5th Dec 2009 Ashok and I went to Vichitragad aka Rohida fort near Bhor, about 70 kms from Pune. My third visit here, and lots of small but significant changes including solar powered lamps posted along the path upto the fort. Some signs of tree plantation on top – saw mango, silver oak and some…
1st Aug 2009 Korigad in the monsoons – near INS Shivaji in Lonavla. A beautiful drive through mist with visibility down to about 5 feet in parts. Ashok picks me up at 6:40 am, we drive down to Ramakrishna’s in Lonavla for rava onion dosais and chai. Past Bushi dam, on to the misty plateau…
13th Jun 2009 Have been wanting to do Visapur for a long time now, finally managed it last weekend. Ashok, Sansy, Anusha and I. We take the Pune-Lonavla local train leaving Khadki at 5:55 am. S&A just make it as the train is pulling into the station. I am extremely sleepy and grumpy. The train…
5th Jul 2008 Trek to Chanderi with Ashok, Kripa and her colleagues. Brilliant monsoon trek. From Pune, Ashok and I got there by train, 5:45 am – Vangni station finds Ashok trying to nap while we start our long wait for the Bombay-ites to join us. The others are delayed. We agreed to start on…
After a good deep sleep night, I wake up early. It’s my turn to potter about in the room. Our last day in Kathmandu – there are some sight seeing plans. After a relaxed morning of pottering, getting ready and breakfasting, we head down and find a cranky driver and outwardly patient Shishir waiting for…
Rafting day! Sadly none of us have slept enough. We walk into breakfast like zombies. I can’t face a veggie cutlet today. The checking out and formalities are done. I am sorrowful about leaving the Fishtail Lodge behind. Can’t take it along, silly. For the last time we are pulled in that stately raft by…
Our “extra” holiday in Pokhara. The other two have tucked into breakfast. In fact we’re in danger of missing breakfast, that’s how late we wake up. We scramble to the dining hall and find reasonable leftovers in the buffet breakfast. I spot MShah walking around the garden by herself. Sadly there’s no watermelon juice. I…
We know today is a short trekking day, so we’re in no big hurry to leave. MShah and Kanaks are down at breakfast already when I come down. I wolf down a couple of boiled eggs. Nitya breaks open a boiled egg and it turns out to be runny (yuck yuck!). Breakfast done, we set out,…
I have a so-so night and wake up early. Get out of bed trying not to disturb N. Wrapped in some warmies and armed with my little notebook, I go out to the dining area in the hope of writing in my journal. Through the trip I never get beyond writing about day 5 or…
The much dreaded 6000 foot ascent is today. Everyone we met in Tatopani yesterday, who are doing the trek in the opposite direction to ours, gave us a lot of hype about the Ghorepani – Tatopani section. There was a European woman who was getting out of the hot springs as we were getting in….
