White Water Rafting in Rishikesh
July 8, 2008
Cleansing your soul, learning yoga Asanas, inhaling mountain, fresh air are just some of the essentials needed for a perfect holiday. Rishikesh is a well-known pilgrimage centre but it is also a haunt for adventure seekers. The melting snow from the Himalayas passes through this city providing the optimum current required for rafting.
According to Hinduism, Goddess Ganga descends to cleanse our souls flowing from the Jata (Hair Locks) of Lord Shiva, who resides in the Himalayas. A dip in this sacred water washes all the sins and provides liberation to the departed souls.
The water flows down with such great speed that it looks white. The chilled water also reminds you of global warming. Inspite of the river and its tributaries getting polluted in various cities like Haridwar and Varanasi, you will still find the water here very clear and clean.
Rishikesh is the best place for adventure sports in India. Rafting is also available in Manali, Himachal Pradesh but that doesn’t have the current or the rapids like here. This sport is seasonal and usually opens after the monsoon, somewhere in the month of October and ends around March. These areas receive a lot of rainfall so it is best to inquire when the rafting season begins.
I was fortunate when I visited in October as the water levels were recorded the highest compared to the previous years. During this season, you do not have to book in advance as several operators offer this service. There are several packages depending on how brave you are. You can try 10 km, 15 km and so on. I am a daredevil so I took up the entire stretch of 32 km. There are kayaking options available as well.
I chose the Garhwal Himalayan Explorations to handle my rafting expedition. They were thoroughly professional and well-equipped to handle any emergencies. I was impatient for the expedition to begin but that didn’t change until the induction on safety was completed. The trainer covered every aspect of how to handle oneself, remain calm and maintain discipline so that safety of others was not compromised. Further instructions included steps on how to rescue one another and techniques to hold on if anyone fell into the water. This took around forty-five minutes.
The trainer who was handling my raft was a no-nonsense guy and didn’t like any jokes and laughter until he was sure everyone understood the possible dangers of rafting and not think of this activity as all fun and games outing.
There were twelve people in a raft along with the trainer. Each of us were given lifejacket and helmet. He checked every individual’s jacket and allotted where each one should sit. After understanding the commands, we finally set off. The full day rafting event started from Marine Drive to Munni Ki Reti, while other smaller routes are from Shivpuri to Munni Ki Reti and Brahmapuri to Munni Ki Reti.
Once I was in the raft, paddling and feeling the water gurgling around was magical. I felt in touch with my inner self, the surroundings and the higher beings.
The calm water suddenly got bumpy and the trainer yelled out commands how to steer the raft. People seated on the left had their set of instructions and the right ones theirs. As this was our first rapid, all of us were nervous and uncoordinated. This caused the raft to spin.
“Together,” yelled the trainer.
The cold burst of water, the attacking current was enough to panic even the trained swimmers. I had never imagined the calm water would have such a raging side. We managed finally and yelled out in ecstasy after we passed it. Each rapid had a name like roller coaster, butterfly and so on. The names befitted them appropriately as they behaved just like that.
My adrenalin rush was at its peak. It made my determination stronger as I took on every rapid with all my strength. Years of weight-training and building stamina were challenged to the maximum here. It was not all about physical ability but also the determination of the mind to see danger a few seconds ahead and yet have the steadfastness not to deter and surpass it.
If one member gave up, there were chances that the raft would capsize. But that was also a challenge on how to manage yourself and your fellow travelers safely.
White water rafting in Rishikesh is once in a lifetime experience and tourists from all over the world come to be a part of it. So buckle up, enjoy the nature and be a part of its wildness.
©Nayna, 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
Related Post: The Safe Way To Enjoy Adventure Sports
Unexplored Vacations- A Guide To Best Holiday Hotspots
May 4, 2008
Beaches of Goa like Anjuna, Baga, Calangute and Dona Paula, Marina Beach (second longest beach in the world) in Tamil Nadu, Kovalam Beach and backwaters in Kerala are popular holiday destinations in India. Similarly many like the beaches of Miami, Florida, Ninety Mile Beach in Australia, Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and Mauritius. Tourists throng these place is large volumes and after a while, the holiday excitement dies down with the dense population.
