A trek into life

“Trekking shouldn’t just be a tour, it should be a tale.”

This was on the bucket list since some time now and the some time was getting to be quite a sometime. So when a friend suggested a simple trek to Matheran, we had no hesitation to join the group. 

And when the leader is a pro, why worry, bro. 

We caught the 4.20am Karjat local from CST and got down at Bhivpuri. A 10 min auto ride took us to the base of the trail. 

The mountains looked daunting, the rains had started to come down pouring, and the lush greens were nothing less than exciting. 

So started our 4 hr trek that took us across the streaming water falls, the slimy rocks, and the cotton wool clouds.

Good trekking shoes, lots of fluids and a stick form the bare essentials. Hands need to free and body protected from rain at all times. It was interesting to note that one of us did the entire distance barefoot. With a few breathers and snack breaks, we were still ahead of our time. Braving all the hardships we finally made it to the top - the Garbett Plateau.

The panoramic view from this point has to be seen to be believed. No words or pics could describe it. A mission was accomplished. A bucket list item was ticked off. And the euphoria was still to set in. 

As a dear friend and regular trekker philosophised - ‘Trekking teaches a lot of lessons of life:

Everyone has to carry their own load and worries. A single wrong step and you could slide down the curve to a position from where recovery was impossible. But, success comes only to those who dream big and aspire to reach the pinnacle.'

Durshet: A green Marathon

It's yet another Marathon, but this time with a difference. It is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Few kms from Khopoli, a small village - Durshet, amid the forests, along the bank of the Amba River and into the belly of the Khandala valley. The Run promised to supersede all the previous ones by a fair margin. And to top it all, we had our families to double up as our cheerleaders. 

We had booked rooms for ourselves at the Durshet Forest lodge, the race venue, since the night before the race. However, due to circumstances beyond control, we were accommodated at another resort, 15 km away. After some serious arguments, we were finally adjusted at Durshet itself. 

The evening was spent at the Nature's trail activities;  

Zip lining, 

Tarzan swinging 

and Rappelling. Dinner was served and it was time to retire early. 

The previous night's fiasco had given the impression that the race may not be managed professionally but we were in for a pleasant surprise. The event was conducted with hardly any fallacies. 

The 10 km run took us away from the Khopoli-Pali Road and into the heart of the Sahyadris. 

The weather was awesome. A light drizzle had turned the green trees into a forest of fresh greens.

  

The soothing sound of the river flowing alongside was a calming influence on the nerves. The run had to be experienced to be believed. Kilometer after kilometer rolled by. The legs didn't seem to give up and finally they took the body over the finish line. 

It was yet another personal record. 

The race was followed by a pool party. 

Medals, DJ, trophies, and a sumptuous breakfast followed. 

The day wasn't over yet. There was more to come. After a quick shower for the sweat studded marathoners, we drove down the same route which we had tread earlier in the day on foot.

The road was just about motorable but the effort was worth every bit. 

Kamshet: The Paragliding expedition

Six families, after a long hiatus, set out for an adventure expedition. Though the personalities of all the families were very diverse, they were a single unit since more than 7 years. They were the LIONHEARTS.  A techie, a perfectionist, a blogger, a saint, a sage and an athlete - all in a concoction.

With bicycles fixed onto the car racks, they were off to Indus Paragliding.

Located 120 km away from Mumbai city,  their target of reaching the venue before sunset was straight away in jeopardy, when were they stopped by the cops for transporting bicycles illegally. It seemed the police weren't aware about the concept of cycle racks. Environment friendly excuses seemed to fall on deaf ears, but fortunately sanity prevailed and the motorcade moved on.

As always, the kids preferred to be on their own. They wouldn't mind cramping up in one car. After a short vada paav break at the food mall, they were now off the national highway and into the countryside. The car ACs were switched off and the windows rolled down. The whiff of fresh air from the fields with a cool breeze blowing across, carrying the unmistakable odor of cow dung, was enough to rejuvenate the body and soul.

The sun had just gone below the horizon when they reached the destination.

The tents were pitched at a stone's throw from the lake. The stars had just started to become visible in the night sky. And the mood was just apt for a fun filled evening.

