http://www.team4adventure.com/blog Read, Learn, Experience the writings from the world of Adventure Mon, 07 May 2012 07:36:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/communications-to-my-fellow-kayaking-mentors http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/communications-to-my-fellow-kayaking-mentors#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 06:32:33 +0000 Romila Sil http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=386 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } I have written this article with a dual purpose in mind. One, it is dedicated to all the amazing people I have encountered during the five weeks that I lived in Shivpuri alongside the kayaking community. This is my way of showing how much I appreciate having met them. Two, it is for the readers to realize that some of the most inspiring people and their stories are ones that we do not expect at all. Learning the ropes : Vishal Bhandari, Jayant Deo, Romila Sil Dhoom Singh, our superhero: I would get up even before the alarm rang at 6 am. It then took me a while to pull myself out of my sleeping bag, zip open my dome tent window, and watch some of the startled monkeys hurriedly scramble from the rooftop on to nearby trees. As I would bounce down the stairs towards the kitchen I could already sense that you were up and about. Either sweeping or swabbing the floor or pounding the ginger that eventually would go into the masala chai. Stepping into the kitchen momentarily I would salute you ‘good morning’ before starting my morning ablutions. Dear Dhumma, all my mornings would have such a refreshing start just because I could help myself to cup loads of chai that you would lovingly make and perch myself at my favorite spot to write my journal while daydreaming side by side. And I would still be able to hear you busy yourself with some work in the kitchen or the bathroom, always so efficient and quick, hardly ever resting between morning and evening. I would always wonder where you derive this unending energy to do so much work from, especially on expeditions. After a long day of kayaking on the river with us, you would straightaway get the kitchen tent set up even before changing your kayaking attire. And then you would plod on for the rest of the evening cooking for us no matter how tired you would be. Because you never neglected your job. Silently and steadily working behind the scenes (more like hidden in a kitchen tent) you would keep telling me to relax even when I would offer to help you with minor tasks. You truly are what Swami terms you – a hero.   To my instructor and ‘bulla’ Dev (‘bulla’ means ‘younger brother’ in Garwali): Many mornings as I would sit on the footsteps of the staff house entrance I would be aware of your light, shuffling footsteps shyly approaching me. You would greet me with the guilty smile of one who has woken up later than everyone else. The petite body frame of yours conceals the immense strength you display on the river, especially when you would lift our flooded kayaks (after we exited them in panic) over your head with both hands and empty them on the spot without flipping over yourself. In time I recognized a particular look you would give to all students as you approached them – a look that said “Now it is time to do the Eskimo roll again”. I would try my level best to somehow run away from that look but you would so effortlessly paddle to catch up with me and say “Chalo……..karo” in such a sweet, assertive way that left me no choice but to try. Nevertheless, if it wasn’t for you I would never push myself to do better and better every time on the river. I admire the passion with which you teach kayaking to some of the boys from your village. You never said no to anyone who approached you to learn, even if it meant getting back to the staff house late for lunch. And I truly believe that with more exposure and experience you will be a great instructor one day. Kayaking at Shivpuri along with the instructors Dinesh, the hidden talent: We met much later Dinesh, but that in no way hindered us from getting to know each other. Although it did take me some effort on the first day of our meeting to get you to talk because you were behaving so shy and reserved. Little did I know you would start troubling me on the river with Dev and Chotak, either splashing water with your paddle or dunking me completely underwater unexpectedly. You would be listening to music on your cell phone or be lost in thoughts or quietly laughing at something funny I apparently did or said. And many times I would strain my ears to hear you sing Ghazals which you sang so melodiously. On the river I would hold my breath momentarily, many times, as I would watch you catch the narrowest of eddies with a beautiful Duffek stroke. So gracefully would you paddle that it would put all of us amateurs to shame. And I still cannot stop laughing when I recollect how you once, at Initiation rapid, told me something like “Romila, the rapid is over. Stop looking for the waves!” Let me clarify that I was intensely focusing on running the rapid, never mind the fact that my eyes looked like saucers. Of course there were also the times when neither you nor Dev nor Dhumma would let me wash the utensils in the kitchen. Atleast they were better; you would push me aside, snatch the utensils and not let me help at all!!   