Mumbai-Lonavala-Bhimashankar-Mumbai

It was June 2012 and all planned that we are going to much awaited destination –Bhimashankar.

As always we don’t like to be part of crowd so instead of choosing Sat+Sunday we opted for Sunday+Monday. Also on Sunday morning I was appearing for my MPSC exams.

By the time I reached Bandra from Churchgate, Pravin and Dsu had also reached Bandra, and waited for Kamran while having some Mutton Samosa+Apple pie outside Lucky.

As always we were running late in our plan and by the time we left Bandra it was 3PM. It was me+Pravin+Dsu+kammo. Ateeq was waiting at vashi for us. We picked him up at around 3:30. And kept runnig on old Mumbai-pune highway. By the time it was 5 we were at Lonavala exit and suddenly we opted for Lonavala for night stay as it was lush green outside and we were not very sure about route to Bhimashankar. And we do not wanted to reach an unknown place in the wee hours, sleep till late noon and leave, without exploring much.

Our stay @ Hill Forest Resort made our decision of halting in Lonavala acceptable.

Next day we got up @ 9, enjoyed some time in swimming pool and check out of hotel @11 and went straight to Tiger hills. It was my first trip to Tiger Hills and it was an amazing climate with breath taking views. Perfect thing was the day being Monday- a weekday. No traffic, no rush, less crowd, so we took our time and breath to enjoy the climate at fullest.

But in the lush climate of lonavala we forgot our real destination –Bhimashankar.

By the time we left lonavala it was 3PM, and we took the PUne-Talegaon-Chakan-Dehu Road route.

The route was very internal but gave some very beautiful views of Chaskaman Dam and surrounding mountains. We reach ‘Blue Mor Mon’ Resort by 7PM. Although there was no rain in Bhimashankar but the climate was cool due to the extreme height the blowing wind was chilling. I liked the place I wanted to stay there,wanted to visit the famous Jyotirlinga, but need to reach Bombay back was on priority. So we decided to immediately move back to Bombay. Challenge was the route- via Malshej Ghat or via Pune,from where we came. We decided not to go back on the same route so we went ahead towards, Ghodegaon-Junnar. Halted at Ghodegaon for some food as the last time we had something was vada-pav @ Tiger Hills. Continued our journey straight but were in doubt whether to choose Malshej for night journey or not. Following our GPS we skipped way to Malshej and reached NH50( Pune-Nashik). From there we reached Pune Exp way and some hard-hitting drive by Kammo we were in Panvel by 12 midnight. Then we dropped everyone to their nearby feasible location in order- Ateeq(Vashi), Kamran(Bandra), Ameeth(Malad), Me(Kandivali) and priavin took the car to his home the last destination-Thane.

Date = 24 & 25^th June2012.

Distance = 550kms(approx)

Fuel = 20 ltrs

6 days 2800 kms 4 states

Left Mumbai on Friday morning. Pravin was at Dahisar Check Naka at 8.30 AM.

We quickly took the the way for Panvel for joining Pune expressway. Had a good brunch @McD, Kalamboli. Quickly we crossed Pune and were on Pune-Bengaluru Highway.

By 1:30PM we reached Satara and met mansing there. Had some good chicken@chikane dhaba.

Left by 4 from there and then continued our journey till we reached Davangere. Halted there for Dinner at a restaurant where Sardarji was speaking Tulu.

Reached Shatru’s place BTM,Bengaluru at 3AM.Halted that night at Shatru’s place and the next night at Abhilash’s place. And all we did there was binge drinking!!!

Next day by afternoon we left for coorg via Mysore

Reached Coorg at night. Stayed there at a Home Stay.

Next morning left for Kerala….reached Wayanad(Kuruva island). The place was good the climate wasn’t. It was dan hot in kerala during March. So we decided not to stay there. We kept our journey on towards coast. Reached Mahe (part of Pondicherry) by 9 PM. Liquor was as cheap as water but climate was s Humid to survive. First time in our trip in recent years we opted for a AC room.

Next day early morning we left from Mahe as surviving daytime in Mahe ws too sweaty , with a planned night halt. Shatru was forcing us to take the same route back via Bangalore, but we wanted a different one and the option was open to us as we were on coast.

So we choose…Mahe—Mangalore- Udipi-Bhatkal- coastal route and wanted to go the same way till Goa, but from Hubli took a right to join Bangalore-Pune expressway due to shortage of time.

But the coastal journey was one of the most memorable as we visited few excellent places like Murudeshwar and Turtle Bay resort, Marwante, and the lovely backwaters along the way was enthralling.

We dropped Shatru at mangalore to continue his journey to Bangalore via bus. So basically he missed the fun part of it. It was Me+Doobs+Pravin+Kammo who started from Mumbai and reached back Mumbai after 6 days compelling journey visiting South-West India’s some great places.

Days = 6

Distance = 2800 kms

Fuel = 200 ltrs(approx)

Northern Glimpses

Since last 5-6 years or even b4 tht when i was doing my engineering, i have heard a lot about places like Jammu, Dalhousie, Manali,Chamba...... from my college friends. well thts the benefit of being a part of a hostel. Although you have been nowhere, you have done nothing but with so many people of other different places and culture you learn a lot of it. So i was always eager to go these places and finally 10 of us planned for a trip to North in last season of 2009. As the time came many of the planners fell flat and finally 4 of us boarded the Wagon in Nov 2009. We catched Paschim Exp from Bvali and alighted at Amritsar (proudly called as Ambarsar by locals) and there we went to one of the most beautiful religious place - The Golden Temple. The cold there was chilling as well killing but we were well prepared. From there we boarded another train to Jammu for visit to Vaishno Devi. Well it was not a religious trip but it wouldn't sound good if we went there and not visited these places. I mean it was just like anyone visiting Goa, gives themselves a chance to visit the famous Churches there. The 14 kms walk upside and the next 14 kms downside was really exciting with breathtaking views. It took us 12 hrs (1:00PM to 1:00Am) for this to and fro journey. When we got down we were not even capable of finding a good place to eat. We directly went back to our hotel and openend our eyes the next day morning. Thank god we were feeling good the next day so we went straight to our nxt and most awaited destination Dalhousie. The trip was too long we reached there around 9 in the night. And the temperature there was too less than expected. Walking on roads of Dalhousie is the most njoying part there but walking on the roads at 2 in the morning is grt challenge and we did it. Then we stayed there for next 3 days going to surrounding famous places like Khajjiar (also known as Swiss of India). From there we moved to Chamba but we were only 2 left by tht time as other punters got to be back to their places. But at Chamba we were joined by 1 more friend of ours and around 8-10 more of his. And it was a frightening night ahead as next day early morning we had to move from there and still not sure how but we moved. I continued my journey to Benaras- alone as the last guy left with me has to come back to Mumbai. But although alone i enjoyed the trip to Benaras as it was lesser cold as compared to Dalhousie and so I was enjoying it at the fullest. First time i went to 'Ghats of Ganges' and beleive me although the water was not so clear as the name Ganga suggests the evening at ghat was astonishing. I stayed there for almost a week as there was a marriage to be attended and was back to mumbai for the neccessities - Roti, Kapda, Makaan!