On December 31, 2018, Vipin KV ticked off one item on his bucket list — a beach trek in Gokarna. For this IT professional, an avid trekker, that was an experience of a lifetime. “Trekking along pristine beaches is different from doing the same through mountains, hills or valleys. The trek alternates between beaches and hilly terrain. It was my first solo trek as well,” says Vipin. He covered five beaches – Kudle, Om, Half Moon, Paradise and Nirvana, along the 18-km stretch.
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Talk of wanderlust and Technopark has hundreds of employees in its grip. While trekking and off-roading adventures have more takers, there are many professionals who have tried and tested new activities. Hiking, beach walks, river rafting, para sailing, camping... they have done it all.
Balendu S Kumar of Tata Elxsi Services, a member of city-based women’s travel group Appooppanthaadi, has gone on several treks across India with the group. She enjoys beach walking as well. “This new year, I spent the day with fishermen at Varkala beach and I gave them a hand to bring in the day’s catch. A stroll by the beach early in the morning or after sunset is an exhilarating experience, like the one I enjoyed at Kozhikode and Muzhappilangad drive-in beach at Kannur. I get so involved in watching the scenes around that I often forget to keep track of the distance,” says Balendu.
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Gigy Mathews, working with IBS, too talks about exploring places on foot. “I would call it rambling. One was the Mayyanad to Edava stretch, covering 18 km. Another was Edathua-Nedumudi-Thakazhi route. The best part of this walk was that I could see a new side of Kuttanad,” says Gigy.
Adventure unlimited
Variety is what makes Praveesh Vazhiyodan’s travel itinerary special. If it was white water rafting and bungee jumping at Rishikesh in 2016, the next year he went on a bike ride to Leh-Ladakh. In 2018, it was a trip by road to Spiti valley and this year he is planning to explore Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. “I always travel with a group of like-minded people, many of them techies,” says Praveesh, who is currently working on a project in Abu Dhabi. He has also explored many parts of Europe while working on a two-year project in Germany and has attempted skydiving, bungee jumping, rafting and cave diving. “Many Europeans save money for travel and enjoyment, whereas we are busy saving money for family and kids,” he adds.
His wife, Anjana Sankaran, a techie and a fellow travel buff, has accompanied him on all his trips. “She is currently in Istanbul and has tried her hand at skydiving and has gone on a hot balloon safari,” laughs Praveesh.
Mathew Roy of Inapp, a veteran trekker, meanwhile, spent some memorable days in Malaysia last year. Along with his colleague, Arjun R, and a friend from Bengaluru, he explored the Perhentian Islands where he went on a jungle trek. “The trek was challenging because of the marshy terrain. We encountered huge centipedes and lizards and a Komodo dragon. The highpoint was snorkelling and I can’t put into words the sights we saw under water — colourful fishes, corals, sea turtle… Getting into the water at ‘Shark point’ was quite scary because I had a wound on my leg. But when I was told that I may not get that opportunity again, I took a leap of faith and swam along with the sharks. That was a moment when I felt fully alive,” Mathew says.
Manoj Kumar CB, another IT professional, says his travels are a mix of trekking, sight-seeing and other adventure activities. “Like the river rafting we did in Rishikesh. It was extremely dangerous and our raft toppled over a couple of times. But we didn’t give up,” says Manoj, who also loves to hike through different terrain.
Preparations start well in advance for these trips, these professionals say. Once they get their leave sanctioned, it is time to plan the trip. “The planning part is smooth since I have a few friends who are good at it,” says Praveesh.
For Balendu and many other women travellers, the toughest part is convincing their families. “Obviously they are worried about my safety. But now they are used to my adventures,” she adds. While travels throw up opportunities to meet new people and explore different cultures, it teaches you many things as well, says Gigy. “When you push yourself on your travels, you actually learn about your body’s endurance,” he says.
A fortnightly column on life in tech street