This was by far one of the best field trips I have ever been on! Especially after school being online for the past two years, the trip to Elephanta Caves was much needed and a breath of fresh air amidst consecutive tests and assessments. Taking this journey to and fro the caves turned out to be a great experience since it gave us all a chance to bond with our fellow classmates and learn more about one another. It was eye-opening to me, to find out how many similarities I shared with people I had barely exchanged a few words with all year. At the Caves, the vivacious tour guide imparted a great deal of information about the site to us; we were all taken aback when he demonstrated that he was in fact multilingual! Apart from the statues that were engraved with such rich and ancient history, the monkeys too accompanied us wherever we went, which certainly was a joy. That is why, Elephanta Caves, was a wonderful experience that couldn’t have been any better!
It started on a hot April day. We reported to the gateway, at 9:00 AM sharp, and our ferry ride leaving for the magical Elephanta caves started at 9:15. We boarded the ferry, almost all of us from eighth and ninth grade. After around 45 minutes, we reached the islands, and our true journey began. On our walk up to the caves, we were accompanied by many small stalls selling knick-knacks and souvenirs. When we finally reached it, we were enchanted by the beauty of the caves. They were wonderfully made stone structures, and we had a wonderful tour guide telling us about the history and significance of each. It was a fun experience, not only because of the things we learned but also because of the memories we made with our friends and teachers. We could have easily spent the day learning about the caves on some website, but instead, we were given the opportunity to experience it firsthand, which is what made this trip truly great.