A holiday is meant to be relaxing, a time to de-stress and away from the daily humdrum of a chaotic lifestyle. In short, a prison break. Here is a compilation of various destinations which are usually missed from our itinerary. The reasons could be many like lack of information, shortage of time, rigid hotel packages and so on. But an insight of these places helps if you really want to break free from the maddening crowd.
1) Kauai, Hawaii- This place is known as The Garden Island as half of this volcanic area is parkland. It has dense forests and cascading waterfalls.
2) Kiribati, Micronesia-This is 4,000 km southwest of Hawaii in the Pacific. It has 33 islands and known as the world’s largest protected marine reserve.
3) Tristan Da Cunha- It has many uninhabited islands and rises out from the South Atlantic Ocean like a prehistoric volcano.
4) Isla Vieques, Puerto Rico- This is an untouched paradise with long stretches of white sand, forest and rolling hills.
5) Patagonia, Chile- This region too is unexplored and has abundant areas of dense forests, glaciers and ice fields.
6) Morzine, France- Morzine is an alpine paradise, nestled in the heart of Portes Du Soleil. Staying here makes you get closer to nature in a way you have never imagined.
7) Fernando De Noronha, Brazil- This is located 300 km off Brazil’s northeastern coast. Its natural beauty is truly mesmerizing.
8) Algonquin Park, Canada- Algonquin Park is surrounded with rushing rivers, wind-sculptured pines and craggy shorelines. Make sure you camp out here and get united with nature, one on one.
9) Thornybush Game Reserve, South Africa- South Africa needs no introduction when it comes to its natural beauty. This game reserve is well-designed to cater to all the needs of the tourists. Safari is recommended on open jeeps to enjoy the landscape.
10) Cotswolds, England- This is located in Gloucestershire and a favourite haunt of many British celebrities. Its winding roads, acres of greenery and shimmering lakes makes the trip memorable.
So get set, back your bags and explore a new holiday destination today.
©Nayna, 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
Managing Jetlag
April 28, 2008
There are many adventures that we want to partake in our lives and make them memorable. But to fulfill these dreams, we need to leave the comfort of our homes and travel.
Traveling is enjoyable if the itinerary is well-planned, tickets and hotel reservations are pre-booked. You feel that nothing can come in between you and your well-deserved holiday. Here is where you are wrong.
Jetlag is one such hindrance which many people face across the globe but never give any importance to its do’s and don’ts. People traveling red-eye flights have to be even more aware of the possibilities so that they can revitalize themselves the moment they step out of their aircraft.
10 Tips To Minimize Jetlag
1) Have a good meal before you get to the airport. People are so stressed getting stuck in traffic, queuing for check-in, getting paperwork and boarding pass set that by the time they are about to board the flight, they are starving. It takes a while for the meal to get served on flight.
2) It is good to catch up on your sleep. The best way is to get a good seat, preferably a window seat. This helps as you can rest without getting disturbed by your fellow passengers. Ask for a pillow, blanket and eye mask and get ready for your snooze.
3) Eat and drink wisely on the flight. Avoid too much caffeine rich products like coffee, chocolates, colas and alcohol. Salted foods make you thirsty and cause a rise in blood pressure so watch out for them.
4) Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water.
5) Wear loose and light clothing because many people experience swelling of the body and feet.
6) Set your alarm to wake up half an hour before the plane touches down. This will provide enough time to use the bathroom, gather possessions and acclimatize to the new day
7) Learn some simple stretches that you can do without disturbing people around. This is great for circulation. Even few minutes of walking down the isle to get a glass of water is good.
8) After you land, make sure you walk around, to improve your mobility and circulation.
9) When you arrive at your destination, take a shower and you will feel rejuvenated.
10) Consult your doctor before long haul flights. Take the prescribed medicine on time to avoid health risk and complications.
Bon Voyage…
©Nayna, 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
