Wednesday, August 15, 2007

White Water Rafting

Hey guys sharing my experience to all those who like to spend a holiday doing something different. Today being 15 august, Independence Day in India, there was a holiday so i, along with my friends had decided to make use of this holiday doing something adventurous apart from the normal dinners, clubbin, movies and coffee shops which is quite a bore,after a hard week of work in a city like BOMBAY, so we got in touch with this person who in Mumbai does River rafting during the monsoons.....

The only bad part of this was we had to wake up very early, Woke up at 445 am in the morning... and then went to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to catch a train at 5 40 am which drops at Karjat, we were 11 people from here so big group all having loads of fun......took the local from CST and reached Karkjat at about 8 am.... hungry like hell... dug on to the VADA PAV the local food.. at karjat station..we did not care if it was tasty or healthy but we needed it.. .then we got out and took a 6 seater auto from KARJAT locally called the CHAGDA the best part about these 6 seaters are they are meant for 6 but we were 11 and the auto guy so 12.. paid him 150 Rs for a ride from Karjat station to the village called KONDANA, we reached there sky as clear as crystal... weather had changed from that polluted city life to the dew on the hills...At about 8 30... met our guide who would assist us in the rafting... we were served hot breakfast with tea... then about 9 am we left for rafting... we had to walk about 15 mins uphill to reach the banks where we would start out rafting.. there we were given safety tips and instructions on how to use the gear for rafting.. and how to raft...Boring but always IMP tips which come handy.... the rafts were for 6 people so we had to take 2 rafts... Just before boarding the raft we all were made to just jump into the river "SO CALLED WARM UP SECTION"... that dive into the cold water was great.. and then we got onto the rafts .. as soon as we boarded the rafts..... And to our surprise mother nature.. was happy and it started raining... the water levels which were little low... were better wth the rains... we started rafting on a calm stretch first and then the real fun began... .we were all drenched and wet in the raft... by about mid way half of the people were exhausted not used to this exercise... Then we were made to hault at a bank and leave the rafts.... this time we were made to do something different... the river flowing down.... with a few currents.. we were made to just jump into the river and sleep and slide down with the flow of the current... like a Slide in a water park.... though wasnt so smooth we had a few bumps below and rocks kissing our ass.. but it was fun just flowing down the river without anything... tired as helll....we just rested a bit and continued to raft...we had great time rafting and getting wet... we had a crazy time...Few of us falling off the rafts into the river.. some were pushed down for fun.... a couple of times the rafts over turned and all 6 down... again struggling getting in the raft... it was just a fun experience ....it took about three hours to reach the end.. Tiring and legs and backs aching.. with arms and shoulders in pain... everyone got off and drove back to the place where we were put up.. for lunch... reached there drenched... ed,... pushing our tired legs... waiting for the food to get in the intestine to get some energy.... finally reached and got a pair of dry clothing...After the change we straight headed for our meal... Ate..Ate and continued to eat... and breathed a sigh of relief... getting some energy thought short lived,..hehe we had to catch a train at 340 pm... we took the 6 seater auto.. this time it was more spacious and comfortbale.. we reached station and headed back to mumbai.... Another 2 hrs of the local train reached the station and got a cab back home....Overalll we had a wondersful day...
Something different... something new... something adventurous... MUST DO ONCE A YR in the monsoon.!!! Guys interested... can ask me for details...

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Travel --- Booming with diversity

Travel and tourism industry over the decade has grown to no leaps and bounds, this service oriented industry has been diversified and is a great opportunity for the people to look into,

Still common among the travellers are the common and patent places which Indian travellers visit, but now there is a major shift in the business, Firsty with the e portals that have come in are a major set back for the travel agents who offer quick and easy access to online booking and payments, they might not be able to always offer good discounts but they are easy and convenient form of booking, this e-booking has grown trememdously in the last few years...

Lets talk about the youth travellers they are looking for travelling to new and odd destinations they want to find new places to explore .. go on adventurous trips, they want to see places where no one has been before and they are ready to do that any cost... they are the set of customers who will be ready to spend a little more, but they want something different and new...

Not only places for tourism, but teenagers are looking to go for camps and treks, for rafting, scuba diving,skiing, sky diving, snow boarding and all such activities..

With that you have business travellers visiting trade fairs , exhibitons, travelling across the seas to expand and grow businesses, this market is growing at an incredible pace.

A niche part of the market is seen in the growing Sports tourism, space tourism,medical tourism and so on....

What next... lets see..any one wants to know for any place or any suggetions send in your comments ...... also if you have somethng new you have visited or done somethng unusual do share.....

Cheers !!!!!!