Camp Suriyagaon, Sattal, India

My Experience

Day 1

I woke up early morning, before the sun had risen , on May 30th. Excited for the trip of a lifetime that was to come. A camping trip, my first, to Camp Suriyagaon, Sattal, which overlooks seven pristine lakes and is shaded by tall, looming mountains.

My family and I buckled up in the car and began the journey. After seven hours of laughing, at 11:45 we reached.

The beauty was breathtaking. I was awed by the natural surroundings.

The tent in which I was staying wasn't much, it had no lights or fan.Also, I had to walk a 100 meters to reach the restrooms. I wasn't discouraged. I was sure this trip would be amazing.

Though, the weather changed drastically. One moment, there were dark clouds looming around the peak of the mountain. Then, it was pleasently windy. Then, drizzling and then extremely hot. All in an hour's time!

During the afternoon, I explored the camp. After walking for 5 minutes,I reached an area which was kind of like a reception, though much more cleaner, greener, and open all around.

There was a shelter like structure made of fully renewable sources like wood and jute. The floor was made of mud. It was long and slightly elevated, open on all sides. This was the dining hall.

After going down 2 steps, there was solid ground covered with all sorts of rocks and pebbles with insects scuttling all around.

The area was surrounded by pines.

After mingling with the staff members, I concluded: They were genuninely kind and caring people, they were very down-to-earthand not fancy ( not even uniforms!) and were also quite hospitable. The experience was very homey.

Also, I discovered that THEY live in tents too! 365 days, year round! without any lights or air conditioner! What a tough life!

I retreated to the dining hall after this observation and had lunch. The food was fresh and the food was delicious. After enjoying my scrumptious meal, I went back to my tent to relax.

While my parents relaxed, my brother and I decided not to be annoying and instead played some card games.

After a while, my family and I started our first adventure. A trek uphill to view the sunset point where we were supposed to view the thrilling environment.

At 5 pm, we packed up a couple of granola bars and set off. It was a trek of ~20 mins. The experience was priceless. The path was kina unstable but I have always been the adventurous type. I picked up a stck lying on the path and using a swiss knife,customized it into a walking stick.

While we were walking, the guide told us that the grass was highly flammable ( It cam from pine trees). If even a single spark ( of fire) made contact with it, the surroundings would burn till they diminished.

She told me that a lot of wildfires have been caused by

1.People throwing cigarettes

2.People PURPOSEFULLY lighting up the foreset. Why? Because they belived in the myth that by burning them, plants would go faster. But scientifically, that is not true.

After a while of trekking, we finally reached the sunset point. We had tea and milk, clicked a few picture. The view was breathtaking. I saw the city lights shimmer way down below the peak I was standing on while trees towered over me. It was a sight to behold.

Unfortunately, we could not view the sunset as the sky was shrouded with clouds.

Still it was a fantastic experience.

As we trekked back to camp, it started drizzling. By the time we reached the camp, it was raining cats and dogs! So much that my family and I could not even reach the tent. Then, we had to sit in the open, barely covered dining hall.

The rain splashed thorugh the sides.It was immensely chilly even in june, and I had underestimated the cold, with only a thin cotton jacket to keep me warm.

After waiting in the cold freezing temprerature for a while, dinner was served, hhot, homemade and delicious.

The staff made a bonfire and after enjoying my meal, I retreated to the tent after an exhausting yet fulfilling day.