Khandala and Lonavala trip

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.                                                                          – Marcel proust

It was an ultimate experience. Before going over there, I have read certain blogs and thanks to all those bloggers and to one in particular that mentioned about the cycling.

Last night, we manage to sleep at 2.30 am (2 july), our plan of going over there was not yet final. At around 4, Anil Ingle, my friend in adjacent room, woke us. We had a informal talk last night, however nothing was finalized  and he told that he would go Pune next day and all the trains from Mumbai to Pune are through Khandala. We were also too much uncertain about this plan after gaining a lot of experience from the cancellation of trips in past couple of years, last moment mood change and all such excuses.

He knocked my room hard at 4 and start shouting. I was very angry, however I got up and asked Shubham to get ready. Narcoleptic and insomnia are two shades of my sleeping habits. From the time I remember about my life, I had been always suffering from either of these 2. Sometimes, its insomnia, sometimes, its narcolepsy. This time it is narcolepsy and a strong desire for sleep.

Shubham told me that he will take only 2 minutes. Finally, I decided to take a bath. In the meantime, I came to know that Anil ingle had again fallen into sleep. I went to wake him up Finally, we left the college at 5.15am ( 2^nd July). My eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Around 6.30, we reached Mumbai CST after travelling 1 hour in local. Locals railways had never been look so beautiful and big. I spend the time at the door of the local.

At 6.45, we luckily able to catch a Intercity express. It was quite packed,however we managed to get 2 seats. One person need to stand thus we were changing seats after every 15 minutes. Its stoppage is Lonavala and not Khandala. The views were really beautiful and I felt very irritated on account of not capturing them because of the heavy load, this train was carrying.  In the meantime, Mr. Ingle had also decided to stay time with us in Lonavala and decided to delay his program to Pune by few hours. We reached at 9 and after getting the feel of the air, views, ambiance of Lonavala, we started enquiring, how to roam here and at what charges. I already had the list of places that we want to see. We booked an Indica for the next 5 hours. 

Romancing with nature

The first place was tiger’s leap. Driver told us that it is also popular as shooting point owing to shooting of lots of bollywood songs. Inspired from the actors, lovers were also making love here. One such couple was in full romantic mood and somehow, they capture my attention for a while. I decided to capture them at 8x zoom. I don't do this thing normally. Check how decent the shot was.

Tiger's leap

The beauty of this place can be pen down in words only by great writers like Salman Rushdie. Amateurs bloggers like me have to use photographs to create the picture in reader's mind.

46 had slipped from here and died. Are you 47th ?

L to R. Anil, Shubham, me at Bhushi Dam

The next place was Bhushi Dam. It was very crowded. People were sitting on the stairs from which the water was flowing in full flow from the Dam and continuously splashing water on each other, making it hard for those who don’t want to get wet. After saving myself for an hour, I surrendered myself at the end and began enjoying in water after changing my outfits.

The next one was some lake. We skipped it as it was not that much blessed with beauty as the last 2 places.After that, it was Ryewood park. I heard a lot about it. It was very peaceful place with ample greenery like Khandala and Lonavala. After unwinding ourselves in the lap of the nature, we left.

Next we went to khandala. Khandala was a small place but was equally blessed in beauty as Lonavala. We halt at one place and from this place, all the scenic points can be covered by foot. The first one was Rajamachi park. Deep valley on one side, high rise mountains on the other side, waterfall flowing and the highway in the midst of all this looked mesmerizing.

NH-4 India captured from Rajamachi park

L to R. Shubham, me at sunset point/Duke's nose

Next we went to Temple nearby. Next one was Sunrise point. Although it was 1pm, still we went there to get the view, it was beyond our imaginations. Duke’s nose can also be seen from there. NH-4 reminds me of the rat race.

Aati kya Khandala

Finally, We went back and had lunch. Now, we only one thing left on our agenda i.e. cycling. We enquired from localities’ and finally got a cycle. We roam around in the city. Cycling after 7,8 years was really refreshing and nostalgic too. Due to poor stamina and continuous up and downs road, we felt tired quickly. We went again to Ryewood park again. Taking permission from the local authorities, We took  our cycle inside the park. Fortunately 1 bench was empty, we parked our cycle  there and take a rest on the bench. We felt asleep for an hour. It was around 4.30 when we woke up. The sleep was really a tonic and again we felt very good. We decided to catch the bus now and return the bicycle. We caught a bus at 5.30 and felt asleep in the bus again. When we woke up next, it was the conductor’s call to alert people that Mumbai had came. When I came back to college, I didn’t know whether the journey had just came to an end or just began. 

PS - I would really like to thanks a weather for cooperating with us most of the time. One thing more, there are several few good trekking places. Those are also must watch, however we miss them due to scarcity of time and also our body start complaining now for the rest and the eyes were not willing to remain open. 

At peace with myself