Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai
I know that thousands of people do this daily and even more do it on Weekends.But everytime I make that trip between Mumbai-Pune on weekends, I cannot help but appreciate how much I love this stretch of travel and with all the things it helps me with.
As a kid,I always thought of Pune as that junction that used to arrive after the journey through the Lonavla-Khandala ghaats;the junction that used to arrive after the train went over the bridge across the Mula-Mutha river ( I now know that bridge as the 'Sangam' Bridge); the junction that I only used to look out to from behind the glass panes of the Air conditioned confines of the train compartment. I don't know why, but I always used to wonder what was beyond that railway station!!
For starters, there's the usual 2 modes of travel that can help you make this journey; road and rail (I'm totally discounting that 15 min flight from Mumbai which I have done too)
Take the train from Mumbai and you are sure to have that unique journey experience that this route offers. Although, there are close to 8 dedicated trains that ply between the 2 cities, the 'Deccan Queen' rules the roost even today. Once upon a time, it was a status symbol to take this train. Now though, it's just another train...although probably it would help to know that this one is amongst the quickest and would get you to your destination in flat 3 hrs. Personally, I view this journey as one that can be roughly divided into 4 parts. The first one that gets you out of Mumbai until you reach Kalyan on the outskirts is just a dull drab. The scenery ( if i
can call it that) is just a mixture of the usual Mumbai suburban rush, rubbish, apartments that seem to be kissing each other.. ( Hope you get the picture!) The next one from thereon, until you reach Karjat is a bit of a mixture, starting with views of the lower middle class localities hugging the Outskirts of Mumbai and ending with wide open spaces as you reach closer to karjat. (Of course, you also cross through Neral that houses the toy-trains that take you up to Matheran). Karjat is also where you 'have' to have that famous 'vada-pav' while the railways take their time to add those 2 additional engines onto the train that helps it make the climb that awaits across the next stretch. So, Karjat station for me is symbolic of that stopover you make in life, where you relax, refill your thoughts from time to time! (Hope this doesn't sound too dramatic).Also, most trains on this route have a Pantry car (Surprised? cause it's all done in 3 hrs) where you can savour cutlets, oily omelette's etc with some bread along with cups of 'tea-bag' chai and 'milk powder' coffee.Moving on, the next stretch of the journey is absolutely a treat. The train chugs along at an idyllic pace as it crosses through the renowned Khandala-Lonavla Ghats. Scenic views of the valley below are on offer. This stretch turns even more pristine during the monsoons with little gushing waterfalls forming up at regular intervals. It is absolutely a treat to push your head a bit and catch the ends of the train when it goes round the curve. (I do that even today!). Once you get across this section filled with tunnels (Large and small ones alike), you reach Lonavla, after which you get a feel of the semi-rural areas before you finally reach Pune.
The other option of course is taking the road. Here, though, you have 2 options. One of them is the very well built expressway (This, for many of us, was a marvel even until a few years ago).Although, it is still a pain to get through the city before you get to Wakad where you actually hit the Express lane, the ride after this is very much seamless. Right until the point when you reach Panvel on the outskirts of Mumbai. The road is indeed very well constructed. There are huge signboards all along the route, advising drivers on how to ride the expressway. There are also huge advertising boards, marketing everything from real-estate to Banking services. There're also food jaunts along the exits and although there's variety of food on offer, it's a bit of a rip-off. Of course, the expressway does not offer you the romance that the old Mumbai-Pune highway has in store. Although this road too is now very well maintained, it wasn't an easy ride when there was no expressway. I remember riding the old highway as a kid to Lonavala during the monsoons. Vehicles literally had to grind their way up the gradients, snaking along the curves.
I personally prefer taking the train since it's faster (and more economical too :D). More importantly, I enjoy this ride and have been a regular at it now every time I travel back home to Mumbai on weekends.And I have some good old Bollywood music for company. Rhythm and Rail. The perfect combination!
As a kid,I always thought of Pune as that junction that used to arrive after the journey through the Lonavla-Khandala ghaats;the junction that used to arrive after the train went over the bridge across the Mula-Mutha river ( I now know that bridge as the 'Sangam' Bridge); the junction that I only used to look out to from behind the glass panes of the Air conditioned confines of the train compartment. I don't know why, but I always used to wonder what was beyond that railway station!!
