Its was long time I been deciding on getting on to some beach destination for 3 days with my family. I began to prepare my itinerary for weekend tour to Ganpatipule. I called up my friend Shanker who joined me along with his family. We decided to drive from Mumbai to Ganpatipule.
The previous weekends and trips were planned, to an extent, and so was this particular trip. Decided to check out some beaches close to Mumbai this time as opposed to going out-of-town for beachasms (a term I coined for ‘pleasures attained whilst visiting beaches’ – to be understood spiritually!). Had heard and read about Uttan and Manori. Hence, decided to out for myself, these beaches that were so close to Mumbai (Infact, they are in Mumbai!)
But, before that, I had to go to Ulhas River and capture the sun rise.
The view of Ulhas River from Ghodbunder.
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The winter breeze was refreshing, the atmosphere crisp. Speeding on the way to Ahmednagar, several windmills waved at us. Past a ‘ghat’ section we were now in the open flat land of Marathwada. Both sides of the road lined with farmlands reaching the horizon, the journey was smooth, thanks to the fabulous road condition. Crossing Nagar and then Aurangabad, we were again in the land of farmers, cotton flowers, jawar and sugarcane and not to miss the divine flowery mustard and sometimes most rewarding flowerscapes of bright orange zendu (marigold).
DRIVING HOLIDAY TO GOA IN JULY – AUGUST 2009.
We were driving down to Goa one more time, our fifth holiday in Goa since December 2001. I had booked in Club Mahindra’s Varca Beach resort almost two months ahead. We got the booking easily because it is the end of blue season (slack season) at this time in Goa. Only die-hard Goa lovers go at this time because of the monsoon rains.
We had to reach Varca by 30th July and our check-out was on 2nd August (3 nights). I decided that we would leave a day earlier and spend one night at a destination en route. We had a choice of either a hill resort or a Konkani seaside resort. Finally I narrowed it down to either Sawantwadi or Old Goa/Divar Island.
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| From Goa(Aug09) |
GREEN GOA IN THE RAINS
DAY ONE: 29-July-2009. PUNE TO OLD GOA.
We left home at 6.45 am, after getting up at the ungodly hour of 4.45 am. It’s always good to leave early on a road trip. It was a smooth drive to Kolhapur on National Highway No.4 (NH4), and we were in the city by 11.15 am, with only one tea stop on the way. We turned right into the city and had to wade through the traffic for a good 45 minutes. We passed the main train station, market, and Mahalaxmi temple till we reached Rankala Lake, from where the Gaganbavda road (SH115) takes off.
