After a spoiled plan(plans are meant to be) for an ealry morning start, we started off at about 11:00 on a saturday morning. we were headed to mahabaleshwar. A quick breakfast and we boarded the bus to station. Enquiries made by Praveen an Jithesh whileI was waiting in Queue outside the ATM, meant that we had to go to Swargate to borad our bus. Rikshaw to swargate took us about 20 minutes and we went to Hotel natraj where most of the private Luxury buses starts from. Praveen booked a ticket to Managalore for his journey next week and then we asked about the Volvo to Mahabaleshwar. The only volvo to Mahabaleshwar leaves at 07:00. The only option he could help us with was arranging a taxi to get us there . We denied as it was a lot of money. We then went to the Maharashtra state bus stand and a bus to Mahabaleshwar was waiting for us. We settled in and soon began our journey. Radio City was playing back to back songs but i thought they were repeated. The road was not bad and the view ouside refreshing, until we hit the pune Mumbai by- pass. After that the road was even better. In a while the toll way and four lane road divided into two and were climbing up the hill. A one-way Ghat road was something unheard. It was much less scary that way. Oozing past a couple of snail-pace trailers, we soon twisted and turned our way up the hill and the more we climbed the better the view. After a while we were back to the four lane Highway. Then a deviation to Wai and Mahabaleshwar to the right from where it was about 35 Km to Mahabaleshwar. The road was narrow but the air was cool and literally no traffic. Radio city declined my requests for more songs and my headphone was back to sleep in the cozy comfort of my bag. A short break at Wai and more ghats and better view followed. I tried to capture a few on my cam, but soon went back to my "sit back and enjoy" theory after a few failed attempts. After Panchgani (20 kms before Mahabaleshwar).
The road was slightly foggy and it getting denser all the time. It was pretty scary to watch the driver acelarating into the fog with practically less than 10 metre visibilty. There were a couple of close shaves and I again forgot my "sit back and enjoy" theory. My digicam could capture the foggy road but unforunately not the speed of the bus. To add it started drizzling and by the time our bus rolled into the Mahabaleshwar bus stand it had matured into a rain. The guides showed us pictures of hotel rooms and the rent they told was 35o which was fine with us. Then another guide took us to his office to explain about site seeing and we chose two of thier site seeing tour which was for 710 Rs and finalised it for 650 (bargaining just for the sake of it). One thing conspicuous was that almost all the buildings were covered with Tarpaulin sheets. The moist walls of our hotel room probably had the answer. The guy at the reception of the hotel was a mallu. Kept our bags at the hotel room and and we went out for our late lunch. We went into a non-veg hotel. Had a rather ugly looking Schezwan Soup and Egg and Mutton Curry with Roti. I am a veggie on tour but the 2 fellows with me were ready for non-veg. The food was average and expensive. The weather outside was excellent to our liking and the fog cover had not lifted. The main street was a more happening place with people walking around and shopping and eating hot corns . I was rather surprised at a Mumbai/Pune crowd shopping at Mahabaleshwar unless it was for some wet weather gears. But given that Majority was Honey moon couples and newly wed who would stop the penchance of the woman shopper. It was time for a walk and we left behind the crowded streets and walked into the rain into the fog., down the winding road.
Jithesh was saying words like excellent, beautiful and niether me or Praveen disagreed. It was the best I had seen any hill station get into. Cool, windy, misty, drizzly and it was off season which meant less people . more silence and a lot less expensive. We tried for some snaps and all we could get was mist and rain and my cam lens was getting moist all the while. The road we were walking through joined a wider looking road and at the left corner was a board of Limca book of records for the tallest cactus in India. A few more steps and we saw it . It was really tall, taller than a one storey building but nothing exciting. we were careful to walk along the side of the road as we knew what te drivers view of the road would be. The traffic was very less but it doesn't take more than a car to hit. We then decide to walk back, by then both me and Praveen were wet . Jitesh had a jacket on and was rather dry.