For starters, there's the usual 2 modes of travel that can help you make this journey; road and rail (I'm totally discounting that 15 min flight from Mumbai which I have done too)
Take the train from Mumbai and you are sure to have that unique journey experience that this route offers. Although, there are close to 8 dedicated trains that ply between the 2 cities, the 'Deccan Queen' rules the roost even today. Once upon a time, it was a status symbol to take this train. Now though, it's just another train...although probably it would help to know that this one is amongst the quickest and would get you to your destination in flat 3 hrs. Personally, I view this journey as one that can be roughly divided into 4 parts. The first one that gets you out of Mumbai until you reach Kalyan on the outskirts is just a dull drab. The scenery ( if i
can call it that) is just a mixture of the usual Mumbai suburban rush, rubbish, apartments that seem to be kissing each other.. ( Hope you get the picture!) The next one from thereon, until you reach Karjat is a bit of a mixture, starting with views of the lower middle class localities hugging the Outskirts of Mumbai and ending with wide open spaces as you reach closer to karjat. (Of course, you also cross through Neral that houses the toy-trains that take you up to Matheran). Karjat is also where you 'have' to have that famous 'vada-pav' while the railways take their time to add those 2 additional engines onto the train that helps it make the climb that awaits across the next stretch. So, Karjat station for me is symbolic of that stopover you make in life, where you relax, refill your thoughts from time to time! (Hope this doesn't sound too dramatic).Also, most trains on this route have a Pantry car (Surprised? cause it's all done in 3 hrs) where you can savour cutlets, oily omelette's etc with some bread along with cups of 'tea-bag' chai and 'milk powder' coffee.Moving on, the next stretch of the journey is absolutely a treat. The train chugs along at an idyllic pace as it crosses through the renowned Khandala-Lonavla Ghats. Scenic views of the valley below are on offer. This stretch turns even more pristine during the monsoons with little gushing waterfalls forming up at regular intervals. It is absolutely a treat to push your head a bit and catch the ends of the train when it goes round the curve. (I do that even today!). Once you get across this section filled with tunnels (Large and small ones alike), you reach Lonavla, after which you get a feel of the semi-rural areas before you finally reach Pune.
The other option of course is taking the road. Here, though, you have 2 options. One of them is the very well built expressway (This, for many of us, was a marvel even until a few years ago).Although, it is still a pain to get through the city before you get to Wakad where you actually hit the Express lane, the ride after this is very much seamless. Right until the point when you reach Panvel on the outskirts of Mumbai. The road is indeed very well constructed. There are huge signboards all along the route, advising drivers on how to ride the expressway. There are also huge advertising boards, marketing everything from real-estate to Banking services. There're also food jaunts along the exits and although there's variety of food on offer, it's a bit of a rip-off. Of course, the expressway does not offer you the romance that the old Mumbai-Pune highway has in store. Although this road too is now very well maintained, it wasn't an easy ride when there was no expressway. I remember riding the old highway as a kid to Lonavala during the monsoons. Vehicles literally had to grind their way up the gradients, snaking along the curves.
I personally prefer taking the train since it's faster (and more economical too :D). More importantly, I enjoy this ride and have been a regular at it now every time I travel back home to Mumbai on weekends.And I have some good old Bollywood music for company. Rhythm and Rail. The perfect combination!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Me and Team @ the Ball park
Me is all fuzzy at the back...but that's me nonetheless. Also featuring Team IBM and some Management!
American Pie!
America, to me, is all about being a huge Capitalist Nation, about NYC & LA, about F.R.I.E.N.D.S & The Sipmsons, a place where everything is huge...from groceries to trucks to buildings and finally where you can have a 1-800 number for everything...from Pizzas to Hookers(!).
And I finally got a chance to live this dream...at least a part of it when I arrived here last month on a Work trip. My first pleasant shock was when the Immigration officer at NY asked me if I was a TATA consultant and said 'Hey Welcome man!"
when I replied in the affirmative. The second was a scary shock where I had to argue with this huge cabbie in Boston to take me to my hotel...Man was I scared or what! Luckily for me I could escape to the confines of my hotel room without having to hear the worst part of his abuses. A grand welcome was at the federal office in Boston when I went to file for a SSN. The lady at the counter actually got up from her seat and bowed a 'Namaste'. Man! But also, I had a small bitter experience 3 days later when I had to go through a special security screening while flying from Boston to Richmond. Well. I’m really not complaining after what happened to these guys in 2001.
