On the 6th of October, 22 staff members of ICCOA took off on a wonderful journey to the beachy land of Gokarna. The trip was organized by the company with the primary goal of team building and fostering stronger bonds among the staff members. We started our journey on the 6th morning from our Jayanagar office at 7am. While a few boarded from Yeshwantpur.
At about 9am, we stopped for breakfast and that is when most of us got energized. The bus journey did not feel boring, because we played antakshari and dumb charades all along the way. It also helped distract ourselves from the poor AC in the bus, which led us to suffer the piercing heat of the summer sun. After lunch, the sounds in the bus had reduced, for a short afternoon nap awaited us all. Our games resumed after a small pit stop for some local chai by the riverside. The ambience of the place overtook the taste of the local chai.
The next stretch of our journey was through a forest amidst the darkness of the night. Since the roads were not pleasing, that stretch felt more like a bumpy ride. But the coolness of the forest was definitely a saviour from the afternoon heat. With no range or internet available, all 22 of us were engrossed in the games and activities. At about 11 in the night, we reached our destination. But the twist in the story came when the resort was located down a hill, about 500m from the main road, and our driver refused to take the bus down the hill. So, we decided to walk with our luggage.
Big trees covered the not-so tarred road on either side with no lights to guide the path. With drowsy eyes, suitcases and mobile torch in our hand, we started our walk towards the resort. As chilling as it was, there was also a slight thrill and adrenaline rush to this experience. While some of them made an adventure of it, others were very careful and alert. This was probably the first impromptu and unexpected team bonding the trip threw at us. By the time we reached the resort, all we wanted to do was fall into our beds.
Day 2 had some exciting and adventurous things awaiting us. As our place of stay was by the oceanside, we started off the day with a dip in the ocean, a game of kabaddi and a relaxing time by the pool. Then, after an extravagant breakfast, we took off into the middle of the ocean on a boat ride to explore the beaches of Gokarna – Kudle, Om, half-moon and paradise.
We started our boat ride from Kudle beach and covered all the other three. We were also lucky enough to catch a family of dolphins swimming away. Somewhere in the middle of the sea, the boat stopped and a few of us jumped into the deep, salty water for a quick swim. We got back to the shore just in time for lunch. After a good rest for the body, we went back to the beach to play volleyball and engage in watersports and other activities. The night had something else awaiting us, a DJ party where all of us went crazy, with no inhibitions or fear. We let our bodies move to the tunes and breeze of the beach.
An eventful day had come to an end and it was time for us to return home. We started our journey at 11am the next day, with a small detoured stop at Mahabaleshwar. The temple is a famous pilgrim spot. On our way back, most of us were really tired and took comfort in our seats. We did endure a few difficulties with the bus and its driver, but we pushed through such pressure situations and made the trip a memorable one.
The trip provided valuable lessons in team bonding and building, with each activity and challenge strengthening the camaraderie among the staff. At the end of the day, the trip was successful in achieving its goal of enhancing the team’s unity and creating lasting memories for all its staff members.