Within the next few minutes, before anybody could realise,  it had become pitch dark. The moonlit sky was strewn with stars all over. Jupiter and Venus could be singled out too. The only sound reverberating was their own; old Hindi melodies, children's nursery rhymes, and the cacophony of laughter.

All this on the top of a makeshift terrace of a building.

Dinner was served early. Red hot tandoori chicken and paneer as starters got the ball rolling. The wood lit next to them had started to gather momentum and fire. It was getting chillier by the hour. Jackets and coats came on, dinner tables were cleared and it was a much awaited bonfire night. Jokes, scandals, ghosts were all discussed. The spirit of the night was captured when one of them commented the next day, "I was mesmerized by the bonfire”.

After a short walk in the wilderness, it was time to pack off for the day. The kids preferred to sleep together as always.

The tents were large enough to accommodate all. The cool breeze outside stuck to its speed. It was pretty cold inside despite all the protection. After a curt warning to each other to behave during the night, they all dozed off.

The rooster crowed at the break of dawn. The birds began their chirpings. It was time for the morning ablutions and to get ready for the feature of the day. A sumptuous breakfast followed. It seemed the winds were not upto the mark and thus the Paragliding had to be held after lunch. It proved to be a boon since the morning was free for any activity you choose to do.

Some of them took off on the bicycles up to Kamshet dam

 

and a small trek up the mountains, whilst others preferred a walk down to the lake.

Some engaged themselves in a game of badminton

and the few others took some experience in ploughing the fields.

Lunch was served but no one dared to overeat in anticipation of the gliding show ahead.

2pm: The call had come from the plains. The wind had picked up speed and they would soon be embarking on the most adventurous expedition till date. They were picked up from the base of the hill and taken up there with the help of the local SUVs. Negotiating the rough patchy mountainous roads was not a cup of tea for all. Eventually they were dropped off and a small trek took them to the flying point.

Paragliding. The thought of doing this activity gives you the goosebumps. Thus, there was this possibility that a lot of people would chicken out at the last moment. The act was a tandem one where an instructor would be accompanying the guest. All safety measures were taken care of. As one of them enquired

" What can be the worst scenario midair ". His query got blown away by the wind and no one dared to answer it. The first guest was ready to take the leap. Running on the plain for a few feet, he jumped off the cliff along with the instructor. The wind blew him away and off he was, gliding in the air, 1000 meters above the sea level. He was airborne for the next 15 mins.

Midair stunts and somersaults were performed. He could almost touch the mountains and feel  the wind. He was soaring over the Mumbai -Pune Expressway. After the successful daredevilry, the remaining guests got the impetus and motivation to achieve the impossible. Since the currents were very strong initially, the kids were scheduled to get their turn last when the winds would reduce speed. It was a highly successful adventure sports activity which the LIONHEARTS are known for.

The 2 day expedition had drawn to a close with a heavy dinner at the Sunny's Dhaba.

"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

The Emiratis: Dubai

DUBAI - the city that will not settle for anything less than first place.

Dubai Airport

The Dubai airport welcomes you with a magnanimous Duty free. Walking through the airport to the immigration, and then to the luggage carousel gives you a feel of the things to come. Everything here is larger than life.

Traditionally, in the days of yore, ranging from a labourer to the executive, all would target this city for an employment offer. Those who found it hard to make both ends meet in their home country would find solace in this Emirates city. Trade and tourism thus started to flourish and over a period of time this desert city saw the mushrooming of skyscrapers and went on to become an international shopping hub thanks to the Dubai Shopping Festival. It did earn some ill repute because of its human rights violations concerning the South Asian workforce and also by allowing the underworld to thrive. Then came the era of recession in 2007-8 which threatened to blow away all the good work done hitherto.

Dubai however, fought its way out of the pits and now boasts of one of the best airlines - the Emirates - voted as No.1 in 2013, and the tallest building- The Burj Khalifa.  

Of the 2 million people residing in Dubai, more than 50% are Indians. A meager 15% of them are the local Emiratis.

Miracle Garden

The spirit of this city is symbolized by the Miracle Garden.

