The morning which we had been waiting for long, to make a splash in the crystal clear river and tumble in the silvery sands on the beach. However, there's a price to pay for everything, and for me that happens to be waking up at a time when the rest of the world is still cuddled up in bed ;-)
CAT Amanat took charge of the registration process along with distribution of
sustenance packs. When kids grow up to start wearing your clothes, I wonder!!
It took no time for the old and the new CATS to make friends..
on second thoughts, there was not much choice since we all had a weekend to get through :D
CAT AP chatting with blood donor CAT Varun at the far end while
our second honeymoon couple is buy trying to fix some loose ends
Finally CATS settled into their respective cars to head towards destination RAFTING.. MEOW :)
The first pit stop came when our drivers wanted to stop over for a cuppa and a bite...
CATS decided to make use of the time well :P
The traditional round of introductions was also held given 60% of the CATS were new to the group..
CAT Ansh and CAT Aman could not be dragged for the intros as they were too busy catching up with each other ;-)
Ahem.. the paw count??!!!
It's always fascinating to see the transition from the urban towards the rural areas...
two homes, two gates, two courtyards... two different stories to tell....
just hope they are full of love and warmth!
CATS were seen rummaging through their sustenance packs soon enough....
The Italian sandwich, one of the 11 items CAT Aman and CAT Amanat put together
for all the CATS the night before :P
On second thoughts, it was good that we prepared such a sumptuous pack as it did manage to sustain us later!
Hills are providing such a pleasant backdrop for the golden wheat fields in the foreground...
after we stopped at Paunta Saheb Gurudwara for a total of 12mins.
Saw the first team effort by CATS in action at the gurudwara when to save time,
CAT Manav took turns with me to guard the shoes while everyone else went into the main hall to pay their obeisance.
As the clocl struck 12.50pm we found ourselves in Rishikesh.. struck in traffic :(
We reached Kodiyala at 2pm and as you can see, CATS just can not be bothered to pose...
these hungry CATS need more than a few mice to satisfy their rumbling bellies.
Food... Food... GLORIOUS FOOD :P
and there was pin-drop silence at this table :)
ok... extend that silence to every table ;-)
CAT Nitish is the prime example of what good the delicious lunch did to the CATS :D
CAT Amanat... lost in her thoughts or worried about how to control
her travel sickness during the last leg of the journey taking us to the confluence...
CAT Vineet was purrrfect when it came to managing the kittens... couldn't have asked for more :)
3.30pm and we were all too excited to just jump into the rafts and set off...
Time to get into the safety gear... find a helmet which fits your head..
suck your belly in and tighten up that life jacket.....
and here begins the bargaining spree to match the colour of your life jacket with your attire...
or find a helmet big enough to hold your head :D
CATS were in splits on finding a couple of pretty CATS wearing their helmets back to front :D
CAT Ansh, you can not probably tighten this life jacket any more!!!
CAT Vineet with ALL THE kittens at the starting point ;-)
Time to share some cuddles :)
Sister Act :)
CAT Manav and CAT Varun.... both with a passion for blood donation.. and rafting ofcourse ;-)
I wonder if CAT Nitish had any idea as to what lay in store for him that evening ;-)
A mother we can rely on.. A son we are so proud of... CAT Rachna with CAT Ansh :)
'Yeh bua phir pataa nahin kya karwaayegi mujh se!!!'
Focus.. Focus... FOCUS on the task at hand...
with these glasses, CAT Varun can opt to fly also ;-)
CATS listening in rapt attention during the training session...
CAT Adit.. looking good enough to eat :P
I still have my doubts if CAT Ansh is wearing his helmet the right way or not ;-)
We really can't go wrong with this helmet now.. can we CAT Vineet :D
CAT Varun and CAT Priyanka at varying stages of learning to hold the pedal ;-)
Our guide Suman presented a very animated and interesting training session..
demonstrating the rescue by kayak when you are sea literally ;-)
As we got used to of the Ganga, it became more playful and infected us so ;-)
Our guide Hem shouted the instruction, RELAX which CAT AP misheard to be NELAAXsss...
