CLASS-10, TRIP TO THE HIDDEN CASTLE RESORT (OCTOBER 1ST, 2018)

Now, this trip was the best one in my entire life and it’s a bit lengthy, please bear with me. Our half-yearly examinations commenced on 18^th September 2018. On 22^nd, our class teacher brought us the news that we would be having a trip right after the examinations. By 25^th, we got to know each and every detail about our trip. All of us were so hyped up, but deep down inside, I was so sad, because I knew that this was my last trip with all my friends at school. On the day of the computer science examination, on October 1^st, principal mam entered our hall and warned us not to carry any mobile phones with us. Her reason was right. We needed the trip to enjoy being outside. Not stuck up with our mobile phones. But I felt this wasn’t correct. I myself didn’t get any memoirs of this trip. However, cameras were allowed. but, if the camera is lost or damaged during the trip, we all knew we would be gone for a sixer back at home. Hence, we didn’t carry any gadgets. We returned home right after the exam and packed up for the trip.

We started sharp at 3:30 pm and reached the hidden castle at Mathpet in 2 hours (1 hour 41 minutes, but who’s counting?). Did I mention that it was just like a medieval castle out of the woods and there was a drawbridge around the moat too? There was lush greenery all around and there was a small game too. You have to ring a bell, blindfolded, while your partner directs you. Then we had to shout “khulja sim-sim” to open it. Everyone shouted to the top of their lungs. then we were shown our rooms. Each room had 6 bunks and each bunk had 6 beds. So, I’m gonna leave the math to you. So, we were given rooms in alternate order. Class 10-C and 9-C boys together, 10-B and 9-B together, etc. Girls were sent to a separate dorm. We were treated to some yummy ‘aloo bajjis’ for snacks. back in our dorm, we sat for a while and our juniors were chatting with us like screeching BFFs! We didn’t mind though. They’re our friends all right. We had a nice chit-chat, had some more snacks (I got foodies in my room! Yippee!).

then I enquired the staff about the castle. Turns out that this was a British fort. It was renovated very recently. It had one or two dungeons underground too, but small ones. Then, we were directed to a hall where they conducted fun programs like a magic show (we didn’t need that, but it was fun) then we had dance-offs, songs, standup comedy, etc. then we broke for dinner. There was a huge buffet laid out for us!!! I ate to my heart’s content. But actually, I should’ve eaten with limits. Coz I didn’t know that we had a bonfire with DJ. Yet, I managed something. That was the night I danced like a drunk madman! Yeah actually, I was randomly dancing around the bonfire with all my friends behind me like a train. Then me, Preetham, Pavan, and the others shook our leg to the beat with our principal. It was a fun night. But we were told to go back to our rooms as we had a big day tomorrow by 10:30pm.

Our art sir, Mr Anand was left behind to ensure everyone slept and no one came outside. But we were sleepless and patient for sir to go out. And those who tried to go out were caught by sir and were appointed as guard duty. But they took a nice nap too. Some of our juniors went out. And thanks to our room windows, they had no grill. So, we had snacks, patiently bore the snores of our fellow roommates and had some more snacks (yeah, again!) and at around 1am we jumped out of the windows and ran like cats towards the end of the corridor. Then we took a nice full breath of air and had a beautiful view of the night sky. I explored those parts of the resort where we weren’t allowed. There was a mini library filled with old books too! 

later, we played catches with anand sir... but he gave a stipulated time limit, after which we had to sleep. But we didnt. Then I went all over to the top. It was yet to be renovated. I had acrophobia (for those who don’t know, it’s the fear of heights). Still, I braved myself and climbed up to the topmost point of the resort which neither has proper stairway nor any kind of railing. Slip and fall, you’d be paralyzed for life. We didn’t care that fact and went upstairs. It was cool. We had a nice chat until 3am. Our sir came out to check for us, but we hid on the top. All others were there till 3:30am I went off to my room.

It was our junior’s birthday on October 2^nd. I actually thought of wishing him at 4. But I dropped off into sleep by 4 and woke up at 6am by Shreyansh. He was surprised,” bhaiyya, you said we’d wish him at 4. But except you everyone wished him. We tried to wake you up but you slept like Kumbh Karan!” at first, I scolded myself, then I had a hearty laugh at his mention of me sleeping like a Kumbh Karan. I woke up, got ready for the day’s action and came out. I was shocked. We were going on a trek. And I was ready for a party! I went back and changed into comfortable track pants.

Then we went off to a short trek in the woods nearby. It was a fun one. The drawbridge descended and we went in groups of two. We reached a small hillock which was actually a huge boulder. We sat on it for a couple of minutes or so and then the trek guides tied a rope which led to another hill, right on the opposite side of the boulder we were at. Then we did some rope climbing. It wasn’t that steep. But we needed the rope because the surface is frictionless. I didn’t mind and we climbed up, snapped some pictures (I don’t know if I took any because it was our teacher’s mobile). And then we made our way to a small stream. They gave us sticks to prod in case waterweeds were present and we might slip into the water.

Here, I and my gang did some natakbaazi and we went a bit towards the water, despite our teacher shouting not to go in the background. When we were asked to return, all of u returned but I accidentally slipped into the water till my knees sunk. When my friends helped me out, everyone had a great laugh, but I didn’t mind and I had a laugh too. Then we were on our return journey around 8am. In the middle, our group broke up and we separated from the rest of the students and then we returned back to the castle, or so we thought. We thought we ventured far away from the castle and after walking for 15 minutes or so, we saw two peacocks. Later, we were at the back of the castle, at the kitchen area, and those chefs were making tasty breakfast and squeezing out fruit juices for us. Then we tried to find a way around as they didn’t allow us through the kitchen. After we found the route, we thought that we might be late and all of us would be looking for us. But actually, we were the first ones to arrive and our principal mam was waiting for us at the entrance. We didn’t expect this at all and I told principal mam, all that happened, at first, she gave me a good scolding and then she told me to go and change. 10-15 minutes later, the others arrived. My friends were surprised by seeing me here. I then told them all that happened.

Then we went for breakfast. It was a wholesome one, we had bread, butter, juices, or the desi varieties like idly, dosa, etc. after this, we went for adventure activities. First, we were led into the dormitories, there we were led into a secret passage, whose ending opened up at an aviary. It consisted of turkeys, pigeons, and the regular sort. And there was a huge tree, right in the middle. We found the exit and we came by the poolside. We went further beyond the pool and we saw a wavy bridge, rope climbing, archery, jungle-gym, etc. we also had a tug-of-war match between seniors and juniors, we were inducted into team-building activities too, which included building a balloon man.

Then at lunchtime, we celebrated the birthdays of our juniors. We had our lunch and took some rest until 2:30pm. Then we went to our favourite activity. Water games. We had rain dance, a nice pool, water rides, and a tumbler which accumulated water and spilt it on us with a great force. We had another small pool castle, which was meant for children, but we didn’t mind either. The water was less than knee-deep. Well, it was fine. We enjoyed a lot. Then we were taken to the rain dance area, where we danced to our heart’s content. Then around 4:30pm, we came back. We refreshed ourselves and by 5pm it was goodbye time. We gave our attendance, had some “mirchi-bajjis” and we left the place.

It was a very memorable trip. But if we were allowed mobile phones, we would’ve stored those memories…

Well, until next time :)