Miracle Garden

In the midst of a desert, in the sweltering summer heat, lies this astonishingly beautiful and largest natural flower garden in the world.

Miracle Garden

The cuisines on offer in Dubai would titillate the taste buds of one and all. Arabic, Chinese, Continental, Pakistani foods to name a few. Shawarma, Kebbah, Manakish are the favs. Beef and camel meat would keep you longing for more and more.

Also known as the 'Vegas of the Middle East' or 'Disney Land of the Middle East'.

Liquor is not sold freely in the country. Even though Dubai is a liberal city, it would be hard to find alcohol except in Hotels. A special mention has to be made of the Barracuda store

Barracuda store

in Umm Al Quwain which houses a huge variety of alcohol. The premix cocktails and tequila shots are a novelty. And all priced cheap and above all, relatively safe to transport to Dubai. It's a heaven for the tipplers.

Dubai has become synonymous with the Burjs - Al Khalifa

Burj Khalifa

is the tallest man made structure in the world and the Al Arab

Burj Arab

is one of the finest 7 star Hotels. The fountain show at the Burj Khalifa is not to be missed, so also the fireworks show on the New Year's night at the same place.

It would be impossible not to visit the Atlantis, The Palm, 

Atlantis

a Dubai hotel resort located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah. 
 

The Dubai Mall

Dubai Mall

is the world's largest shopping mall based on total area and fourteenth largest by gross leasable area. It houses the Burj Khalifa and an Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Shopping here though could severely dent your pockets.

A drive to Abu Dhabi along Sheikh Zayed Road, flanked by the Dubai skyline which, dotted by skyscrapers of various forms and sizes.

Transportation in the city is chiefly via the Metro Rail. This could be as crowded as any Mumbai suburban train during its peak hours. The Tram

Tram

and Monorail is available only on select routes.

This is not all. Dubai has much more to offer. Maybe I would be able to explore more of this city when I am back with my kids.

One of the main characteristics that differentiates Dubai from other commercial centres is its openness to innovation and the freedom it grants people and institutions to operate.

"I want Dubai to be a place where everybody from all over the world meets each other, don't think of fighting or hate, just love it, enjoy their sport, and that's it."-Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

I end this post by thanking my dear friends Hatim and Irfan, without whom this journey would not have been possible. Till we meet again...…

Russian Safari- Moscow

Oct 10, 2014:

A 4 hrs journey from St Petersburg by a bullet train has brought us to the Russian capital city of Moscow. 

Moscow  is very different from

Petersburg. It's skyline is adorned with high-rise structures unlike Petersburg where no building is allowed to be taller than the Winter Palace.  The circular planning of this city is another unique aspect. There seem to be 10 lanes of cars on each side of the road. Despite this, the traffic moves at snails pace. 

"Beware of pickpockets", we were warned. 

We visited the Victoria Garden and Sparrow Hill on our way to Dinner at the "Darbar" restaurant. 

Our "Azimut Moscow Olympic Hotel" was not far from here and it was time to check in and have a good night's sleep to prepare ourselves for another busy day tomorrow. 

Oct 11: 

Our first halt of the day was the "Kremlin".  We were lucky to catch the Saturday's Parade. The soldiers marching through with their rifles and the rest on horsebacks followed by a display of guard of honor, is worth going miles to see. 

After the lunch at Fusion Plaza, we

reached the Red Square. It's boundaries are made up by the St Basil's Cathedral, The Kremlin Wall, The Museum and the

St Basil's Cathedral

Gum Departmental Store. 

The beauty of this locale was enhanced  by the sight of brides and grooms in their wedding gowns, tourists clicking away pictures  and girls posing for selfies.  

The shopping store was one of the most expensive ones in Russia. But the interiors were lavishly made and definitely worth a dekko. 

Dinner time at the Khajuraho - an Indian restaurant.  And it was the last night of this Russian Safari. 

Oct 12: 

It was an early checkout on this last day of the tour. An experience of the favorite mode of public transport - the Metro,

Russian Metro

was mandatory. Smooth travel is the word to describe it. Despite changing lines and tracks, the going always is smooth except for the fact that deciphering the Russian language is an impossible task. 

