Mahabaleshwar trip

    There do come times where you stand at a crossroad and need to select between two things, and according to you both are correct. "Just like- whom do you want? Mother or father."     Or there are times where you need to attend two things at two different places at the same time! And you wish, if you could not miss any! The same thing happened with me. 

   College Friends planned a two-day trip to mahabaleshwar, Sunday and Monday ( yeah bunking college ) And I had to attend a family function on Sunday. So it was a 'this-or-that' situation for me.

   It's Sunday morning. I check my mobile. See status updates of friends and find that they have left for mahabaleshwar. As planned, I went with my family. I would have missed the first day of mahabaleshwar and would have regretted had it not been for the sumptuous food that I had that day and those crazy hours of garba. 

   The function was over and I packed for the trip. Reached an hour before the time of arrival of the bus. I had booked a seat (or should I say a bed) in a Neeta Volvo. It picked me up at 10pm. And I left on my journey to mahabaleshwar, alone. 

   In the bus, I found a 9th std school student as my co-traveller. He was going back to boarding school after the winter vacation. I slept all the way, something which I boasted a lot about when I reached there :p. 

    "Last stop, last stop", the cry woke me up from my sleep. I stepped down. And saw a crowd of taxi men waiting for passengers. One of them asked me- booking hai? Booking hai? Not knowing what to Answer- I nodded. I told him the hotel name. He quoted the price. Bloody ₹100 for one km!!!!!

   I just asked him the direction. And started walking. Checked it out on google maps and reached there in 8 min. I made another good decision by not taking a cab. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to wander there. Inhale it's beauty. And feel its peace. A local lady then showed me the exact way to the hotel. She was friendly and welcoming. 

    When about 70-80% distance was completed, I heard namaaz echoing around. I looked around. And then looked up. What I saw, I won't be able to describe with mere letters. The combination of twinkling stars and soothing prayers stole my anxiety. I reached the hotel.

   Saw a friend sleeping, the door was open! I wondered- Why did they not shut the door before sleeping! But I thanked them later for keeping the room open. After a few zzzz's in his room, it was about 7am. I went out in the garden and soaked a little sunrise in. Good, but not as awesome as the view past night. Next hour I spent waking everyone up. And listening to their experiences of Sunday. Later I came to know, that the door was open as they had slept only an hour ago, ie at 4am!

    After checking out from the hotel, I spent the rest of the day like an ordinary traveller. Visited pratapgad fort. And returned home at midnight. 

    How much ever beautiful the fort was, or how much ever fun we had in the bus while returning back. Nothing can match the view of stars with namaaz in background.

    Travelling in its true spirit is tasting the lives of the locals. Talking and interacting with them. Living their lives for a day. And I lived the true spirit, though for those 8 mins! They were the best moments of the trip.