The route taken was:
Onward Journey: Thane - Bhiwandi - Wada - Kodala - Makhada - Jawahar - Dabhosa
Return Journey : Dabhosa - Jawahar - Vikramgad - Manor - Dahisar
Here is a short summary of the trip :
- Keta ensures everyone is awake early
- Amey and Tahir are very late to start off so we leave without them at 7:30. They catch up with us after Bhiwandi.
- Nitin's Yamaha R-15 has a flat tire just after entering the jungle beyond Wada.
- We reach Jawhahar by 3:30. On the way, Kalpesh checks out every petrol pump
- We have lunch at Jawahar and leave for Dabhosa. Reach the campsite by 5:30
- We find fishermen at the campsite. We pitch our tents and blow air into our floats.
- Contrary to what our rationale says, we plunge ourselves into the icy waters. We splash each other with it.
- Kalpesh's camera runs out of battery owing to too many ride pictures
- After half and hour in the water, every one is chilled to the bone. We get a fire ready owing to a kind old villager and Pali's prehistoric fire starting skills
- Brownie arrives ! A lone soldier in the night, he is there defying all odds. And everyone is impressed with his single minded doggedness.
- We take out the stuff for happy hour. Nitin gladly accepts the task of bartender. A session of snacks and drinks ensue.
- A combination of highly concentrated rum and vodka initiates some winged creatures flying in our heads. I show off my Creative Zenstone, while Pam shows her practical sense and knowledge of science to make the music audible to everyone. The ball that I have brought is blown into the water, and while everyone is stopping me, I run and pick it up from the other bank without wetting myself. Kalpesh jokes - "Ye kisi ki nahin sunta, apni man ki hi karta hai".
- We cook the Maggi we have brought. I still have the last remaining bottle of Vodka - Limca and I merrily drink and cook to the tune of music.
- The vodka finally goes to my head and I lose a bit of self control. Then ensues a period of ready entertainment for all, as I entertain them with a typical desi movie like performance. With action, drama, tragedy and a lot of senti.
- Finally agree to sleep. Pali gets frustrated with my woeful bawling and goes to sleep. Both of us are sleeping under the moon, without tents.
- I wake up to a beautiful moon lit morning. After a few minutes of introspection, I realize that last night I finally managed to stay sane after drinking. Maybe it was because there was no more daru left after I got high.
- I take a dip in the water, but can't stay for too long as the chill soon reaches my bones. We pack up and leave
- The roads from Jawahar to Manor are superb. Nitin lets his R 15 loose, maintaining speeds of over 100 kmph even in the ghats. His maneuvering on the curves is impressive, though I get a little jittery at times as his pillion. Everyone is enjoying the roads, and a sudden bump on the road sends everyone a couple of feet from their seats.
- We have lunch at Manor. I start feeling drowsy, and become a little grouchy and grumpy.
- Nitin wakes me up on the highway with his supersonic speeds, as I hold on to the bike somehow. We bid him adieu at Ghodbandar, Hotel Fountain. Well met friend!
- Others part ways near Andheri. Prashant, me and Anupama are in the car which drops me at home. What luxury!
- I come home and drop dead. The evening's still not over for me as I have to go pick up my cousin from Lucknow.
- It takes me 20 minutes and a Herculean effort to wake up. Drop the idea of giving Berty his tent.
- I decide to write the memoir. Try to make it short but fail!
Thanks to everyone who made this trip memorable to me. Special thanks to Pali to come up with the idea of daru, and to Pali and Kappu, and others who faced the brunt, for putting up with all my histrionics.