Boston really gave me the first taste of how huge these huge buildings can really get. Haven't you had the feeling of looking at all these postcard pictures of big American cities and wondering if they were for real? Well..I have. To me it seems
all artificial when I look at these wallpapers on my computer desktop. Besides I had the whole of three days to myself to enjoy moving around in Boston on the subway to see places like the MIT campus in Kendall, Harvard square, The New England Aquarium, Mass. Bay area etc. That was my first taste of being a tourist in this huge country.
New York...I had seen it in innumerable movies, heard great musicians singing odes to it...and finally my real American dream was completed when I went there last weekend. You cannot help being overawed by the first sights of the city as you enter it. Huge would be an understatement to describe it's scale. It is full of monumental structures, tourists, cabs...and filth. It is very much like Mumbai...maybe only the scale is much bigger. I'm sure I’ve had an experience of a lifetime. The only things I rue are not being able to stop to take pics of the Brooklyn bridge and not buying maybe what I think is the biggest cliché of all times...an 'I LOVE NYC' shirt!
Washington DC was totally unlike what I had expected...it's not nearly as big as what I thought it would be. But there's a whole lot of History in there. The Smithsonian Museums...and there's a whole lot of 'em.... were just superb. And I also had a chance to visit it the second time when we drove around the run-down areas.
Richmond, where I work, is picture perfect. Green, clean and filled with water bodies and fountains. It is really a pleasure to drive to work every morning and even more pleasure to get back in the evenings. And this is also where I got a taste of another American thing to do.... Watching a ball game. Our team went to see this minor league game at the local baseball stadium featuring the BRAVES...that was awesome. Baseball, beer and Hotdogs.... the ultimate combo...except for the fact that I had a burger instead of a hotdog.
Three weeks in this country and I think that these people are really lucky to have all amenities within their reach. Everything is convenient. But, I think that sometimes it gets a bit too sophisticated. They kind of miss the simplest of things. And they use way too much paper and plastics and consume way too much meat and cheese. I guess that's how they like it. But using all that paper is way too bad for the environment.... they like to keep their cities green while they eat into the resources from other nations. I'm not up for that Uncle Sam!
P.S.- I really didn't have a clue about how to begin or end this post. It's just that maybe I'm a bit too Overwhelmed right now with all the work and all the travel. And maybe cause I have way too much on my mind.... work, home, Bangalore..................
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
I-Day Rocked!
Well..In fact the whole weekend was a great one. Firstly, having 3 days off in a new city away from friends and family is not a very pleasing thing. Right now, I'm living very comfortably in a guest house with everything from food to Laundry being taken care of. But i know for sure that once I have to move out to a rented place, I will need all of the weekend to attend to Domestic chores myself.
Saturday morning was spent in lazing around...late breakfast and TV. Me and my roommate then left for a trip to the heart of Bangalore, it's main commercial street, M.G.Road. Although the malls, coffee place, restaurants and Pubs are much bigger and better than Mumbai, the pollution was twice as much too. We spent most of the afternoon and late evening in moving around Richmond road, Residencey road, Brigade road and M.G.road.
Sunday and Monday were a treat. I took the early morning train to Mysore. The weather was awesome. And the journey...even better..i did not mind the weekend crowd for once. Mysore was much cooler than I expected. Cold in fact. And the part of town that my Uncle lives in was superb ( I think I will run out of most superlatives I know at the end of this post). The entire city is spread out in elevated parts. Every part offers a great view of the others. The houses are all really well planned and Superbly built. Monday morning was spent in driving around the Outskirts of Mysore...especially the Hebbal area. This area houses most of the IT giants like Infy, L&T, Wipro etc. I wonder, why would youngsters want to leave a job after working in such a peaceful and beautiful place? I think it's because of the lack of things that we are so used to...Swish pubs, coffee places, Entertainment complexes etc. The Infy complex was a township in itself...everything beautifully organised within the boundaries.
I'm not really in a mood to get back to any work right now after a lovely weekend. But wil have to. Work is good too right now....So I won't mind it as much as I usually do.
Saturday morning was spent in lazing around...late breakfast and TV. Me and my roommate then left for a trip to the heart of Bangalore, it's main commercial street, M.G.Road. Although the malls, coffee place, restaurants and Pubs are much bigger and better than Mumbai, the pollution was twice as much too. We spent most of the afternoon and late evening in moving around Richmond road, Residencey road, Brigade road and M.G.road.