To my Ladakhi teacher Chotak: I must confess to have been excited and in awe about meeting you after having heard so much about your kayaking skills from Swami. When we indeed met at your office in Tapovan I realized you were as shy as others and so, could easily conceal my awe within the awkwardness of our first meeting. After all, being in the company of one of India’s top kayakers (one who has represented India at the World Freestyle Competition) did make me nervous. I’m glad you broke the ice during our second meeting by indicating your interest to learn salsa (though you absconded thereafter). It was lovely kayaking with you on the last leg of our “All Kayakers Expedition” as you More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/communications-to-my-fellow-kayaking-mentors/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/excerpts-from-my-kayaking-journal http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/excerpts-from-my-kayaking-journal#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 06:14:56 +0000 Romila Sil http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=371 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } Reflections and experiences jotted down in one’s personal journal are far from being perfect in the literary sense. Thoughts flow like sand in an hourglass; they are neither organized nor comprehensive. My fingertips expend tremendous energy to keep up with such random and fleeting thoughts, but in truth they almost never do. Yet, as I read my journal entries time and again I am transported back in time to those intimate moments and can, as ever, feel their pulse and rhythm. My friend and kayaking course mate Jayant suggested that I write a blog based on my journal entries for the entire five weeks that I stayed and learnt kayaking with Team4Adventure. As I started writing I realized there was way too much to write, so have confined myself only to the one week of the Kayaking Comprehensive Course from 18 to 24 March 2012. There were Jayant and I as the kayaking students (“laddoos” as we are termed), Vishal as the instructor, Dev being his assistant (but I consider him my instructor as well), Swami as the course co-coordinator and Dhoom Singh who is a kitchen help but also a wonderful kayaker. I have selected some excerpts from my journal and to many they may seem disorganized, or vague, maybe even grammatically incorrect. However, I have chosen not to tamper with any of my entries (except the occasional spelling correctionJ) and present them as they were written on those dates. Dhoom Singh, Jayant Deo, Romila Sil and S. Swami 19/03/2012 “It’s early morning and things are just about to get going….I am in my little dome tent on the terrace of the little house that Team4Adventure has. It has been a great previous day and now I look forward to more……..Learning to kayak in a straight line was probably the tougher part as the kayaks move very effectively. We learnt sweep strokes, back strokes, low brace position. Then we moved on to wet exits which did seem intimidating in the beginning but once the apprehension was over it seemed a little more fun. The first time I tried it I got out but my legs were stuck in the cockpit and the subtle cold shock was something to contend with. However, the second time was better and more controlled. We went on to practice part of the T-rescue with emphasis on the hip-snap by first resting our head on the bow of the assisting kayaker’s boat, then a little away from the bow, then completely dunking our head underwater. It felt good for a day’s learning and what we have accomplished……” 20/03/2012 “…..Yesterday was another day of practising skills on the river at Shivpuri. We were made to do a complete T-rescue. The very first T-rescue left me breathless and disoriented underwater. Panicking I went in for a wet exit and had the toughest time getting back into the kayak while in the water……I still was not able to visualize how I was to execute the T-rescue underwater. Thankfully we practiced by the shore with Vishal first and later Dev passing their hands or the flat blade of the paddle…….The complete T-rescue in the river, away from the shore, became much more controlled and easy thereafter. The next skills we learnt were ferry-gliding, eddy in and peeling out. I was quite nervous looking at the main current but after Vishal’s demonstration I was told to move ahead. It wasn’t bad but I was using the word “fuck” with every stroke I took, which was quite funny in retrospect. The next time I practised crossing from one side to another I was calmer and more focused but all my instructors advised me to paddle slow and strong (unlike my quick, inefficient strokes) and to focus more on the forwards sweep stroke than back sweep stroke in order to keep up my momentum rather than stall it. By the time we spent a few more times peeling out and eddying in on the opposite side of the river bank, my legs felt numb and started cramping up. …..By now I was looking very much forward to Dhoom Singh’s arrival with the lunch but of course we had to practice the T-rescue……..” 