Due to several of our trips being cancelled during the DP as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this trip to Borderlands, Kithulgala served as a substitute for the missed opportunities.

Day 1

The journey began at 6:30AM, Sunday morning, at school. 14 members of our grade convened at the bus pick-up and drop-off area near the gym and promptly began our 2.5 hour journey to Kithulgala. As soon as we arrived we were given a brief introduction and promptly began our first activity, canyoning.

The canyoning experience was enjoyable, but as I am someone who seeks the highest possible thrills, I felt as though it was a little underwhelming. Maybe this could be because we did the same canyoning route as in 9th grade, but either way I wish that there were higher jumps than the one depicted in figure 2 and 3 which was only about 3 meters. To some the water was too cold, but I enjoyed the cool temperature as it truly gave me a break from the warm, humid and busy city of Colombo. I felt so much closer to nature which really allowed for my mind to be at ease.

This canyoning activity connected to the 7th learning outcome. ‘recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions’. I feel as though this learning outcome is fitting due to the fact that some of our classmates were hesitant to engage in all of the various jumps/scrambles in the canyon. I found that being a supportive person and encouraging them while also leading by example helped them to overcome their fears and ultimately put themselves out of their comfort zone. This not only helped to create a stronger bond between my classmates and I but it also allowed for us to feel collectively accomplished.

Day 2

Day 2 was very different from day 1. Instead of canyoning to start the day off, we began with team activities. As depicted in figure 4, my partner, Kaalep, and I attempted the ‘big ladder’. This activity consisted of wooden planks that were held together by two long metal ropes and the objective was the reach the top and ring the bell. Unfortunately, Kaalep and I were unable to reach the top due to poor technique and the lack of a ‘gameplan’ from the beginning which resulted in him being too tired to continue.

This activity related to the 2nd learning outcome, ‘demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process’, as the entire activity was a challenge. Additionally, I was forced to use muscle groups that I am not used to using which caused immense soreness in my lower abdominal and triceps for a few days following the trip. The main skill that I developed was the ability to evaluate a situation and act accordingly whilst the situation is occurring. Usually I will think of a ‘gameplan’ before I tackle something and even if it proves to not be the most efficient method, I will try my absolute hardest to finish the task at hand using the initial ‘gameplan’. Due to there being another variable (my partner Kaalep), I was forced to reconsider our ‘gameplan’ and adjust accordingly when we were halfway up the ladder. At first, I was the one that was helping Kaalep get up the ladder as he was the heavier of the two of us and I assumed helping him get up after I had gotten up would be more difficult due to the disparity in body weight. We then learned that the more effective method was having the person with the best ‘strength-to-weight ratio’ go up first as it was the more difficult part of the activity.

The final activity of the day was the hike and the abseil. This was very enjoyable as the hike served as an opportunity to be immersed in not only the local community, but also immersed in the nature that surrounded us in Kithulgala. Following this hike we abseiled down two separate waterfalls, which was the most that an OSC group has ever done. In between both waterfalls there was a scramble which was quite physically demanding as it required a lot of agility and body control due to the slippery rocks. Once we completed the hike, abseil, and the scramble, we were rewarded with a nice swim at the bottom of the waterfall (refer to Figure 5).

Day 3

Canoeing

On our last day we went canoeing due to problems with the water levels that negated the option of going rafting. At first everyone was slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to go rafting as it was the highlight of our 9th grade trip to Borderlands but due to the inclusion of multiple team-based activities in the water, everyone seemed to be satisfied by the end of the activity.

This experience was definitely one to remember as it was not only my last ever high school grade trip but it was also an opportunity to connect with members of the grade that I had not been able to connect with at school. It was definitely good to see everyone outside of their comfort zones and outside of the classrooms as it allowed for us to bond on a deeper level.