We love to travel and trek. We also love introducing our friends to its pleasures. So when we got a chance to take one-year-old Ahan to the exciting world of travel and trekking, it gave us immense satisfaction.

Ahan is the one-year-old baby of our friends. He spends most of his time within the concrete walls of his apartment. So he delights in any trip to the outer world, however short it may be. When our friends asked us to plan a weekend trip, their main intention was to give Ahan a good time with nature.

We chose Bordi, a 3-hour drive from Mumbai, bordering Gujarat. MTDC resort, the backyard of which leads to the beach, was a right choice. Ahan thoroughly enjoyed everything – from the garden swing to the beach sand and the undivided attention of 7 adults. But the icing on the cake was the visit to Asavla dam.

The vast expanse of water filled Ahan with rapture. A dip made him demand for more.

He refused to be picked up while walking back along the unpaved, rock-strewn path. Ahan, who at that time could barely walk on his own, was initiated into trekking.

Eight-year-old Appu, our nephew, too kicked off his trekking with us as he climbed the Kudajadri hills in Karnataka.

However tired we are, these hilarious spellings will never fail to make us break into laughter.

Hope to bring a smile on your face.

This post is triggered by a comment we received on the post “We are here”.

The commenter asked, “Do you wash the car at least once a year?” He saw the dusty car in the picture and maybe didn’t like it. Though we chose not to approve the comment, it made us wonder if there is a technology available to wash the car while we drive! 

After long drives, especially through unpaved roads and muddy roads in monsoon, car gets dirty – Oh! We know that’s a no-brainer. We in fact are happy to see this – it’s a sign of the paths we covered. That it’s a pain to clean it after the trip is one thing. But it gives a kinda kick to us. Dirtier the car, more exciting the drive!

If you drive to Malshejgat (Kalyan – Aurangabad road) in rainy season, there’s an option to wash the car on the road. An overhang of the hill makes water to splash on the road from a height – waterfall on the road. You can stop the vehicle under it, with windshields up, and get an instant wash.

A road trip that featured kissing the beaches, climbing the hills, and hugging the clouds! A 4-day trip with spur-of-the-moment detours, hunting for a place to stay, warm hosts in village home stays and much more…

Koyna forests have always held our fascination ever since we trekked there for 3 days in 2006. One of our fascinating road trips also was to this place bestowed with wild beauty. Koyna Nagar lies at about 400 km from Mumbai, via Chiplun.

As we set out from Mumbai, we plan to spend the night at Chiplun. On the way, plans go with the wind and we veer off Mumbai-Goa highway to Khed and Dapoli. Drive through the coastal roads ends up in Harnai, a fishing village.

Fishing vessels lined up in the sea offer quite a view.

More winding roads take us to Dhabol. Yes, the place of infamous Enron-owned Dhabol power plant (presently Ratnagiri Gas and Power). The Dapoli-Dhabol road breaks at a jetty; a boat ferries vehicles to the other bank, from where the road continues to Guhagar.

By late evening we end up in Guhagar, a beach village. Hunting for a place to stay turns out to be an adventure. At the end of it, a local family agrees to take us in for a small charge. A memorable experience!

Sound sleep and an early morning dip in the sea refresh us and we hit the road. More unplanned stopovers and deviations spice up the journey.

Guhagar quenches our thirst for beaches. We climb up the Koyna Hills to hug the clouds.

Koyna Nagar is a lovely combination of forests and a sprawling lake.

Early morning, brave the December chill, drive up to the highest point possible and watch the mesmerizing sunrise.

Admire the Koyna Dam, which seems to be spewing snow into the lake from its shutters. It melts in front of you as the sun rises. The dam was under threat during the 2005 floods.

Lazily drive along; pull over and listen to the sound of nature; walk up the many pathways into the forests – options galore.

Leave Koyna saturated with the tranquility and wilderness.