15th February, 2014: The enthusiasm was at its peak, as the GDN Workplace team at CSC, Noida geared up for its excursion to Dhauj, a quaint highland on the outskirts of Delhi. Members from all the regions, namely Asia, Australia and EMEA joined for this journey which started early in the morning.
The calls were put in place, people informed about the assembling time as the journey began. By afternoon, the teams reached Dhauj- some huffing and puffing through the dilapidated farms, evading cattle and water puddles; for others who were aware about the right route, it was relatively less back-breaking. The travails of the travel were instantly subsided by the exquisite landscape before our eyes. The great Aravalis around us, farms providing the tinge of green to the miles of clean blue sky hovering above us. It was indeed picturesque. The weather Gods also provided respite with some sunshine in the afternoon.
After a quick bite, the team set out for its first activity- Rock Climbing. We were given safety guidelines as the climbing started. Some were smart enough to find an alternative route to the summit, for others it was the rope and the harness which was to be used. climbing the 100 feet rock was not as nerve-racking as I thought as I somehow managed to reach the top only to find the most agile person on tour, Jai, enjoying the view from the peak. Other team members also undertook rock climbing as they shunned all the fears and inhibitions and the regular hooting from the base to reach the peak. Excessive portfolios were shot at the top, as if the Mount Everest was the rock we had climbed. Low on energy but high on spirits, we descended the rock.
Next we had a string of activities lined up for us; a game where in we had to pick cards in order(without touching any other card), passing the ring and tug-of-war. The participation was amazing and it was a refreshing experience for me to participate in such fun-filled activities since junior school. Barring from the few whose waistlines prohibited rings to be passed through their amazingly round bodies, others actually did quite well in the ring activity. The tug-of -war was also lopsided, the fat ones at an advantage here.This was followed by volleyball matches or a walk around the place or just relaxing as tea was served.
The amusement continued the following hours with the bon-fire and the fun roleplay session where activities varied from insalubrious to audacious. Some of the tasks left the team flummoxed, while some garnered praise for their creative intent. It was great to see the maverick side of the managers who I thought would be the serious kind. After dancing like lunatics to bollywood songs, completely oblivious to the hectic IT life that awaited them, our team finally got to the bed, ending a day of great fun and frolic.
In a nutshell, the trip, though sometimes excruciating,was a great way to rewind and give that necessary boost to come out fresher in the following days.It was heartening to see the team cooperating and coming together to make this self-funded tour a great success. I am certain that this trip would act as a catalyst and would facilitate better team bonding and great experiences to share in future.
Hoping to have more such excursions!
Udit
The calls were put in place, people informed about the assembling time as the journey began. By afternoon, the teams reached Dhauj- some huffing and puffing through the dilapidated farms, evading cattle and water puddles; for others who were aware about the right route, it was relatively less back-breaking. The travails of the travel were instantly subsided by the exquisite landscape before our eyes. The great Aravalis around us, farms providing the tinge of green to the miles of clean blue sky hovering above us. It was indeed picturesque. The weather Gods also provided respite with some sunshine in the afternoon.
After a quick bite, the team set out for its first activity- Rock Climbing. We were given safety guidelines as the climbing started. Some were smart enough to find an alternative route to the summit, for others it was the rope and the harness which was to be used. climbing the 100 feet rock was not as nerve-racking as I thought as I somehow managed to reach the top only to find the most agile person on tour, Jai, enjoying the view from the peak. Other team members also undertook rock climbing as they shunned all the fears and inhibitions and the regular hooting from the base to reach the peak. Excessive portfolios were shot at the top, as if the Mount Everest was the rock we had climbed. Low on energy but high on spirits, we descended the rock.
Next we had a string of activities lined up for us; a game where in we had to pick cards in order(without touching any other card), passing the ring and tug-of-war. The participation was amazing and it was a refreshing experience for me to participate in such fun-filled activities since junior school. Barring from the few whose waistlines prohibited rings to be passed through their amazingly round bodies, others actually did quite well in the ring activity. The tug-of -war was also lopsided, the fat ones at an advantage here.This was followed by volleyball matches or a walk around the place or just relaxing as tea was served.
The amusement continued the following hours with the bon-fire and the fun roleplay session where activities varied from insalubrious to audacious. Some of the tasks left the team flummoxed, while some garnered praise for their creative intent. It was great to see the maverick side of the managers who I thought would be the serious kind. After dancing like lunatics to bollywood songs, completely oblivious to the hectic IT life that awaited them, our team finally got to the bed, ending a day of great fun and frolic.
In a nutshell, the trip, though sometimes excruciating,was a great way to rewind and give that necessary boost to come out fresher in the following days.It was heartening to see the team cooperating and coming together to make this self-funded tour a great success. I am certain that this trip would act as a catalyst and would facilitate better team bonding and great experiences to share in future.
Hoping to have more such excursions!
Udit