When CAT Harpreet asked to be brought back immediately after diving into
the Ganga as the water was too cold, instead of rescuing him CAT AP suggested
a new line of business for him, 'Mann Kulfi'..
CAT Manav immediately made an offer to buy a franchise for this hometown :D
CAT Vasundhara dived in and her elder sister CAT Priyanka got worried and
dived into the water to give her company, only to realise when in water
that she had no access to Vasundhara as she dived from the opposite edge :)
Yalgaar Ho... 18 CATS making merry in 2 rafts and what fun we had :)
First 10mins of rafting was enough to convert even the non-believers
into enthusiast rafting CATS... CAT AP who all his life has simply refused to
indulge in any activity related to water, asked aloud that our raft be taken OVER
every rapid rather than from the sides!
CAT Rachna, who was previously too concerned about the safety aspect of rafting
as she had a son to look after, had returned with her 10yrs old son CAT Ansh.
It's amazing to see the confidence growing with every rapid :)
Now how would you feel if I told you that THIS is where we spent the night??
and this was the virgin beach set up just for CATS.. right at the edge of the forest
with no access to the outside world... SHEER BLISS :)
The only way we could reach our camp site was to row harder perpendicularly,
against the current after rafting for 16kms!
Our tents, beach furniture, food, rucksacks were transported to
our beach through the rafts.. which also meant that if we forgot something in the cars,
we could not retrieve them once on the beach ;-)
The awestruck CATS as they came off the rafts... absolutely speechless!!
Colourful, yet serene... Strong yet tender... wild yet beautiful...
and all this was ours for 18hours.. MEOW :)
Before it became dark, the sensible mothers getting the young brigade into some dry clothes after rafting the afternoon away..
Will these CATS get out of their wet clothes by any chance before they catch cold!
Amungst other things, I guess making sand castles has to be one beach activity
common across the globe. CAT Jasmine her home in the sand in 2008,
I made my own last year and this time, barely had she reached the beach that
CAT Amanat forgot about her wet clothes and started making sand castle!
CAT Lovely was found to be literally rolling at the beach while others were busy choosing their tents.. priorities eh :)
Colours red, black and yellow seems to be the theme of the day!
CAT Vineet took out his fishing rod as there was plenty of mahseer in the river...
however the impatient CATS made such noise that they drove the fish away...
Fishing needs a lot of patience, which we clearly demonstrated we did not have :D
CATS drowning their sorrows in green tea to get over the disappointment of not being able to catch even a single fish :)
As soon as the darkness fell... the major source of light on the beach was our logfire!
but what an excuse to sit around and play a round of jokes and songs over drinks...
and now add some chicken and veg kebabs to the fire.. .VOILA, we have our snacks ready :P
When Suman needed a volunuteer MUMMY, CAT Ashish promptly volunteered himself to play dead for the kittens ;-)
O hoye.. take care of the peeping toes CAT Adit!!!
Let's add some special effects to the scene to heighten the drama!
Is this scary enough?!!!!
Wish CAT Ashish had given me enough time to catch 'The Mummy' in rising from the dead ;-)
the grub's up CATS... grab your plates :P
and CATS pounced on the hygienic, simple and delicious dinner laid out with Hari supervising the dinner table...
Do you need anymore evidence of how good the food was ;-)
and if you thought the night was over, it was not!
Suman got the kids together again to make a sand dune of CATS!
Mission Sand Dune accomplished..
kittens left the pedals to guard their sand dune duly marked with the paws for the night ;-)
Chanda Mama door ke........
how can one not fall in love with a place like this!!!!
Wish the river would wash away my stresses everyday...
too lazy to get out of my sleeping bag... but too tempted to catch everyone in action by the river...
