Why did I do it?

I have been trying to answer that question since I came back. Was it for me? Was it for the kids? I am not really sure.
Before I started the journey, my only experience with camping was the short camping trips I do with my kids, plus staying at the Vidette during Christmas holidays last year.
Apart from that, I was a member of the girl guides.
I must tell that, I hated every bit of girl guides. I was forced to join them because my mother thought I needed the 10 bonus marks you get being a state level guide to pass my SSLC public exam.( She had that much faith in my abilities!!)
First of all, the guides meet on every Friday afternoon and Baker Memorial school where I did my schooling had long lunch break on Fridays(1 to 2.30 pm, because the teachers all had to go for prayer meeting). It is the day when all the girls get to play for a very long time after lunch.
Secondly I had to learn a lot of stuff in English and at the age of 10, I didn't even know to write my own address in English without making a mistake! Imagine attending a meeting on a Friday when all your friends are busy playing and add to that I had to learn oaths and laws in English!
In the first week after joining I had to write girl guide exam. We had to write the guide laws and I couldn't remember the guide laws and instead of writing girl guide is loyal for the 2nd law, I wrote a girl guide is beautiful!!. I still can remember my senior named Lalitha running to the guide leader(Ms.Job) and showing her my answer sheet and both of them laughing their heart out.. Oh how I hated the girl guides!( not to mention all the knots I had to learn, all the badges I had to earn.. all for 10 marks!!)
Any way every summer holidays Amma would pack me off to attend some guiding camps. Though I hated the guides, I enjoyed the camps. Anything that took me out of home was worth every bit of struggle.Even it involved the whole battalion was laughing at you because you were only one who couldn't get morse code right! At the camps I learned how to pitch a tent and basic survival skills.
Almost 30 years ago My father subscribed a magazine called world construction. I couldn't read it because it was in English. But I always liked to see all the pictures of yellow coloured machines. One day my father was reading the magazine and I climbed on his lap, so I too can see the pictures. He was reading about Alaska Highway and showed me the picture of Alaska Highway. He told me how it was built and may be because the way he explained, the word Alaska highway was always in my head. I wanted to see the highway and I told my father that.
He told me "One day you will".
And I knew one day I will..
And I did it, with three kids and the money I saved since I came to Canada by doing catering orders and the experience gained from attending girl guide camps.