In December of 2022, we visited Mount Abu, a hill station in the Aravalli Range in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan in western India. The trip lasted from the 9th to the 14th of December. The experience was a part of activity and included rigorous activities like treks, rock climbing, caving, and more. I had multiple learning outcomes from this trip.

LO-1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth.
The trip was my first trek, and I wasn’t aware of the dos and dont’s of such an experience. One strength of mine is being a fast learner. I was able to identify the tricks and my potential areas of improvement. Each day I learned new things about survival in the wild and the necessities you need for a trek; how you should keep your bag light and always keep enough water for later.

LO-2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills.
The trip included rigorous treks. We also explored the caves in Abu, which initially made me quite anxious because the caves were dark and we had to pass through small spaces. During the treks, I had to be aware of my surroundings and be careful of my foot placement. But in the end, I got past my fear and completed the activities making me feel like an adrenaline junkie. I developed the skills of being determined yet careful, being a risk-taker, and also being patient.

LO-4: Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience.
These exhaustingly long treks in Abu required stamina, endurance, and most importantly perseverance. I needed to know how to conserve my energy for the longer treks and also had to get out of my comfort zone while rock climbing. Climbing to the peak of the hill was tiresome but the view was worthwhile. Being away from home too gave me a sense of responsibility.

One learner profile attribute I demonstrated was being a risk-taker. Getting over my fear of heights and my anxiousness, I took quite some risks but had an exciting experience. The experience taught me a lot about wildlife and nature. The trip helped me in personal growth and was also a thrilling change to the monotonous city life.