21/03/2012 “Our first river run was yesterday…….We ran a stretch of 8 km from Brahmapuri to Rishikesh with three major rapids – Initiation, Double Trouble and Hill Turn. Had to carry the darned kayak for a great distance to the river bed but the boulder-ridden shore was tricky and we were helped by the team for the last part of the carry….. On the first ferry glide toward an eddy on the opposite bank of the river I flipped and wet-exited. Vishal called it jokingly the “welcome flip”. Dev was nearby for a T-rescue and was a little disappointed as to why I did not go for that. I hope against hope I can begin to identify the eddy lines and other river features in the days to come. We crossed Initiation rapid after scouting it from a distance. The line to kayak was beginning to sound intelligible then. It was a challenge to keep to our given line in the water and seems from the video we watched later that I was close to being flipped by a mini-poreover. Dev was shouting that I hit it straight with an added forward momentum. All my common sense wondered why but I listened just to Dev and hit it as he was instructing……None of us flipped in the first rapid. The second rapid was a different story. I crossed the rapid and apparently got stuck in a mini-whirpool at the end and lost my balance. Moments before I had noticed that Jayant had wet exited and was being helped by Vishal and I assume that it had some kind of psychological effect on me and I followed suit… A lovely palao lunch by the river at one of the ghats followed by a quiet and conversant evening with bonfire and barbeque was a nice end to the day. Did I mention reviewing the videos just before dinner and having a great laugh at the two More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/excerpts-from-my-kayaking-journal/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/gorson-khullara-bugiyal-trek-product-launch http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/gorson-khullara-bugiyal-trek-product-launch#comments Sun, 08 Jan 2012 06:29:52 +0000 Administrator http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=362 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } The Gorson Khullara Bugiyal trek is the latest addition to the rich inventory of Adventure trips that are offered by TEAM 4 ADVENTURE. This trek is in the Auli region, and commands some of the best Himalayan views among other treks. Total duration needed is 7 days ex Haridwar. The trip would be offered from Haridwar Railway station to Haridwar Railway station to make it convenient for the guests wanting to enroll for this trip. The trek is highly recommended to enthusiasts, families and even corporate groups. For individual participants, the company has put up a fixed departure calendar which makes it possible for them to join a group of similar individuals. The best time to do this trek is April-June and Oct-Nov. ]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/gorson-khullara-bugiyal-trek-product-launch/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/early-experiences-as-a-diving-professional http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/early-experiences-as-a-diving-professional#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:48:51 +0000 Romila Sil http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=345 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } It has been several months since I left my island home in the Andamans, and yet memories of the past two years keep flooding me at unexpected moments delightfully and sometimes nostalgically, urging me to savor those little and big events over and over again. How did I come to live there one might ask? So here is a peek into my early experiences as a diving professional. Day off at Radhanagar Beach Do we not sometimes have this intuition, this belief that what is to come in the future is meant to be so, that it happens for a reason? My heart reinforced this feeling in January 2009 as I caught the first glimpse of those emerald islands floating in a vast expanse of blue oceanic waters from the airplane window. Somehow I knew those islands would be my home for a long time to come. I had arrived in Andamans that month in 2009 to advance my scuba certification. I was already a certified diver, having got my first taste of diving in 2003 in a swimming pool in Pune (there were instructors who came from Lakshadweep then), getting my Open Water Diver certification in 2006 and eventually my Advanced Open Water certification in 2007. I had done a few recreational dives thereafter in some dive sites in India and New Zealand. This time however, I came to do my Rescue Diver course and upgrade to the first level of professional diving – the Divemaster’s course. Not that I foresaw myself becoming a part of the diving tourism industry; all I expected from this course was to improve my underwater sense of observation which I hoped would help me in my future research in marine biology (I had just completed my post graduation in marine biology six months