CAT Vineet busy shaving with a little mirror in hand to keep the chin intact ;-)
CAT Rachna quickly freshing up while CAT Ansh is still asleep in the tent...
Some of the CATS had even beaten the crew in waking up :D
Yeh tera ghar... Yeh mera ghar.. Yeh ghar bahut haseen hai :)
bleary eyed CAT AP got out of his tent at 5.30am and said after looking around, '2 gore bhi hain beach per!'
How beautifully the water has tossed and polished the pebbles of all colours...
a feast for the eyes... a souvenir to bring home???
Suman desperately trying to wake up Hem... but to no avail :D
Do I really have to get up??!!!!!
The story of TWOs!
The beach slowly coming back to life after a blissful night spent listening to
the peacocks singing aloud and the stars keeping a watch on us...
Even if the man tried, he could not possibly create such beauty
so effortlessly in abundance, even with all his wealth and design!
CAT Mona lost in her own thoughts.....
Love is to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment.
First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet - Rumi
The boys slowly emerging out of their tents too... with everyone making calculations
of which toilet tent would have been used the least number of times :D
Hats off to CAT Harpreet and CAT Lovely that despite being on their second honeymoon they were ready in time ;-)
Na ker kissi pe bharosaa ke kashtiyaan doobin...
Khuda ke hote huye, na-khuda ke hote huye...
Kinaaron se mujhe ae na-khuda door hee rakhna...
Wahaan le ker chalo toofan jahaan se uthne wala hai...
CAT Vineet caught up on his morning exercises before taking a dip in the Ganga...
nopes... Ganga had not strewn them around :D
Teri aarzu teri justju mein bhatak raha tha gali gali...
Meri daastan teri zulf hai, jo bikhar bikhar ke sanvar gayi...
This was one good way of declaring who this tent belonged to ;-)
even our sandals were in love with the sand ;-)
It seems as if the clothes and slippers are challenging the owner to come and wear them..
or else they will move towards the Ganga by themselves ;-)
There is pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.
- Lord Byron
Yaad nahin kya kya dekha, saare manzar bhool gaye...
Uss ki galiyon se jab laute, apna bhi ghar bhool gaye...
Son nicely tucked away in bed... while mother caught making merry in the sand ;-)
CAT Rachna.... a pro at camping by now :)
While the rest were either still asleep or wandering around the beach,
CAT Vineet and CAT Varun chose to play beach volleyball...
Any guesses who this sleeping arm belongs to???
and these hair clips???
With so many slippers around this family tent... I renamed it 'The Gurudwara Tent'
Give us a break... I am nearly ready!
BLISS :)
Awight CAT Ansh.... time to brush your pearly whites and get ready for some more fun :)
Toilet roll in a dry toilet I can understand... but what is this tea-mug doing here??!!!!
Question: What is the difference between the mountain goats and Hem/Ayodhya on a steep hill?
Answer: Mountain goats do not wear clothes!
Told you we had green the night before :D
Here now... even CAT Lovely would agree with me that it was only tea :P
Just when I thought every one was up and about... CAT Nitish is spotted by the river ;-)
Nopes... need to start the head count again.. even CAT Vanita is in the queue for brushing her teeth ;-)
CAT Vineet and CAT Varun resting their paws after an energetic game of beach volleyball
Kehan le jaayeinge yeh raaste....
The dining tent coming back to life... almost ready to serve breakfast to the hungry CATS :P
O maajhi re...... tu le ke mujhe saath chal tu....
CATS in varying stages of weaning themselves of Ganga :)
I guess CAT Amanat was the last one to get ready.. hidden away in her own little world ;-)
CAT Vanita and her energetic son CAT Adit all packed up and set for some kayaking fun :)
Aah well.. kayaking can wait.. let's have another game of volleyball first...
Jism se rooh talaq ret hee ret...
Na kahin dhoop na saya na saraab...
Kitne armaan hai kis sehraa mein...
Kaun rakhta hai mazaaron ka hisaab...