Back into the crowded street (rain and mist cannot stop shoppers (it just adds umbrella and raincoats and caps to their list). I was almost dying to have an icecream what better time to have one an the other two agreed. I couldn't keep my laugh off seeing the bewildered look a girl gave me when i started munching on the Icecream a double scoop that too. We were not lonely at our icecream venture there were more followers. It was time for cap shopping and i had to give up my chosen cap because Praveen like the same . I took an ugly red cap and Jithesh, a cow boyish one. Our walk continued this time in search of a hot cup of coffee that ended at a small street side shop at a much lesser crowded place. The cofee was good and hot . Our only agenda which remained was boozing. Another walk down the street looking out for BARS which we did not spot earlier. We had in mind one which had an open area would also give a chance to watch the people but unfortunately we were not served liquour there but had to go inside so had to leave that place in search of a better BAR and we found one as there were'nt many to choose from. It was a typical BAR with no food after about 3 hours at 00:00 we went back to the earlier crowded streets . only a couple of shops were open. A few people were seen hanging around . We had another round of ice cream, it was raining much lesser when compared to the evening but the fog cover was still on. After a visit to the ATM we decided to retire to the comfort of our perspiring hotel room(not us). I was on the phone for about 20 mins and a guy in the floor below came asking for a nokia charger to wish his girl friend on friends day . After a while he left and I fell asleep as soon as i switched off the lights.
Waking up at 07-30 was real pain, then i overcame it with the desire to see how the world outside and the whether looked. well, nature din't play spoil sport overnight. It was still misty cold and offcourse drizzling. I suppressed the urge to wake up the sleeping chaps and thought i would get ready first and then wake them up one by one, after all there was only one bathroom/tiolet. All were up by 08-45 and , the "frienship day cal"l guy visited the room again for charging his cell for a while. We checked out of the hotel by 09-30 . The mallu guy at the reception offered a 3 bedroom room for 250 rs if we were to stay back. But we had no other option than decline it. Our site seeing guide and vehicle was suppose to be at our hotel by 10 that left us with a good 20 minutes for breakfast. My choice of poha and Puri Bhaaji were both unavailable so i settled for masala dosa like the other 2. Meanwhile our guide gave me a call and asked us to go to the travel agency office after breakfast. The car which would take us sight seeing was a Premeir Padmini (PAL) . I was happy to step into one after about 4-5 years. As soon as the PAL took off our guide stared talking about Mahabaleshwar about the British and things like evergreen. He too was driving at a speed of 60's and the visibilty was very poor. I even asked "Bhaiyya aapko kuch dikhai deh raha hai kya" for which he answered yes. I relaxed thinking he knows what he does . His name was Shahabuddin and a native of Mahabaleshwar. The First point was Wilson point and that, Shahabuddin told us was the highest point in Mahabaleshwar. But it was of no use whether it was highest or lowest we couldn't see anything a few metres ahead, we left the place soon as the rain was getting heavier and attempts of taking snaps only ended up moistening up the lens. The next stop for the PAL was Ganesh mandir and two wiew points called Kings chair and plato point. Shahubuddin did not accompany us but had lend his big umbrella to cover us from the rain. The guides at ganesh Mandir told us to avail one of them or else we may get lost in the jungle but we turned down the offer, after walking for about 1/2 a kilometre we got a direction board. and took a right . The path was muddy and twigs criss-crossed the path making us bend every now and then. we could hear the roaring sound of wind high above us, but could feel nothing. The road again split into two and we took the broader way but soon came back and took the one towards the left as we couldn't go further on the broader way because it was filled up with water. The left, did indeed take us to Plato point, a few more steps and we were on top of it where the winds were playing hard and it was too difficult to hold the umbrella or prevent my cap from joining the rampaging winds. I was too scarred to go anywhere near the edge of it due to strong wind. After about 10 minutes we went back and boarded the PAL to our next stop which was a waterfall.