Arbat Street

Shopping at the Arbat street for souvenirs, followed by lunch, thus  brought to an end this highly memorable sojourn. 

It was now back to our homes sweet homes. 

We did learn something new this trip. When the transit in a city airport is more than 4 hrs, the airlines do offer some compensation. For eg, Emirates gave us Meal coupons redeemable at various outlets at the Dubai airport. Singapore airlines too offers some reasonable amount for a long transit halt at Singapore. 

Phew. Two different and contrasting cities in St Petersburg and Moscow. But the soul very much Russian. 

"People who don't travel cannot have a global view, all they see is what's in front of them. Those people cannot accept new things because all they know is where they live."

Russian Safari - St Petersburg

Oct 8th 2014:

An American breakfast to start the day with. The omlette ordered was double egged but the size served appeared to contain many more eggs. Huge would be an understatement to describe it. 

Catherine Palace

We visited the Catherine Palace in Pushkin town. It was the Summer Palace of the ruling monarchs in the past. Words and pictures would never be able to describe it.

Catherine Palace

The "wow factor" is the only adjective that I can use for it. 

I got the first feel of Autumn. Leaves turned yellow and flying off the trees. That's why I presume they call it 'Fall'. Trees bearing leaves in various shades of yellow just adorn this beautiful city of St Petersburg.

Lunch was at "Tandoori nights". And yet again to some of the famous monuments and pics galore.

The souvenir shop boasted of designer fur caps, imitation jewelry, Matryoshka dolls and Russian Vodka. 

Free coffee, free washroom and free vodka were the customer attractive features. 

We ended up just using the free services and window shopping. 

The next 2 hrs were spent in Galeria Mall. Some local chocolates were a steal. Rest all would be easily available back home. As I mentioned before too, it is Russian, Russian all the way. No signs of English anywhere. From the name of the chocolate and it's ingredients to the name of the shop. It is just impossible to purchase anything. We lost interest and waited for the coach to take us to our restaurant for dinner. 

It was indeed a hectic day. 

Oct 9, 2014:

It promised to be another tight scheduled day. After the customary breakfast, we boarded our coach. The temperatures seemed manageable today. 

Or  was it that our bodies had started getting acclimatized?  

The Heritage museum or Winter Palace is the largest museum in the world. It houses masterpieces of various artists including Leonardo da Vinci et al. It is said that even a minute spent at each masterpiece, would take a person 80 years to complete the entire museum. 

The 20 Column Hall, Peacock clock were amongst the notable features. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting the

Peter and Paul Cathedral

Peter and Paul Cathedral followed by the Nicholas Cathedral. 

St Nicholas Cathedral

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the cruise over the Neva

and Moika rivers. The banks of the rivers are adorned by various monuments and historical structures.














The illumination at

night over the buildings gives this city a differnt outlook altogether.

It was a Gala dinner and the guests rocked and swayed to the Bollywood tunes.  

Palace Bridge

The best part of the evening was yet to come. Braving the cold and a mild drizzle, we went upto the Palace bridge over the Neva river. We were just in time to watch the bridge opening up from the centre. This is a regular phenomenon that happens daily by 1230am. Gradually, all the other bridges over this river opened up to allow cargo ships to sail through. The road is thus closed for 3-4 hrs every night. 

"Honey, I am sorry I couldn't make it home last night. I was caught up on the other side of the river" - a regular excuse given by spouses. 

Oct 10:

Breakfast and check out. A big traffic snarl created a sort of unexpectedness and we were in danger of losing out on our Cathedral visit for the day. 

Fortunately, It was not to be and the jam started clearing. 

Savior of Spilled Blood Cathedral

The Cathedral known as "The Saviour of Spilled Blood" was alarmingly beautiful. Erected by the son of Alexander II, in memory of his father who was killed in a bloodshed, this place was a photostop only. It was impossible not to take pictures of this monument from all the angles. 

Mikhailovsky Garden

The Mikhailovsky garden was highly picturesque and summed up this beautiful and romantic city of St. Petersburg.