before). Little did I realize then that my one and half months itinerary would stretch out to several months and see me go up the ladder in professional diving. What goes inside a dive boat Working with several instructors from different countries as an intern at the dive centre was probably the starting of becoming the person I am today. Of course there are also so many other experiences before this that have contributed as well, but in truth nothing as much as the diving lifestyle. Working in a dive centre is a fun job yet many people do not really understand the amount of planning, physical labor and responsibility that is invested to give our diving clients an unforgettable experience. Yet I loved it all – from waking up at 6:00 am in the morning to help with opening up the dive centre, cross checking the layout of equipment for divers, helping load the boats and greeting customers to coming back from diving late afternoon, sitting in the restaurant to log our dives, washing equipment, office work and preparing for the next day’s routine till 8:00 pm in the evening. There were obviously times when the team would get exhausted and I would wish to get a break, but never have I or will I ever regret having spent those days under the open sky by the seashore, away from a city life, away from television, newspapers and even a decent internet service. Diving made me physically stronger both while above and under the water surface. I learnt so much about team work and how a wonderful team dynamics reflects upon our clients who enjoyed diving with our team and some of whom would come back again. It made me realize that there is dignity of labor and respect for the work done by each and every team member whether at the reservations desk or the boat handling or teaching clients. Being a travelling lifestyle I came in contact with people who have travelled many countries or freelanced at different dive destinations. The dive boats would be filled with divers of all types – backpackers on a budgeted holiday, those having come exclusively for a luxurious dive holiday, divers of all ages, of different countries and professional backgrounds, all with one common interest – their passion for diving. And this was when and where my outlook towards travel and meeting people started taking form. A longfin bannerfish My diving internship got over towards the end of February and I was offered a job at the dive centre from the very next day. I had no fixed plans back in mainland India so decided to work for them for the next few months till the end of May when the season ends due to the arrival of monsoons. That turned out to be a whole new experience. So far as an intern I would be under the supervision of instructors while handling clients, but as an employee now I was on my own. I confess I was very nervous those first few weeks working as a divemaster taking certified divers on a guided underwater tour at dive sites. My main concerns would be if I could find my way back to the diveboat (I was terrible in underwater navigation then !), were my clients comfortable with the pace (I would constantly check the rate of their exhaled bubbles or body movements to make sure they were not over exhausted or low on air supply), would I get seasick (my first few times in somewhat rough conditions would drain out all my energy and I would not even be able to lift a finger – not good if I had to look after my guests !)? In time though I found myself – as a divemaster I learnt my personal style of diving and approaching divers of varying experience levels, as a team member I understood how one can help each other out and yet maintain an individuality, as a person I started evolving emotionally and physically. No doubt I made mistakes (thankfully nothing serious) which I would immediately confess to the dive centre manager. I would expect to get an earful but what surprised me is that he would always say “We all make mistakes and learn from them.” So diving also taught me More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/early-experiences-as-a-diving-professional/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/newsletters/volume-1 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/newsletters/volume-1#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:39:02 +0000 Administrator http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=320 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; }

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]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/newsletters/volume-1/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/information/know-your-rafting-trip http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/information/know-your-rafting-trip#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:53:32 +0000 Sachidanand Swami http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=183 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } Being an avid adventure enthusiast myself, and having a reasonable experience of whitewater rafting as a participant, as a guide and now as an operator, I felt the need to share the much needed knowledge about Rafting, among the people who plan such adventures for themselves, their friends, families and/or their corporate teams.
