There are lots of beautiful places to visit around Pune. Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are one of the best and pass muster places of people.
Although people were not fixed, the plan of Mahabaleshwar was wrought at our home in Pune.
On friendship day, 7th August 2011, me and Manjusha reached at Vivek's house 45 minutes late, but 2 hrs early then our last trip ;), then the planned time of 5 am. But this time the culprit was Ritesh, who reached almost 2 hours late. After re thinking on Mahabaleshwar, we concluded to go to Panchgani and if we gave sufficient time will move towards Mahabaleshwar.
Wai:
Started at 7am, with my wife Manjusha, friend Ritesh and driver Vivek ;). It was a pompous morning on top of that cool sound tracks, journey was a stunning start. The highway was marvelous and sports bikes were chasing us one by one. After a continuous drive of 1 and half hour we reached our first destination 'Wai Ganesh Temple' famous for movie shoots. To our luck shooting was going out there, we didn't check out of which movie it was but got to see the actor Arshad Warsi. We took the Darshan and continued with our trip.
Dam:Wai
I reckon, the first unplanned beautiful place of the day suggested by Ritesh. Wai Dam, amazing place to visit on your way to Mahabaleshwar. The charming atmosphere of rainy season with clouds waving over water, an empty still bus at the side, a flock of Ducks playing at the corner, Samosa in one hand and Jalebi on the other, what a time it was. Really it was like we are resting in heaven. Thanks for taking us there Ritesh.
Panchgani & Mahabaleshwar:
What a cool climate with showers, clouds - come and goes and breeze - forcing you to stay back, was giving us a head start for our trip and a feeling of Hindi Movie Songs. The best we expect in a Hill Station. We were uncovering point after point in panchgani and mahabaleshwar with thrilling twisted roads leaving behind the clouds and music just making us believe of some Bollywood movie. A time had arrived where we had such a dense fog that we thought if we move an inch further we will be in 'No Man's Land'. Actually we were praying for our driver Vivek with whom we were travelling for the first timeJ.
Last Point: Table Land
I will say, the best point to conclude your trip, we were thinking of skipping it due to time schedule but it would have been an incomplete journey without it. What a place to visit guys, I had never seen a flat landscape on which we can even construct a Cricket ground in any hill station. The wind blowing us over, the water sprinkling towards sky and an endless view of land like a sea was amazing.
Last but not the least. Mapro OF CourseJ:
How can you return from Mahabaleshwar without tasting Mapro drinks, sandwiches, milk shake or pizza. So while returning we had our lunch or evening snacks whatever you say at Mapro Junction and returned back to our starting place Vivek's house.
We had a coffee/chai prepared by him and returned back to home after meeting newly engaged couple at Saras Baug.