Sunday and Monday were a treat. I took the early morning train to Mysore. The weather was awesome. And the journey...even better..i did not mind the weekend crowd for once. Mysore was much cooler than I expected. Cold in fact. And the part of town that my Uncle lives in was superb ( I think I will run out of most superlatives I know at the end of this post). The entire city is spread out in elevated parts. Every part offers a great view of the others. The houses are all really well planned and Superbly built. Monday morning was spent in driving around the Outskirts of Mysore...especially the Hebbal area. This area houses most of the IT giants like Infy, L&T, Wipro etc. I wonder, why would youngsters want to leave a job after working in such a peaceful and beautiful place? I think it's because of the lack of things that we are so used to...Swish pubs, coffee places, Entertainment complexes etc. The Infy complex was a township in itself...everything beautifully organised within the boundaries.
I'm not really in a mood to get back to any work right now after a lovely weekend. But wil have to. Work is good too right now....So I won't mind it as much as I usually do.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
B.A.N.G.A.L.O.R.E.D.
Well..not literally...being 'Bangalored' is totally different....but In a sense, I've been surprised by the changes that have taken place in this city. After a very hectic last week in Mumbai, marred by the torrenatial rains and the following damage, I finally arrived in Banaglore last wednesday.
When you first come to a city as a tourist, the first things that you take in are it's sights and sounds. But knowing that i will have to live here for the next 12 months or so, the first things that caught me were not the sights and sounds...but the smell. When you come to South India, you just cannot miss the feeling of the aroma all around you. Not surprsingly enough, this city does not reek of filth or rot. The smell of fresh spices and Coffee are the first that hit you. It is very Obvious. Of course, the traditional shops selling freshly ground coffee powder are far less now as compared to the abundance of trendy coffee shops...there's a CCD or Barista round every corner..at least in the area I'm living in right now. Of course, as they say, 'A lot can happen over Coffee'. And fortunately, a lot does! Even the polluted air smells different out here...a heady mix of diesel and petrol (hehe).
I still haven't had much time to discover this city. It's going to take some more time yet. Once I'm done with Training and undertaken other travel and once I can finally call myself a resident of Bangalore (I definitely cannot call myself a BANGALOREite....that would be grave Injustice to Mumbai!), I will hopefully get a chance to discover this city.
Until then, it's back to the clinical confines of my work space.
When you first come to a city as a tourist, the first things that you take in are it's sights and sounds. But knowing that i will have to live here for the next 12 months or so, the first things that caught me were not the sights and sounds...but the smell. When you come to South India, you just cannot miss the feeling of the aroma all around you. Not surprsingly enough, this city does not reek of filth or rot. The smell of fresh spices and Coffee are the first that hit you. It is very Obvious. Of course, the traditional shops selling freshly ground coffee powder are far less now as compared to the abundance of trendy coffee shops...there's a CCD or Barista round every corner..at least in the area I'm living in right now. Of course, as they say, 'A lot can happen over Coffee'. And fortunately, a lot does! Even the polluted air smells different out here...a heady mix of diesel and petrol (hehe).
I still haven't had much time to discover this city. It's going to take some more time yet. Once I'm done with Training and undertaken other travel and once I can finally call myself a resident of Bangalore (I definitely cannot call myself a BANGALOREite....that would be grave Injustice to Mumbai!), I will hopefully get a chance to discover this city.
Until then, it's back to the clinical confines of my work space.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Boys Of Summer
As The Sun Sets in on another Hot Indian summer...I hope the rains bring in the much needed relief
Friday, May 27, 2005
365 Days on a holiday!
What else can Be the USP for Goa?
It's been a week since i've been back from my holiday and I think i'm finally getting out of the depression of getting back to work. I know this had to happen especially after such a wonderful vacation. Besides, we managed the trip after two failed attempts during the past two years.
The journey itself was very cool and relaxed.Train journeys have always had a special place in my heart. Looking out of the window as the train goes along a turn is simply an experience in it's own. And although the beautiful Konkan hills and rivers weren't in their full glory in the scorching May heat, they still sooth you...very calm! And the place we stayed at on Colva beach was a steal at around 600 bucks a day...what with it's swimming pool and all....reminded me of the shekhar Kapoor movie, Mr. India...." Room ke aage balcony, balcony ke saamne garden, garden ke samne Swimming pool...". And the 'Samundar' (sea) wasn't far either..just a couple of paces down the road. The Para-Sailing experience frankly wasn't all that exhilarating...maybe I Expect too much out of things these days..but it was the 'cool' thing to do nonetheless...maybe! However, the two fabulous dinners we had on the beach totally made up for it.