As the season for whitewater rafting on the Ganges sets in, the simple village named Shivpuri near Rishikesh ( also known as the whitewater capital of India ), would be home to the huge number of people who come here to experience the thrills of whitewater rafting on the Ganga. Whitewater rafting is not a simple touristy fun trip, and should not be treated like one. A good understanding about the activity is important for anyone wanting to participate or organize such a tour. A rafting trip should be considered as a eco-friendly river experience of being in the vicinity or staying besides the river in natural surroundings. The rafting activity by itself is the highlight of such an experience and should be held the most important component of the entire tour. Understanding the hazards Regardless of how easy or safe an operator may state, Rafting is an Adventure activity, and has its hazards which can be as severe as death. As a participant or a group leader, it is your responsibility to understand the risks and assess the confidence and safety measures that are offered to limit these hazards. As a guest/participant, you also need to be conversant with the hazards and showmanship should be completely avoided. Large amount of fatal accidents happen due to negligent guests who disregard the basic precautions. The river should not be compared to a swimming pool. Even the best of the swimmers would have a hard time tackling the complex currents of river waters. Many accidents in the past have happened on weekends which are extremely crowded when greedy operators have enrolled far more guests than they have the capability to ever handle. This results in major negligence, poor administration of trips, use of gear which has well past its good use life, and lack of the much needed supervision on the river and at camp. Who should participate and who should not ! Rafting trips are not for just about anyone. People with severe asthma, paralysis, cardio-vascular and heart problems, epilepsy, pregnant ladies should not opt for these trips. If in doubt, take medical advice before participating. Never force people who are hydrophobic or have any related fears, to participate in the activity. In a group at times people over commit beyond their capabilities, and in the midst of a rapid there is no possibility to bail out. Swimming is not a necessary criteria to enjoy the thrills of this activity. Almost anyone who is fit, and is open to taking on challenges and likes working in a team is suitable to be a partner on a rafting trip. How is a rafting trip packaged ? Rafting on the Ganga is offered as day trips by most operators. A day trip implies a couple of hours time on the rafts, usually spanning 12-15 kms. The participants may be staying at a beach camp accommodation, or may be staying at a hotel. When negotiating a deal with an operator, always discuss the amount of rafting that is offered each day of your trip. Most operators offer alternate activities like rappelling, hikes etc on certain days to keep the guests occupied. This gives a major cost benefit to the operator, as they can operate a different set of guests on different days. It is usually projected as an advantage to the guests so as to experience different activities. A more truer river and wilderness experience can be had by participating on expedition style rafting trips. These trips offer a river journey which is self supported. All camping gear, luggage and provisions travel with the rafting team, and camp is established every evening at some isolated river beach for the night stay. Such a trips are lifestyle trips, are limited in group size and give a more satisfying and detailed river experience and a much closer to nature and more eco-friendly tour. Choosing an operator. This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a rafting trip. Keep in mind that you would always get what you pay for. I am not implying that only the most expensive is the best. But keep in mind that this is an expensive sport for an outfitter to start and maintain. The quality and quantity of your river run will usually be directly proportional to the kind of price that is being asked. There is no short cut for correct safety measures, quality technical equipment, experienced and confident river guides. Running a rafting trip on the Ganga has sadly become a very casual business, and there are a huge number of operators who wont even know the difference between a life line and a bow line ! Rafting is a technical business, and ideally should be taken up by people having passion and personal involvement for the sport. Only such people would understand the need for investments on quality equipment, having a safety kayak in the trip or the presence of an ambu-way respirator in a first aid kit. Unfortunately there is a deluge of rafting operators offering cheap and cheaper river trips each day, defying all economics and financial viability of any quality outfitter. As a customer, it is your responsibility to assess the safety precautions that are offered to you