Pitching the tent

You look up, but a muted ceiling doesn’t stare back at you; instead the darkness is freckled with glitter that won’t wash off. For a second, you forget who you are and where you come from; the hustle of the city. But nothing can take away from the beauty of the moment, of camping in the wild. These days, more and more youngsters are taking to pitching their tents in unknown spaces to erase some of the monotony of daily life. This, they find, is a simple way to detach from stress and unwind.

An indescribable adventure, camping brings with it the certainity of uncertainity. It is also a good way to connect with nature. And now that it is camping season, many groups in the city are starting to plan such trips. Salwat Hamrah and Ishan Sharma started ‘Get Beyond Limits’ for these very reasons. “It is said that we (humans) are a composition of the five elements of nature — water, earth, wind, fire, and space — so walking barefoot is supposed to be a way of connecting with the environment and recharging ourselves.

Camping is becoming a popular way to do this because of the hectic lives we lead in cities. Once you are surrounded by nature, you see how small everything is (and I don’t just mean that literally). Trekking up a mountain and reaching the peak gives you perspective on everything,” explains Salwat. The act of surrendering yourself to the unknown might seem daunting but he promises it’s an experience worth having. There are no chances of completely losing yourself, he adds. “You will be humbled but won’t lose yourself in nature because it’s difficult for people to survive without any comforts!”
Camping isn’t just putting up a tent and spending the night by a campfire. It’s actively pulling yourself out of your comfort zone to experience something you haven’t before.

Since there is no way to predict how a trip will go, it’s best to not have expectations, say seasoned campers. Talking about how he started camping, Salwat says, “I camped, for the first time, when I was in 5th standard. My school took us on camping and trekking trips every year so when I finally entered college, I noticed what this had done to me. My confidence and ability to deal with new situations had gotten better over the years, from being put in a place of discomfort.

Pranav, cofounder of ‘Madventures’, adds that there is no such thing as a ‘bad camping experience’. “It’s probably because I mingle with people of the same wavelength but I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t enjoy camping and spending time outdoors. There can either be good experiences or experiences, but not bad ones.” Every month ‘Madventures’ has treks for people, whether they are experienced campers or first-timers. “I can name 100 reasons why I love camping! You learn to connect with and respect nature. You also become independent because you have to do everything on your own. For first-timers, I’d say never have any expectations,” says Pranav.

But none of these outdoor activity enthusiasts advice walking on to a trail unprepared. They have a checklist for campers and trekkers so that everyone is prepared at all times. “The first time I went camping, I was ill-prepared. I had only a water bottle and not much food. After this, I’ve tried to be more careful, but it’s a continuous learning process.

There’s no such thing as perfection when it comes to being in nature,” explains Pranav.
While some prefer short, planned trips, Rohith Subramanian, who just finished touring the country on his bike, says that he loves living out of a backpack. “I love lying down at night, counting the stars and living in the moment. Life is beautiful when you are around nature. Camping and living out of a tent has been my dream so I hope to do it for longer durations.” So far, he has camped in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and a few places in the North-East.