I was a bit taken aback when I saw my name on the people who were going to go to Ooty for an outbound training. It was just a passing reference in an another meeting, and I was not expecting to be part of that. Anyway, since they had already booked the tickets, I didn't want to be seen as a spoiler. So I had no other choice. This is the first time I have left my family (wife and kids included) for over 2 days on a personal trip. So, I was not very upbeat about going on my own when my Aparna (my wife) had to take care of 2 young kids who are always upto some mischief throughout the day. But then Aparna was quite cool about my trip.
I was lucky to reach Central Station before 9.00 PM after it bucketed down just after I got into the auto. There was quite a bit of drama midway with the auto running out of petrol and the driver could not get out as there was lightning and thunder as if the world was going to end any minute. But the driver got me to the station well before the start. It was more than 10 years since I had been to the Central Station. Everything had changed for good. When I got into the train, not many people from the group knew me except a couple. So I was a bit uncomfortable and took shelter in Kumudam and Vikatan. But I enjoyed every single bit of the conversations going on. It was after such a long time, I went out on my own and that too with a typical Tamil group. All of them were great sport and by the time we finished I had made lots of good friends. The topic of discussion would be wide ranging from girls to alcohol to drugs. They had stocked up enough alcohol to last for the couple of days. All the Pepsi and Coke bottles had been rightly "mixed" for consumption. By the time I hit the sack it was close to midnight. I was the only one to getup early morning and when the train reached Coimbatore station, I had a not so hot tea. We reached Mettupalayam station at 6.30 AM after a very comfortable journey.
From there on, we were taken care of by Nandhu, one of the well trained staff of Adventure India. After just over an hours drive, we reached the top of Kotagiri where Nataraj a.k.a "nutty" was waiting to pick us up. We left the luggage to be taken down the hill in their jeep while we followed nutty through the tea estates. The camp was about 10-15 minutes climb downhill. The climb was only a slight indication of what was to come for the couple of days.
The facilities at the camp was very good and well organised. Breakfast was served as soon as we reached and we set out for the first task. We were divided into 2 teams and were given the same tasks which included trekking and other team building exercises. By the time both the teams finished it was around 1.30 and everyone was quite naked. When lunch was served after all that hard work, there were a few disappointments about the lack of meat. After lunch we had to go through some sessions with the resident management guru Greg, a man of vast experience in HR areas. However, it was quite an effort to keep the eyes open during the video sessions about leadership qualities. The video session was quickly followed by some camp games where we were again divided into 2 teams. The task was bit of an ask for some of us who had not moved a muscle for quite some years. Finally, both the teams could not complete the task.
One great thing about the place is their organisation skills. One thing followed another in a very organised manner. We were served some snacks and tea. One interesting thing I find throughout India is the amount of sugar that is served with tea. That is just atrocious.
Once the campfire were lit around 6.00, the bottles were all open. The was some considerable amount of alcohol that had to be consumed and they were all going for the kill, though the team had more non drinkers than drinkers. However, 5 or 6 of them who were drinking were making up for the non drinkers more than expected. Couple of hours of drinking and talking about every single topic under the sun, we ran of ideas to do. Someone decided that everyone was going to sit in a circle and sing a song. There were quite some good singers in the group. Joseph entertained us with a story about his woman which will happen in a fairy tale. Everyone was deeply touched by his story. The other singer to impress me was Balaji (Can't remember what he sang), but it was a good effort. After that when we gathered for dinner, there was clear sigh of relief from everyone that there was some meat on the table.
Next morning, got up at 6.00 and went for a run with John. At a "ripe age" of 43, the man had great stamina and energy and I am not sure if I could run even half at that age. When we came back, we had to again go through some more camp training, this time it was like a police training routines. Venu and Ramesh had already retired from the proceedings following the previous day trekking. This was followed by breakfast, after which we went up to the Mystic peak, which was not very difficult to climb. Once we were there, we had go through more than an hour with guru Greg on some management and leadership qualities. We came back and had lunch. After lunch and some chit chatting, Greg made some telling comments about our individual skills and qualities, which were quite on the spot for most of them.