CAT Mona also all packed up FINALLY.. after getting 3 kids ready.. CAT Aman, CAT Amanat and CAT AP!!
What a joy to have CAT Lovely and CAT Harpreet along..
they not just packed up their luggage in time, but also helped pack up the
tenting gear to save time for the crew..
THANK YOU both :)
Is this some sort of dance session without the DJ for our kittens?
The dining tent witnessed heavy rush of the paw-traffic soon after breakfast was announced :P
What a view it was... What a place :)
Look what happens when CAT gets the cream :P
(courtesy CAT Monica ;-))
Just when everyone was busy getting their act together to hit the trek..
CAT Varun decided to take a short cut like a mountain goat!!!
Yupp... that's the height he reached after climbing vertically....
can you see our beach in the background CATS?
and THAT is how much more CAT Vineet could have climbed,
had he not set his heart on the kayaking to be take place shortly!
CAT Lovely and CAT Vanita hiking up from the trail which our guide made for us..
told you it was all jungle behind us ;-)
and this is what we left behind before hitting the trail back to the beach... nature at it's wildest best :)
CATS at the plateau point of the trek....
As we were trekking down, our crew was busy wrapping the camp site..
one group of CATS was playing ball underneath the dining tent..
and rest were enjoying dipping their toes and souls in the Ganga :)
and this is what the kitten brigade got upto..
reviving KABADDI.. complete with a referee :D
Told you there was love in the air :D
and what a sole to hold... with a string :D
yupp.. the kittens were still at it!!
Ganga finally tempted the first CAT to go for a swim...
and the first CAT to experience kayaking :)
humein bhi kayaking karni hai :(
the first kitten to kayak away... CAT Adit.. MEOW :)
how the hell do I get my paddle away from the safety rope?
meri fotu lo na :D
CAT Rachna on a collision course with her guide :D
CAT Priyanka balancing well :)
YEAH.. bring on the power CAT Manav :)
Humari baari kab aayegi :(
Hey bhagwaan.. yeh larkaa kuchh khaayega bhi??!!!!
and THIS is called Kayaking - The Ayodhya way!!!!
achha nahin khaana mat khaayo... atleast go and take a swim now, will you??!!!!
CAT Nitish seems to be wondering... 'ab iss me se to main paani mein nahin giroonga na!!!'
CAT Adit seems to be running on duracell battering...
first volleyball, then kabaddi, followed by kayaking and now swimming :D
CAT Amanat and CAT Lovely seems to be deciding like Lukhnawi Nawaabs, 'pehle aap - pehle aap' :D
chalo main hee pehle chali jaati hoon....
Trust me, CAT Vasundhara is not merely posing for the camera ;-)
CAT Ansh trying his little paws to go solo...
If my son can kayak... so can I :)
While CATS were having fun in the water, the team was busy taking down the campsite,
tent by tent, pole by pole...
and this is how it was all transported to the beach at the edge of the jungle for CATS!
arrey jaane do mujhe!!!!!!
CAT AP seems to be wondering.. yeh sab to ker aaye...ab to jaana he parega ;-)
wonder who's shoes these were... but the butterfly seems to have fallen in love with them :D
yeh 1 gajj ki larki swim ker aayi... lo main bhi aayi ;-)
absolute resolve to kayak away on the Ganga :)
and the arms emerging out of the life jacket belog to... our dhaai kilo ka CAT Aman !!!!!!
chalo main ek baar phir se dubki maar aati hoon :)
wooo hooooo... here i come :)
Thank God... atleast he has finally decided to eat his breakfast!!!
CAT Lovely and CAT Vineet were the next ones to have a go at kayaking...
aakhir mein aaya to kya huya.... yeh dekho... isse kehte hain kayaking :P
can I go for another round PLEASE... :P
Yeh main aaya... second time around ;-)
Yeh billiyaan pagla gayi hain.... Chalo saare paani se baahar!!