on the river trip. Plan your trip well in advance. Feel free to discuss, question and explore the competence of your operator, before you commit your trip. Just having a slick office or a website should not be the only parameters to help your decision. Lastly if you realize that you have been taken for a ride, inform others so that such operators are supported less in their business zeal. Technical Information for the ones who wish to learn more. Whitewater rapids are classified from class I to class VI, with class I being More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/information/know-your-rafting-trip/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/chandratal-lake-trek http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/chandratal-lake-trek#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:51:07 +0000 Vrutika Doshi http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=112 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } Experiencing the Great Himalayas is one of the things that any avid nature lover would have in the top of their must-do lists. The mesmerizing valleys, waterfalls, snow clad peaks, the vast landscapes, the serene environment and the harsh conditions are all a part of the package that constitute a Himalayan journey. This is a photo journal of one such memorable journey to the beautiful Chandratal lake, in the Lahaul Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh, India. Chandratal Lake, July 2011   At the crack of dawn, we left the lively town of Manali and Marhi was our first stop. The first sip of piping hot coffee invigorated our minds. The infinite blue sky and the animated slivery clouds guided us to Rohtang pass. I was made aware of the things of beauty that nature has given us in abundance, and how easily we forget to appreciate them. After crossing the Rohtang pass, the landscape quickly turned from lush green to dry brown, as we entered the district of Lahaul and Spiti. Marhi Dry Landscape in Lahaul and Spiti About Vrutika Doshi NEXT PAGE >> More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/chandratal-lake-trek/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/photos_videos/photo_of_day http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/photos_videos/photo_of_day#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:08:20 +0000 Administrator http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=96 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } TEAM 4 ADVENTURE PHOTO CONTEST : Photo of the Day

  To participate in the photo contest, visit TEAM 4 ADVENTURE Photo Contest on Facebook ]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/photos_videos/photo_of_day/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/brahmaputra-rafting-expedition http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/brahmaputra-rafting-expedition#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:29:57 +0000 Administrator http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=102 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } TEAM 4 ADVENTURE News September 01, 2011 The company formally adds the Brahmaputra Rafting Expedition as a regular product in its inventory. The Brahmaputra Rafting Expedition would be offered as a 13 day expedition in Arunachal Pradesh. This expedition is one of the remotest river trips in the world, and also gives an unique experience of rafting on one of the biggest rivers on the planet. The very first Brahmaputra Rafting expedition from TEAM 4 ADVENTURE is slated to happen in late November 2011. Details about this expedition can be had from: http://www.team4adventure.com/trips/brahmaputra_rafting_expedition_13d/index.php The company expects this expedition to bring TEAM 4 ADVENTURE in the league of top few rafting operators from India who are offering expeditions with high logistic and technical difficulties. Press representation, Media interactions and similar queries are invited : Sachidanand Swami ( +91-9818525928 ) swamis@team4adventure.com ]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/news/brahmaputra-rafting-expedition/feed 0 http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/whitewater-kayaking-my-initiation http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/whitewater-kayaking-my-initiation#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:15:31 +0000 Aurobrata Ghosh http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/?p=46 #leftcontainerBox { float:left; position: fixed; top: 60%; left: 70px; } #leftcontainerBox .buttons { float:left; clear:both; margin:4px 4px 4px 4px; padding-bottom:2px; } #bottomcontainerBox { width: 50%; padding-top: 1px; } #bottomcontainerBox .buttons { float: left; margin: 4px 4px 4px 4px; } I guess I managed three or four strokes, a bare ten seconds, before the current of the flow gently caught my kayak and softly flipped me over in a slow-motion. Upside down in the water, but still seated in the kayak, which was on top of me, I was still in possession of the now completely useless paddle. And thus I executed my first wet exit in the middle of the river, and returned to the welcoming guffaw of my team on the