The second day trip to Palolem beach was the high point of the trip. The place was simply beautiful. And the absence of maddening beach crowds was certainly a bonus. The journey to and fro from Madgao though was a pain though...in a mini bus packed with people..locals and tourists alike.
The other two days spent at calangute, anjuna and vagator were mixed experiences. 'Chowpatty like' Calangute was a disappointment, clubbing at Baaga strictly ok, while anjuna and vagator met up to expectations.
I know this post reads like an essay I wrote back in school describing how I spent my holidays. Maybe that's how I feel about it. Taking a break and going on Holidays with friends has certainly become a luxury...especially with time constraints and the gang being busy with work away from India.
Feeling totally recharged right now and can't wait to chalk up plans for the next trip;) (i think a short monsoon hike or atleast a day trip to Lonavla is surely on the cards)
It's been a week since i've been back from my holiday and I think i'm finally getting out of the depression of getting back to work. I know this had to happen especially after such a wonderful vacation. Besides, we managed the trip after two failed attempts during the past two years.
The journey itself was very cool and relaxed.Train journeys have always had a special place in my heart. Looking out of the window as the train goes along a turn is simply an experience in it's own. And although the beautiful Konkan hills and rivers weren't in their full glory in the scorching May heat, they still sooth you...very calm! And the place we stayed at on Colva beach was a steal at around 600 bucks a day...what with it's swimming pool and all....reminded me of the shekhar Kapoor movie, Mr. India...." Room ke aage balcony, balcony ke saamne garden, garden ke samne Swimming pool...". And the 'Samundar' (sea) wasn't far either..just a couple of paces down the road. The Para-Sailing experience frankly wasn't all that exhilarating...maybe I Expect too much out of things these days..but it was the 'cool' thing to do nonetheless...maybe! However, the two fabulous dinners we had on the beach totally made up for it.
The second day trip to Palolem beach was the high point of the trip. The place was simply beautiful. And the absence of maddening beach crowds was certainly a bonus. The journey to and fro from Madgao though was a pain though...in a mini bus packed with people..locals and tourists alike.
The other two days spent at calangute, anjuna and vagator were mixed experiences. 'Chowpatty like' Calangute was a disappointment, clubbing at Baaga strictly ok, while anjuna and vagator met up to expectations.
I know this post reads like an essay I wrote back in school describing how I spent my holidays. Maybe that's how I feel about it. Taking a break and going on Holidays with friends has certainly become a luxury...especially with time constraints and the gang being busy with work away from India.
Feeling totally recharged right now and can't wait to chalk up plans for the next trip;) (i think a short monsoon hike or atleast a day trip to Lonavla is surely on the cards)
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Couch Potato Re Discovers India
One of the most pleasurable things to watch on TV is this entire range of travel shows that're on there. Have you seen The anchors on these shows? I mean, it's like having an all expenses paid holiday every single day you are at work. Utopia at work!(and we all shrugged it away as an imaginary concept)
Anyway, what I feel is that these shows always make a big deal when it's an episode based on India. As advanced as we are today, the world (read The west) still looks up to India as this totally spiritual or mystical land.So, it was a good change when I caught this travel show episode on Discovery Travel and Living where the anchor travelled to a host of places in India and they showed a totally new side of it. Of course, with the anchor being a Brit, there was the usual emphasis on historical sites, food and drinks (especially the spicy curry) etc. But then, in a totally surprising turn of events, she caught up with this bunch of teens at an uptown restaurant and was delighted to know that they worked for this international (Innernashional) call centre and even accompanied them for their late night / early morning Accent lessons. And boy was she impressed with the way these guys Rrolled their R's! Whoever devised this term....But I would have rather loved it if she'd have rolled her arse.So much for dedicated viewing.
Anyway, what I feel is that these shows always make a big deal when it's an episode based on India. As advanced as we are today, the world (read The west) still looks up to India as this totally spiritual or mystical land.So, it was a good change when I caught this travel show episode on Discovery Travel and Living where the anchor travelled to a host of places in India and they showed a totally new side of it. Of course, with the anchor being a Brit, there was the usual emphasis on historical sites, food and drinks (especially the spicy curry) etc. But then, in a totally surprising turn of events, she caught up with this bunch of teens at an uptown restaurant and was delighted to know that they worked for this international (Innernashional) call centre and even accompanied them for their late night / early morning Accent lessons. And boy was she impressed with the way these guys Rrolled their R's! Whoever devised this term....But I would have rather loved it if she'd have rolled her arse.So much for dedicated viewing.
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