The Merry Gang of 18 CATS... saying goodbye to our beach... till we come back next year :)
but not without leaving our mark behind on the sand :)
It's amazing to see the pride every CAT has in their being that in practically
multi day trip of ours, atleast one CAT always goes ahead and leaves
our pugmarks behind, organically ofcourse...
It was CAT Jolly in our first rafting trip on the sand...
Krazzy4 CATS writing CATS in snow during Leh trip...
the complete gang wrote CATS in stones last year during rafting..
CAT Amanat and CAT Manav this time in the sand.. MEOW :)
We finally got into our rafts on day 2 at 11am...
after running over various rapids and numerous dives into the Ganga
and plenty of body surfing... we were taken into this little beach we had never visited before...
There was not much to see and we were hungry as it was 1pm by now.. however, we let the curiosity kill the CATS :D
but not before we shared half a polo each and ofcourse a purrrfect shot in the sand :)
Chalo bhai.. le chalo jehaan chalna hai!!
Sand has disappeared but where the hell is this water emerging from now?
Are we here for some acrobatic show by any chance Suman???!!!!
Are we supposed to do this too???!!!!
Don't look at what Suman is doing... with a narrow passage and
slippery rocks providing little foothold, it was not easy to climb up!
'ABSOLUTELY' Suman seems to be saying...
and we all agreed standing deep inside a 5' pool,
you rope climb against an 8' slicing waterfall.. This is just the beginning..
do this first then I will tell you the rest!!!
One by one, we all went up thanks for the constant encouragement from
our guide Suman and CAT Ashish who both used every trick
under the sun to get everyone into the cave.
CAT Vineet and CAT Varun took charge of the everyone further ahead,
CAT Vineet and CAT Varun took charge of the everyone further ahead,
as one literally had to crawl up towards an even larger pool of water
with atleast 30' high waterfall which automatically made all the
CATS go BRrrrrrrrrrr like the coke ad :D
Being in the dicey cave, larger pool with an old bridge hanging over and
Being in the dicey cave, larger pool with an old bridge hanging over and
some sun filtering through, giving it an eerie feel, CATS were meowing
aloud while diving in and out of the sharp waterfall providing
purrrfect head/shoulder and neck massage ;-)
If you think, this was it, the worse was yet to come!
If you think, this was it, the worse was yet to come!
We literally had to sit and crawl towards the entry point of the cave,
the same spot where we had climbed up using the rope.
The only trouble was..
the only way out of the case was to jump through a narrow passage straight into the pool - MEOW!
CATS sunning themselves and sharing notes
after an experience of a lifetime through the cave and the waterfalls :)
CATS on the way towards the final destination point..
one more challenge before we get lunch.. i.e. a grade 3 rapid called The Daniel's Dip!!
We offloaded CAT Aman, CAT Ansh and CAT Adit and gingerly both
the rafts with the rest of the 15 CATS started rowing towards The Daniel.
CATS brushing past The Daniel.... no flips.... just success :)
The interesting thing this time about the Daniel was that though it had
The interesting thing this time about the Daniel was that though it had
lost it's teeth due to the unusually high level of water in the river for
this time of the year, but the rapid had become quite long rather than remaining just a hole!
We did it nevertheless... MEOW :)
We did it nevertheless... MEOW :)
Everyone was so tired that again not a voice was heard over lunch at 4pm
after a day full of pure adventure and fun.
CAT Adit claimed to have eaten 5 rotis, CAT Aman claimed he did not remember how much he ate!
CAT Mona refused to disclose!
I asked CAT Ashish if he could take come photos while everyone was eating
since he had finished already, he responded,
'baithe-baithe sab ker doonga, per uthne ko mat bolna' :D
OK CATS.. everyone needing a sunburn ointment please queue up fast :D
Thaki-haari billiyaan :D
What else you expect after two days of non-stop fun, adventure and travelling, either by road or the river!
Time to leave CATS... the LAST SHOT before we climb into the cars and head home :)
Till next time.
- CAT Supreet
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