surface. The author paddling on the Kali river It was in the wintry month of January in 2004 and we were a bunch of twelve software professionals from Delhi, heading towards a very snowy trekking adventure, in the middle of winter, to the mountain abode of Shiva -– the temple of Tungnath near Chopta ( ref: Chopta Chandrashila Trek ) On the way back, we had a day’s stop-over at Shivpuri, where Swami who captained our trip, surprised us with an icing to the whole trip by offering a supplement in form of whitewater rafting on Ganga. Bursting with the excitement and going gaga like only a newbie can at the sight of a ferocious rapid like “The Return to Sender”, we began our initiation to whitewaters with a choking, chilling and freezing ride in an inflated dingy on the Ganga — “Ganga mata ki jai”! I think it was Dharmendra who was my raft’s helmsman. He, witnessing my enthusiasm and ease in the water (I happen to have captained my university’s water polo team), suggested that I should try kayaking in the flatter sections. I didn’t know the river well then, but I suppose it was the section between “Initiation” to the cliff-jumping rocks, when one of the rescue kayakers gracefully pulled in his craft by our lumbering raft, and smoothly releasing his spray-deck pulled himself overboard, signing that I could have a go at his kayak. Confident and trembling with excitement (oh yes, after “Golf-Course”, there was enough adrenaline in my bloodstream to make my knees shiver; but it might have been the unsteady bottom of the raft ), I swung my feet overboard into the waiting kayak. Immediately I realized that kayaking surely presented a whole new set of rules, difficulties and uh… ‘fun’. Heh, it was not to be considered with the same ease as rafting. My first settling-into a kayak floating in the middle of a flowing river, was to be an unforgettable precedence-setter to an innumerable clumsy and wet exits that I was to execute in the coming year of kayaking, until I learnt the elusive art of Eskimo-rolling. Awkward and more difficult than it looks when executed by a pro, I was finally in; that too without much loss of esteem in front of the team. I am sure I had nothing on my mind, preoccupied that I was with all the new signals that my brain had to deal with, but in retrospect — it’s one hell of a confusing, frustrating and contradictory balancing art. My inner-ear, the balancing mechanism, was totally revolted at the situation and screamed completely incomprehensible and demanding commands to my body. In that precarious scenario, I was handed over the double bladed paddle with the complex instructions on how to use them. And cooing with the only warmth on that freezing winter afternoon, Swami encouraged me to row away from the raft. I guess I managed three or four strokes, a bare ten seconds, before the current of the flow gently caught my kayak and softly flipped me over in a slow-motion. Upside down in the water, but still seated in the kayak, which was on top of me, I was still in possession of the now completely useless paddle. And thus I executed my first wet exit in the middle of the river, and returned to the welcoming guffaw of my team on the surface. In consolation, I don’t think anybody else who tried that day managed any better or any drier. Three weekends later, I signed up for whitewater kayaking lessons on Ganga which opened up a very absorbing chapter filled with adventure, exploration, river-life, friends and the overpowering grandeur of the Himalayas. Kayak Lessons in progress ( courtesy Team 4 Adventure ) I started frequenting the meandering Ganga betwixt the calm, forested foothills of the Himalayas, weekend after weekend, slowly drinking in the maddening passion that drives a novice kayaker to point his boat towards thundering rapids. Between trembling in anticipation at the crescendo and the churning white of the ferocious river, and swimming long descents amdist stormy waves of cold water, I slowly learnt to master the capricious kayak. The last two years have since been a time to understand and learn about mind, body, boat, river and water dynamics. Literally a time of kayaking-spree on various sections of the Ganga, Alaknanda and other rivers, I learnt to read and anticipate the congested flow of a river losing its altitude rapidly. I learnt to keep the kayak upright even when the freezing waters churned and boiled, to upright it when flipped over, and to also surf and play in the midst of it all. And since then, there has been no looking back on all the kayaking adventures attempted, rapids swum (uh.. also kayaked successfully of course), rivers run, nights spent on a white empty beaches between the river and the forest in a knot of camaraderie by the fire; and mornings drinking in the glory of the Himalayas and its rivers. TEAM 4 ADVENTURE operates a very comprehensive 08 days whitewater kayaking trip which is suitable to first time boaters : Whitewater Kayaking: Comprehensive. I would recommend this to all enthusiasts who wish to enter this exciting world of whitewater kayaking.   More...]]> http://www.team4adventure.com/blog/travelogues_experiences/whitewater-kayaking-my-initiation/feed 0