Trip To Kitugala

Last week, my grade and I went on a 3 day outdoors trip to Kitugala, during which we were pushed past our comfort zones and exposed to rich biodiversity. This journey focused on activity, targeting learning outcomes such as strength & growth, realising the benefits of collaboration, being aware of the ethics of choices,  and overcoming challenges.

Day 1:

Briefing at Borderlands

The first day of the trip started at 7AM, as we left OSC, embarking on a 2 and a half hour drive. When we arrived, we dropped our bags off, getting ready for the canyoning activities to come. Once we were all breifed and settled into our cabins, we put on our helmets and life jackets and started the walk to the canyons. We learned a lot about the surrounding nature, such as all the edible flora in the region which was discovered admist the heat of the pandemic. We went canyoning, which was a positive experience, allowing everyone to get out of their comfort zone and enjoy time outdoors.

The water was cold, which I was thankful for during the midday Sri Lankan heat. I was able to get outside of my comfort zone and truly appreciate time in nature. During the second half of the day, we did some challenging activities back at the camp, such as climbing using crate stacking, and climbing up wooden pannels in under ten minutes. me and my climbing partner were able to reach the top in under ten minutes.

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Reaching the top with my partner

By the evening, after our day full of canyoning and outdoor time, we were all ready for the next day.

Day 2:

On day 2, the plan was to go absailing. We started the morning with some exercise to get us all warmed up. After Breakfast at around 7:30, we got ready to go on the bus to our starting location. Unfortunatley, the bus could not make it all the way there due to rough terrain, so we hiked the extra distance. We hiked all the way up to the absail location, which took about 1 and a half to 2 hours. We carried up the water with us, taking turns to take the extra load. Luckily, there were no leeches in sight, and everyone made it up without problems. Once up, we got a briefing on some of the rules and methods of getting down. Each of us absialed dows the sharp declining rock, making our way to the natural body of water at the bottom.

Abseiling

As we were with such a small group, and we all made it down well, we got offered the opportunity to do an abseil that not many people have the opportunity to do. This was also because the weather favored it. We all managed to go down the extra rock, doing so while supporting one another. Once we all got down to the last pool of water, we took some time to appreciate the nature.

A group of us at the bottom of the abseil

Abseiling down the rock

After a day of testing our limits and pushing our comfort zones, we made it back to camp for dinner and a good nights sleep.

Day 3:

On our last day of the trip, we were unsure of the what was to come ahead. Due to the weather conditions affecting the stream and water levels of the river, we did not know whether we would be rafting or canoeing on our last day. After a morning run, we found the best and safest option was to do some canoeing. We started the session with learning the different strokes and pulls needed to go in different directions. We also learned the importance of communication and coordination, as being on a canoe with a partner requires both members to be present and in agreement of where they want to go. To work on our skills, we participated in some activities, such as a alternate version of capture the flag, during which all canoers had to try and capture the stick hanging off the back of one of the canoes. I got to grow closer with my canoe partner, making sure we were on the same page at all times for where we wanted to go and at what pace. We even participated in balancing activities, where both members of the canoe would hang off the sides at the same time and in equal amount, dipping our heads in the water and coming back up without falling in. Luckily, we did not fall in as we communicated thoroughly throughout.

My partner and I on the canoe

A group shot on the canoes

By 12:00, we were all done with the borderlands trip and thanked all the people there for such a fun trip. We got a talk about the importance of nature and how daily life choices affect the environment. After lunch, we all hoped on the bus and headed back to Colombo for 3 hours.

Learning Outcomes:

The first learning outcome this experience addressed was identifying own strengths and developing areas of growth. I was able to identify my strengths in handling challenging situations, such as the abseling which was a bit out of my comfort zone. I was able to go down the rock despite this, developing my ability to do things outside of my comfort zone. I also demonstrated development of new skills, such as canoeing with a partner and belaying people down the rock. This required skills such as communication, activity specific skills (physically), and listening skills as it was crucial for safety. Over the course of our stay, we made sure to reduce our waste and impact on the environment by avoiding leaving behind trash in these natural locations. Lastly, I was able to recognize the benefits of working collaboratively throughout the trip, for activities such as abseiling and canoeing, where communication and support was necessary. One example of this was when one of the members of our group was afraid to make a big jump on the first day of canyoning. With encouraging words and the support of others, they were able to make the jump. Overall, this trip has been an enriching experience, giving us a much needed break from our desks after the Mocks.