more relaxed affair- river rafting. The teams first went on a little 7 km trek to Boothathankettu damn to warm themselves up. After a short stop for lunch and briefing by the Kalypso team, the group all geared up in life jackets and helmets set out for a fun day of river rafting. Following a relatively calm time paddling down the river, the group was in for a surprise when they were asked to jump overboard! It was all a part of the Kalypso experience. After an exhilarating time being gently swirled around by the light current, the group climbed back onto the raft and continued on till the end point, from where they were transferred back to Hornbill camp.

Setting out to the dam

Unni, instructing the team

Going down to the river

And they're off

With the adventure challenge over, all teams headed back to Hornbill camp for a day of relaxing and packing up before they headed back home. The entire program ended on a high note with a barbecue and party organized to celebrate friendships made, new experiences and accomplishments.