JOIN USFrom jumping out of a plane that’s 3,000 feet in the air to climbing the highest peaks in the world, youngsters are all for having an adventure these days. Adventure sports have become a way to escape the busy schedules and heavy traffic that one is usually caught in. While some indulge in these extreme sports to deal with stress, others seek to get closer to nature or have an adrenaline rush. Whatever the reason, youngsters leave no stone unturned when they are in search of a good time.
Vishwanath is an adventure-lover who tries out everything that comes his way. He has been scuba diving, rafting, mountaineering, trekking and hiking. He says, “It started as a passion and then turned into an obsession!” He plans to try his hand at other such sports in the coming years.
For Nisarga, who enjoys trekking, camping and hiking, the most beautiful moment of her adventures was watching the sun set over Mount Everest from the Kala Patthar. “That was a breathtaking moment. I forgot all my fatigue, the cold and that my hands were frozen from holding the camera. It was totally worth it!” She further adds, “I admire the vastness of the Himalayas – it’s not crowded and tourist-y, but all natural and isolated.” Badari is an adventure enthusiast who goes biking on tough terrains. The biker, who is excited by rough terrain and solo riding, says, “My best experience was riding solo through the Ladakh, Zanskar and Spiti region for 52 days.” He says that the experience take one to a different world while riding. “It makes you forget about the cruelties of the world. It’s a mind over body experience.”
Nayantara, a scuba diver turned conservationist, says that her diving experiences have brought her closer to nature, and interactions with underwater creatures is the best part of the experience. From coming face to face with a little dolphin during a safety stop to swimming with hammerhead sharks, being neither prey nor predator and rescuing newly hatched sea turtles from a shed, she has many memories to share.
The Bangalore Mountaineering Club (BMC) is one of the most active adventure clubs in the City. It organises trekking, aero activities and aqua activities with four to give departures every week. Aqib, who works with BMC, says, “Trekking is the most regular activity that happens, along with sky diving.” The treks usually happen in the Western Ghats and sky diving in Mysuru. “The groups are limited to 30 or 35 but there are at least 60 people ready to join us on every trek,” says Aqib. The Kumara Parvatha trek is said to be the most challenging and sought-after trek.