Bhandardara - 2017 is underway
The first trip of the year holds an important position in how my year would shape. Despite seeing a few cancelled plans, we finally zeroed in on Bhandardara, a hill station close to Nasik around 150 kms from Mumbai. The group included 5 people after a few last minute cancellations. I borrowed a friend's bike and we decided to start early morning on Saturday, 14th Jan.
By the time we started, it was already 0800 AM. We had a heavy breakfast at around 0900 AM on one of the roadside dhabas (Bageecha) near Bhiwandi. A few plates of delicious Pohas and tea later the 5 bikes were back on the highway cruising toward Bhandardara.
It was all highway till this village called Ghoti, and we could cruise along. But with 20 something kms to go, the road in the country-side turns old and worn. It gives you an impression that great armies walked the same road on which we were riding our bikes, and it hasn't been fixed ever since. I took halts at will at times for photographing birds or the rural landscape. Hence, by the time we reached Bhandardara, it was already 0100 PM.
We were approached by a guy who offered us two tents on rent for Rs. three thousand a night, and he'd light a bonfire for us as well. We bargained and got it down to Rs. two thousand five hundred for two tents and a room to freshen up. Lunch was at a local restaurant, and it tasted like heaven! A heavy lunch and a power nap later we were on our way to Wilson dam, a few kms from our stay. The place was beautiful, the lake, surrounded by mountains on three sides and a dam. Although it was crowded, the place was serene and the sunset was picturesque. It got dark quickly and we left for our tents, while picking up snacks and cold-drinks on the way. There were a lot of bonfires in the vicinity and it looked like a typical holiday spot. Dinner was served at the camp site, and again, tasty. We expected the temperature to drop a lot more than it did. Our tents were lined up with mattresses and blankets, ensuring a good night's sleep after a tiring day.
The next day started at 0730 AM. We planned to visit Ghatghar, didn't know what to expect there. There are a lot of waterfalls around Bhandardara and it is a great place to visit during monsoons. But as we figured out, winters ain't bad at all. After having a quick breakfast at the local market place, we set off for our next destination. Only problem was, three of us went off in the opposite direction and 10 kms down the road, we realized that we had to go the other way.
The road to Ghatghar is worse than the one leading to Bhandardara. Although the landscape is beautiful with a few villages on the way, another lake and Maharashtra's highest peak in the vicinity, the road makes it difficult to enjoy the journey. It took us almost an hour to reach Ghatghar village which was 24 kms from Bhandardara and another half an hour to find the other two guys in the group (who took the right path). We had no strength left to explore Ghatghar after the ride that we just had. A quick bite and we were off on the return journey to Mumbai.
It took us around an hour and a half to get back on the highway to Mumbai, which was around 35 kms. Once on the highway, we refueled, had lunch at Igatpuri and started our journey home. It was a bliss riding on this road after what we had encountered over the past 2 hours.
A few hours later, as I was sipping on hot tea at home glued to the television watching cricket, my phone buzzed as I received messages from everyone who had reached home. The year 2017 was officially underway.
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| Wilson Dam |
It was all highway till this village called Ghoti, and we could cruise along. But with 20 something kms to go, the road in the country-side turns old and worn. It gives you an impression that great armies walked the same road on which we were riding our bikes, and it hasn't been fixed ever since. I took halts at will at times for photographing birds or the rural landscape. Hence, by the time we reached Bhandardara, it was already 0100 PM.
 |
| Arthur Lake |
We were approached by a guy who offered us two tents on rent for Rs. three thousand a night, and he'd light a bonfire for us as well. We bargained and got it down to Rs. two thousand five hundred for two tents and a room to freshen up. Lunch was at a local restaurant, and it tasted like heaven! A heavy lunch and a power nap later we were on our way to Wilson dam, a few kms from our stay. The place was beautiful, the lake, surrounded by mountains on three sides and a dam. Although it was crowded, the place was serene and the sunset was picturesque. It got dark quickly and we left for our tents, while picking up snacks and cold-drinks on the way. There were a lot of bonfires in the vicinity and it looked like a typical holiday spot. Dinner was served at the camp site, and again, tasty. We expected the temperature to drop a lot more than it did. Our tents were lined up with mattresses and blankets, ensuring a good night's sleep after a tiring day.
The next day started at 0730 AM. We planned to visit Ghatghar, didn't know what to expect there. There are a lot of waterfalls around Bhandardara and it is a great place to visit during monsoons. But as we figured out, winters ain't bad at all. After having a quick breakfast at the local market place, we set off for our next destination. Only problem was, three of us went off in the opposite direction and 10 kms down the road, we realized that we had to go the other way.
 |
| Bhandardara |
The road to Ghatghar is worse than the one leading to Bhandardara. Although the landscape is beautiful with a few villages on the way, another lake and Maharashtra's highest peak in the vicinity, the road makes it difficult to enjoy the journey. It took us almost an hour to reach Ghatghar village which was 24 kms from Bhandardara and another half an hour to find the other two guys in the group (who took the right path). We had no strength left to explore Ghatghar after the ride that we just had. A quick bite and we were off on the return journey to Mumbai.
 |
| Konkankada |
It took us around an hour and a half to get back on the highway to Mumbai, which was around 35 kms. Once on the highway, we refueled, had lunch at Igatpuri and started our journey home. It was a bliss riding on this road after what we had encountered over the past 2 hours.
A few hours later, as I was sipping on hot tea at home glued to the television watching cricket, my phone buzzed as I received messages from everyone who had reached home. The year 2017 was officially underway.
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