Jan 12, 2009

Trip down the memory Lane

Pune trip.. Woah! we started on 10th morning. reached there safe and sound. Got the room that we always book - the fourth floor room which over looks the FC road down till the end, the hills and greenary across.. thats one of the locations we can always be found in - yes the room at Sheetal hotel. Its just awesome.. can just spend the day there.. three sided huge windows and wonderful lighting.. anyways.. coming off from it.. got the mere necessary things done that Aziza wanted.. ate and made merry.. it was a full moon so enjoyed the rays and had "chandani talks" as we called it.

Got up 6 in the morning.. got ready, packed and 
left for race cource and the uncertainties that lay ahead. 
The race course, though we have it in mumbai too was one of the places I have never gone before to.. huge ground with enthusiast on the horses, riding on the court with so much zeal. They were practicing and keeping the horses in shape.. the condition
 of both the animals and the riders look good.
 I am guessing they make a good living off it. would love to watch a game once in the midst of all the gambling, bets and people with high status and the aura that they carry along with them.

Then we further went around places that we had memories attached to..Sajid maamu lived there for a few years and Raphae, Yasir were born there so there was a lot to see and refresh memories from.. the by lanes, the houses, the people, the habits, the war, the shruwbery biscuits, the budhani's wafers and the shopping at M.G Road.

   Went to the gardens, visited the fountain which was the most relaxing thing in the evening coz by then we had a long day driving and walking around the streets and visiting places.. the sound of the water, the fresh leaves, the ducks and the entire sight of being amidst the greenery was very refreshing... I was kind of charged again.. ehehe!

The experience at the parvati parbat was kind of a big realization of how much stamina i had lost and how much i need to gain back... 108 steep steps to a beautiful temple and being the highest peak led us to see the hole curvature of city and beyond. Beautiful and terrifying both LOL!

All was great.. at 8:30 accelerated to leave pune for mumbai... with Farah having driven the entire day... she was looking forward to an autopilot drive to mumbai.... with speed limits to catch up on, the ghats to glide through and the breaks to depend on. :) as we started approaching the expressway out of pune, the ride got smoother and people started feeling the comfort of the AC. I had to shift my support from talks to the wonderful, songs on my phone. Raphae being next to me gave all directions and a few guidelines to take into consideration on the ghats.... no breaking was something that i felt was unusual on the ghats but when i approached them I understood what exactly he meant..

Driving the entire way in the center lane was smooth, maintained an average of 80kms / hr to reach back to mumbai within 2 1/2 hrs. The experience at the ghats was different than the normal drive though the express way and the tunnels have cut down the steep slope and low gear concepts. The lonavla ghats were a little tricky with having to experience slope with curves and overtaking on both the sides :). All was an experience to remember and first time night drive certificate to carry ahead for more of such travel in the near future..

Hats off to the HCC team for having built the highways taking into consideration the speed limits, the turns and the night vision problems that drivers face while driving... Its a road that I recommend for vacation and long drives on a full moon..

Thats it from me.. writing with a heart filled with excitement and fun... getting back to the concrete world and its worries is undesirable but required.. I would love to stay and create a life in pune.
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Farah
"Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them."