Sunday, April 23, 2006

Mission Rafting Rishikesh 2006 - Day 02

Day 02
Next day, we were woken up before even 6 AM by the sunlight. Glad to see that the sun had not risen still, we started playing volleyball and soon the sun came rising from behind the mountains. A very clear sight of the sun rays coming one by one before the sun was so bright that we could not see it further. The volleyball was followed by a delicious breakfast and sunbath.

Beach Volleyball at Sunrise!


Oil, Sand and Sun – What else can anybody want on a sunny day?


Not to forget the daily bath in a small stream by the side of the camp which eventually converged with Ganges itself, the water flow was swift enough to take anybody away in the Ganges, if somebody is not alert. The stream was unlike the Ganges and its water was crystal-clear. Playing with water, trying to bounce stones over water was absolute fun. Coming on to the final session of rafting, we started this time from a point further 10 kms away from Rishikesh uphill. Out of 90 minutes of rafting, we spent around 30 minutes in the Ganges again. Vast span of water, moderate tides and dark grey stones (some thick with algae) were a great sight.

Approaching the camp, we wanted to raft backwards and go back uphill towards the point where we started from but we couldn’t have done it. Alas, the rafting was finally over. Packing our bags, lunching at the beach for one last time and after a photo session with the raft and the stones and the sand and the tents and above all, the Ganges, we finally drove off towards Rishikesh (that too through a hitch-hike) from where we got a bus that would take us away from that place of dreams.

Still, not having come out of the hangover, over 50% of my body is aching – every keystroke causes a minor pain in the space between my thumb and my fore finger (due to the “chappoo” hold) taking me back on the raft – trying to climb the tides in the holy Ganges. :)