Roadhouse blues 
Navigator Rajeev Khandelwal
Divided into teams of four-five people, (except for Mr Chail Singh, fondly named Patiala uncle, who was a one-man team) we got into our cars and were flagged off glamorously.
'Rules later, let the fun begin,' I thought, but all my dreams of zooming by at top speed came crashing down as I sat hunched over the speed chart, calculating time we needed to cover the various stints of distances in.
Since when did racing need a pen and paper? Worse, a calculator!
Speed is equal to distance over time — the winning formula to a road rally that's not speed based. Reaching the finish point in time may not necessarily mean reaching first. In fact reaching before time costs you double the penalty points than reaching late.
The last time I probably used the calculator so much was for my 10th standard math exam.
That's the rally challenge for you. But don't let that deter you from one because math, speed and an open road make for crazy fun.
Like misleading the other teams by going on a wrong track and having others follow blindly like a flock of sheep.
Or going off the tarmac onto a dirt road and raising clouds of dust behind you. Just make sure you're going according to the map though.
Unlike Chetan Hansraj (Sasha of Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki), whose team took one wrong turn and went on their own half hour long trip. However, there's fun in losing the way. Chetan will surely vouch for that.
While at some points you may be driving at a painfully boring 20 kmph, next you may be soaring at 100 kmph to make up lost time.
But don't miss the joys of the journey while you play Nautica navigators or Nautica crawlers. What delight to find a small village called Bombaypur on way to Chakrata!
Slithering down a rope from the 80 feet high Yamuna bridge
Back to basics 
Overcoming the river wild
While our first campsite Virat Khai in Chakrata was a dry, windy spot, probably the rainshadow side of the mountain, the real paradise was Camp Mystic River in Mori, Uttaranchal, 135 kms from Mussorie.
A valley of towering pine trees, our tents were pitched on the banks of the river Tons, a tributary of the Yamuna.
It's a truly romantic spot with whistling winds and sunlight filtering through the pines.
But the mood of the moment was adventure, so the more the merrier. With no electricity, no cellphone coverage and not even restrooms, it was a camp at its most basic.
But the tents had beds to rest our tired behinds and bonfires in the nights to dance around.
Picturesque was the word — especially for model/anchor Viraf Patel who decided to go behind camera.
Walking around with his SLR, Viraf captured people in his camera and the others captured him sometimes lying on the ground, sneaking behind a tree, or bending over a cliff, all to get the right shots.
Bravehearts 
Tents pitched at the Virat Khai campsite
Bridge slithering
Guided by the Great Indian Outdoors, a leading adventure sports company, our itinerary included things I'd think twice about doing, but be a fool to skip.
Drop a rope down the Yamuna bridge, over 70 feet high and slither down it — that was the first activity. It sounds like a completely inane thing to do, but it's something to be suspended in air with the bridge above and gushing water below.
Don't forget to stop and enjoy the view mid way. And of course you are safely tied to the rope, in case you decide to swing about a bit while lowering yourself down.
One of the first few to go down the bridge was Rajeev Khandelwal, the hunk of Indian television — Sujal of Kahiin toh Hoga is a hardcore adventurer.👏
And the reward for doing all this life-endangering adventure, was the food. If you're in the north of India, it's a blasphemy to miss the Rajmah.
Cliff jumping
Cliff jumping and trekking
The next day was a test of our stamina. A trek up a mountain interspersed by a rocky gurgling stream, cascades and pools to swim through.
If it hadn't been a race, it would have been the perfect place to just float around in the water, leisurely back stroke and look at the deep blue sky.
Leaving such luxury for later, we rushed through it to reach the final point, a 15 feet high cliff overlooking a pool of water.
Very beautiful indeed, but not when you had to jump off it, which obviously was our final task.
So we held our breath and took the leap, a few seconds in the murky waters and you come back up to the surface triumphantly. A dip like that rejuvinates you for the next couple of months of life in a city.
White water rafting
The best, however, was saved for last. While white water rafting in the Ganga in Rishikesh is the popular destination, river Tons provides some of the tougher rapids.
After a half hour briefing session, we packed up in trucks and went uphill, driving all along the river and looking and examining its bends and flow for the first time.
It used to be just a beautiful blue, meandering part of the scenery. Suddenly it seemed too fast, too furious. 'It's a technical river,' said our guide, Nalin.
We wondered what that meant until we started navigating our rafts, rowing forward and backward to get in or out of the strong currents.
Bachchan, our animated guide with a hip little ponytail was a pro and our life saviour.
'Team left backward, right forward, stop, get down' —he would shout out our instructions in his Americanised accent. Zig zagging over the rapids, maneuvering around rocks, being thrown in all directions and occassionally out of the boat — it was two hours of absolute exhiliration.
With the first splash of the stinging cold water, out came the involuntary scream. But when you do fall out of the boat — the water is so cold that you're left with no voice to scream.
Rough, rocky and hypothermia inducing — this was no river to go floating around in. However, the guides and lifeguards in kayaks were extremely competent and the others on the boat would immediately pull you back on to the raft when you fall out.
But what happens when everyone falls out, or rather jumps out? Like one team did — Going over a nasty rapid, the guide shouted out, 'get down,' and actor Rajesh Khera (Maddy of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin) panics and for some incomprehensible reason decides to scream, 'jump out' and everyone jumps out! 
All eight people, into the chilling water, a stunned guide and a story to tell. Apparently every successful script requires some comedy and Khera made the memory that the friends will always remember about the trip. Everyone got back on the boat safe and sound and completely amused at their stupidity.
We reached downhill, soaked and shivering with cold and excitement. Our last night at the camp was spent huddled around the bonfire, chatting and laughing and of course waiting for the results of the rally and the adventure activities.
While the Delhi boys took away the winning trophy, the rest of us took home lots of fun and memorable moments.
Three days of blood-pumping action and fresh mountain air — it does good to the soul. But there is one lesson you learn from these things — that fear and fun are first cousins.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Marathi TV
Cricket
Arjun
Hindi TV Shows
Aami Daakini
