The First Meetup of 2023 and It Was Everything We Could Ever Ask for.

Don’t we all want to go back and relive a few days? Is it possible to go back to those days? No. But what we have every day is an opportunity. An opportunity to make memories, have fun, and capture those moments.

For us, an opportunity opened up, and we seized it. We met for the first time in 2023. The feeling that we had, what we experienced, is indescribable. None of us have felt this good in a long time. It was a much-needed break. It felt like the good old days. This time we decided to hit the hills and off we went to Vagamon.

Bags Packed. The Journey Begins.

The journey for all of us started at different times, with some of our teammates starting the journey a bit early. Nonetheless, we all met at Vagamon Heights on March 17, 2023.

On the way to the destination, we did stop to take pictures (remember how we mentioned that capturing moments is also vital) at the tea plantation and the winding roads that gave a panoramic view of the landscape.

Once we reached the destination, we had to take a small offroad jeep ride through the plantation to get to our place of stay. Our place of stay was so serene. Being away from the buzz of the city felt heavenly. We had a quick round of cricket and headed off to do some activities.

A Bit of Adrenaline Rush: Off to Adventure Park

Well, the adventure began even before reaching the park. The path that goes through the plantation to a new route is always calm when it starts, but after a couple of seconds, its nature changes and gets bumpy. One needs to hold on to the rails and if you are not watchful, a few light twigs will visit you. 

After a bit of off-roading, we reached the adventure park, and it was time for fun. We started with boating and kayaking (the experience from our previous kayaking ride came in handy). 

It was fun, but it was time to experience an adrenaline rush and the zip line delivered it.

While some were trying out the zip line, others were trying the ATV.  A quick round of photo sessions followed after which we tried out archery.

We had to cut short our activities as the rain was coming and we headed back.

Discussing Future Roadmap and Other Surprises

Back at the villa, we discussed our future plans and how we are going to tackle them. The Happiness Team had some surprises waiting for all of us. We have internal games and competitions here to take the steam off, and the winners were still waiting for their gifts. So began the pending prize distribution.

Two of our colleagues, Nandhu (Associate Project Manager) and Jayadevan (Developer) also completed their first work anniversary.

The hard work and effort put in should not go unnoticed. As a result, we have kicked off, “Employee of the Month”, a bit late, we know.

Finally, we distributed a memento to all the core contributors that contributed to WordPress 6.1 and 6.2.

The Party’s Just Getting Started

The rain had called it quits, the night was cold and the time, well we had plenty of it. As the barbecue was being prepared, a quick attempt at darts took place. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better and it was time to hit the bed, a late-night campfire was lit. 

What followed was stepping into the dancing shoes, for a good 30- 40 mins, before we called it a day.

A Bit More Exploration Left

It was the last day, but before we headed back home, we had one more thing left to do. A tour of the plantation and, oh boy, we were in for a surprise. This time we headed off a new trail, and as usual, it was bumpy, but it was absolutely worth it. 

The off-road hill climb took us to a spot that left us speechless. The view was absolutely breathtaking. The clear blue sky and the hills spread across the landscape were amazing. We had a good time there, and even the sun was kind to us.

Heading back, we also visited the treehouse. The climb was easy, but getting down was a bit tricky, but all of us managed it.

That’s it, the time to bid farewell is approaching and we had one final place to visit. We visited the famous Pine forest, had our lunch, said our goodbyes, and started our journey back home.

The first meetup of 2023 is over, but the year has just begun. We are back home and hard at work and as always we are looking forward to taking up exciting projects. We have plans to meet again soon, and do what we do best – have fun.