We managed to get a glimpse of the waterfall from a distance but it was not enough so we took the undocumented way through the forest in search of the fall and eventually reached the top the waterfall after crossing a couple of streams . My Nike's poor grip was again into play on the slippery rocks of the streams we crossed . The flow was strong but not deep enough to drown me in any case , only concernt was me falling down and getting hurt. Same was the case with Praveen's shoes but he had more confidence and jithesh had good grip and he was almost jumping from one end to another while I was literally crawling.The place we reached was a confluence of two streams eventually going down the rocks as a waterfall. From the top of the falls we saw a group of people below and Jithesh decided to go down. Praveen went as well. I too did, after much persuasion from both, but I had to get rid of my shoes before i got any confidence to go down the rocks and then we took a few snaps but my cam lens was almost as foggy as the weather . Going back was much easier as we din't have to cross any streams . We did go the wrong way to the falls but we also had the satisfaction of getting to see something that the guides wouldn't show us and it was indeed beautiful, Next destination was Venna lake (dam) as we reached there we were in doubt whether any boating would be possible as the fog cover was thick and it was raining and windy as well. After a cup of hot tea we decided to try the boats. it was expensive (as everything else) but we 3 hired one , the 2 rowers denied our request to hand over the oars as it was windy. Even the 2 experienced guys had a tough time rowing against the wind and the rain and was not helping things and they did get deviated from the normal route but managed to get back before getting lost (it was easy to get lost as the visibility was very poor even to see another approaching boat a few metres away). Heavy rains and wind started as we approached the shore and our efforts to open the umbrella resulted in damaging it . I ran for shelter as soon as we reached the shore but the damage was already done, my cam was no more operational. As soon as the heavy rain gave way we went back to the road where our car awaited us and it was time for another Ice cream , Strawberry this time. I decided to spare the guy who had set up the glass game (knocking down a set of glasses with a ball) I would have knocked it down even with a left arm throw (some self praise). I really thought he should increase the distance between the throw line with that thought we left the place. I had to be quick for the raindrops were melting my strawberry Icecream :( .
Next stop was a 3 point one Needle hole , kate's point and a distant view of a waterfall. The views they offered were breath taking and it was hard to get a place to take it in as people who got one never left it. We had to satisfy ourselves with a few snaps (mhhh... camera was back in service) and then we proceeded to the third . It was a really distant view of a water fall beneath us. the fall was light and it swayed in the wind (like a reverse swinging cricket ball) before it hit the rocks and sprayed up before continuing its downward journey. Next in line was a temple, as we stepped in 2 small chaps rounded us asking us to buy the flower to offer at the temple. I said no and then they were after Jithesh who eventually bought one and offered it at the temple himself and Praveen who bought it as well but asked the girl to offer it for him. There was another temple and as we went inside the complext it rained heavily. we spent about half an hour there and during our stint we saw teddy and little friends friends taking a walk in the rains with their tiny umbrellas, actually they were posing for thier dad to take some pics but after they were free it was quite a task bringing the three of them back out of the rains. Rain had no idea of settling down, it would slow down every now and then and the moment we think of running back to the car it would come down all out again. After playing the cat and mouse game for a while we decided enough was enough and ran to the car as the rain slowed a bit without waiting for it to slow down more. As we reached the car Shahabuddin told us that it was the last spot and we got into the PAL for the final time, got down at the office of the tour operator which was opposite the bus stand . There was a bus to Pune which was about to leave and I asked the driver when the next bus was as we had lunch next in Agenda. What? the bus driver did not know when the next bus to Pune was so I went up to the enquiry and asked . He said 3-30 PM it was 3:00 already . Lets Hurry, take lunch and be here by 03:30, Praveen did not like the idea and said it would be tough. It was indeed tough because the food arrived slow. The wind was still blowing and any slight opening of the hotel doors were sending us into a shiver. And we were reluctant to get up to close the door when someone left it open while coming in or going out as we were wet and getting up was not a problem but sitting down after that was. After lunch we headed to the bus stop. Praveen and Jithesh wanted a puff so we stopped at a shop and boarded the bus to pune and left Mahabaleshwar at 16:45 I got a good sleep even though I was wet and feeling very cold. At about 19:40 we were back to Pune a. A short quarrel with the auto guy and some vegetable shopping and we were home at 20:15. oops its first shift for me tomorrow. fixed alarm for 05:30
Johnson had a pretty good Digital SLR with him so the main attraction was photography. the sites we saw where not breathtaking or unforgettable. The few sites I liked were the view of the Mumbai-Pune expressway from a park above, the encounter with rain near the Bushi dam and. I really wanted to go up that small stream to as far as i can,but the lack of enthusiasm in others made me forget the whole idea of it, ohh yeah we had an extended lunch with beer to keep up our track record of drinking at every tourist place we visited.