Around 4, it was time for us to head back to Mettupalayam to catch the 7.30 train to Chennai. Nutty came up with us to the bus stop and the van driver took us to mettupalayam from then on. Once we got into the train around 7.30, everyone was quite naked and Jo, Alfred and Dennis had to run to quickly refill their "pepsi bottles". They wouldn't have stopped, but for the truthful police officer who took their bottles away with some free words of concern. John had already organised everyone's dinner through his brother at Coimbatore. So everyone was quite happy with the mutton Biriyani and the idlis for the vegos. I quickly slept after that and got up only at Chennai Central.
Altogether it was a great experience, made heaps of great friends. I was a bit worried that I didn't know anyone in the group, but it turned out to be one of best trips I had gone. Sriram, the organiser of the group showed his great man management and organisation skills. Great stuff Sriram, keep it up. Hope Dennis and Alfred don't miss their drinks for the next 40 days. We discussed quite a number of organisational stuff, hope we live up to all the resolutions that we took during our stay. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. For pictures visit here
From there on, we were taken care of by Nandhu, one of the well trained staff of Adventure India. After just over an hours drive, we reached the top of Kotagiri where Nataraj a.k.a "nutty" was waiting to pick us up. We left the luggage to be taken down the hill in their jeep while we followed nutty through the tea estates. The camp was about 10-15 minutes climb downhill. The climb was only a slight indication of what was to come for the couple of days.
The facilities at the camp was very good and well organised. Breakfast was served as soon as we reached and we set out for the first task. We were divided into 2 teams and were given the same tasks which included trekking and other team building exercises. By the time both the teams finished it was around 1.30 and everyone was quite naked. When lunch was served after all that hard work, there were a few disappointments about the lack of meat. After lunch we had to go through some sessions with the resident management guru Greg, a man of vast experience in HR areas. However, it was quite an effort to keep the eyes open during the video sessions about leadership qualities. The video session was quickly followed by some camp games where we were again divided into 2 teams. The task was bit of an ask for some of us who had not moved a muscle for quite some years. Finally, both the teams could not complete the task.
One great thing about the place is their organisation skills. One thing followed another in a very organised manner. We were served some snacks and tea. One interesting thing I find throughout India is the amount of sugar that is served with tea. That is just atrocious.
Once the campfire were lit around 6.00, the bottles were all open. The was some considerable amount of alcohol that had to be consumed and they were all going for the kill, though the team had more non drinkers than drinkers. However, 5 or 6 of them who were drinking were making up for the non drinkers more than expected. Couple of hours of drinking and talking about every single topic under the sun, we ran of ideas to do. Someone decided that everyone was going to sit in a circle and sing a song. There were quite some good singers in the group. Joseph entertained us with a story about his woman which will happen in a fairy tale. Everyone was deeply touched by his story. The other singer to impress me was Balaji (Can't remember what he sang), but it was a good effort. After that when we gathered for dinner, there was clear sigh of relief from everyone that there was some meat on the table.
Next morning, got up at 6.00 and went for a run with John. At a "ripe age" of 43, the man had great stamina and energy and I am not sure if I could run even half at that age. When we came back, we had to again go through some more camp training, this time it was like a police training routines. Venu and Ramesh had already retired from the proceedings following the previous day trekking. This was followed by breakfast, after which we went up to the Mystic peak, which was not very difficult to climb. Once we were there, we had go through more than an hour with guru Greg on some management and leadership qualities. We came back and had lunch. After lunch and some chit chatting, Greg made some telling comments about our individual skills and qualities, which were quite on the spot for most of them.
Around 4, it was time for us to head back to Mettupalayam to catch the 7.30 train to Chennai. Nutty came up with us to the bus stop and the van driver took us to mettupalayam from then on. Once we got into the train around 7.30, everyone was quite naked and Jo, Alfred and Dennis had to run to quickly refill their "pepsi bottles". They wouldn't have stopped, but for the truthful police officer who took their bottles away with some free words of concern. John had already organised everyone's dinner through his brother at Coimbatore. So everyone was quite happy with the mutton Biriyani and the idlis for the vegos. I quickly slept after that and got up only at Chennai Central.
Altogether it was a great experience, made heaps of great friends. I was a bit worried that I didn't know anyone in the group, but it turned out to be one of best trips I had gone. Sriram, the organiser of the group showed his great man management and organisation skills. Great stuff Sriram, keep it up. Hope Dennis and Alfred don't miss their drinks for the next 40 days. We discussed quite a number of organisational stuff, hope we live up to all the resolutions that we took during our stay. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. For pictures visit here
