Overnight outing @Lonavala: Part One

It was not the first time that I stayed overnight away from home. I was in hostel for a year and for official conferences. But during all these times, there was always an elderly supervision. But there is always a first time to everything. I went for an overnight outing just with my friends. It all started with a WhatsApp message from Yojana Sawant about the trip and I was definitely ready to go. The hotel booking was taken care of by her and Kiran Chile booked the railway tickets. But the most important thing was convincing parents, and for girls you know how difficult it is! “Where are you going? Who are with you? For how may days? How come an instant trip was planned?” I managed to get the permission. Finally I was all set to meet my Graduation friends after six years!

Day One: 4^th Mar, 2017

We all had to reach Panvel for catching the Pune-Bhusaval Express. I know we took the long route. But as long as you are traveling with friends, short-cuts and long runs both seem to be similar. I boarded the 05:45 Churchgate Fast local from Virar. Smita Lad boarded the same train from Dahisar. I remembered the graduation days when I used to give a missed call to her when the train was on Bhayander creek and even today I did the same. We got down at Bandra station. Again nostalgia, going to Panvel refreshed the CDAC Monday Morning Journeys. From Vadala, we boarded the Panvel local. Kiran took the same train but was in another ladies coach. Yojana was going to catch the same train from Kurla but there was a time mismatch. Mohini Lakade got in at Manasarovar. Finally we all met at Panvel and boarded the Pune Bhusaval Express. The train breakfast was Mohini’s Mom-made Meduvadas and chutney. All the talks were on till we reached our destination.

Finally 622m above sea level

All credit to Yojana for booking the homely place. We were to stay at Inn one-o-five resort. We took a rick from station to the hotel. We had to walk uphill to reach the gate. The Inn was full of trees and bushes and pot plants and small cottage rooms. 

Our room was at the extreme end. So we had to walk all the way down taking stairs at each level. There was a garden on the way. We reached our room Silver Cottage walking four levels down. 

We all were very tired due to Friday work completions at office and also we were very hungry. We came out till the main road, had our lunch in Bombay Gourmet and went back to relax and think of sight-seeing plans to do.

First we went to Rajmachi garden. What a view was that from Rajmachi point! Then the Sunset Point at Khandala! Click here for the Sunset video!

We could see corn stalls everywhere. We bought the Lonavala special chikki’s. I took dry fruit chikki and soft chikki of different flavours. The strawberry chikki made me go different shops finally got it, all for my brother. We had dinner at hotel RamaKrishna near the station. Then it was ice-cream time. I took a Cornetto as usual and others ate a variety of flavoured cut rolls of icecream. We had to reach our Inn before 9:30 pm as instructed by the caretaker in the morning. We spent the night playing and learning different card games.

Click here for Part Two