Khandas Bhimashankar trek -Day 1
Nimesh-Hemant-Snehdeep-swapsshah-Pravin
3:30 pm: 23 phone calls… 65mins after the 1st call, loads of altercations on to go or no to go, who will go when, and people forced to drop-off live seminars we reached ShivajiNagar Railway Station to catch the Deccan Express before time 😉 Snehdeep–Nimesh–Pravin-swapsshah and Hemant still slogging at office…
With all of us completely clueless about this particular trek, how long? where? how tough? it was all a unknown… We just knew that Yuvashakti was taking us to an overnight trek named Khandas Bhimashankar… Swapsshah to Aniruddha (Yuvashakti leader) “1stly thanks for accommodating us, on such a short notice and sorry for all the 12th hour hassle!!!”… While Pravin continued to fill up the half-filled forms standing in-between the train toilets… “Ae Hemant ka blood group kya hai???”(what is Hemant’s blood group???) I dropped off at Lonavalato wait for Hemant who was running late and Snehdeep-Nimesh-Pravin continued the journey till Karjat with the rest of the group…
4:45 pm: I rushed to the enquiry window to check the next available trains to Karjat… 5:05- Udyan Express, 5:25- Koyna Express, 7:25 Indrayani… I further made sure that the other folks collect enough information so that we can reach from Karjat to Khandas village… 7:45 was the last bus to Khandas from Karjat… I was strictly warned to return back to Pune if we don’t make it to this bus… I called up Hemantto check where he had reached… Some typical phone disturbances I heard “… Nighaloy… … … local ne yetoy… …” (“… Have started… … coming by Local… ….”) So the plan- Koyna Express and then the bus at 7:45… Perfect!!!
5:20 pm: Announcement for Koyna Express arriving shortly on Platform number… … I was shocked! The local hasn’t come yet and the Koyna is in! Shit! The only next train is Indrayani at 7:25 and there is no way we can get to the 7:45 LAST bus after that… I called up Hemant… Not reachable!!! again… Not reachable!!! I had to decide… Leave Hemant back and proceed with Koyna Express or finish the trek on Lonavala platform!!! I thought for a while and then sacrificed Koyna Express for Hemant… Maybe we could take a bus to Karjat… Enquired with a platform seller, he said buses and shared jeeps go to Karjat every half hour… And it takes around 60-90 minutes to reach Karjat by bus… OK, it’s still possible… Perfect!!!
6:00 pm: Announcement for the local arriving… I thought I should be proactive… I stood up on one of the benches, so that Hemant could locate me easily as soon as he arrives… I stood alert with my camera in hand, to click Hemant as he gets down the Local… Train halts… People flow out… Camera is waiting to click… 10-20-30-60 seconds pass… 2 minutes… almost all the platform is clear… Confused… I Turn off the camera and still standing on the bench, phone Hemant…
This time, a crystal clear voice, like we both are talking from our Sound Proof rooms-
Swapneel Shah 
Hi all, here’s what i think of this blog……
I must say that Swapneel has grown as a writer. U will agree if u have read his other blogs. This in particular was so much like an adventurous story and made me curious to read further, it also amused and surprised me at times.
Swapneel- The time when u were counting ur assets in the rickshaw was so funny (Page 4), infact i can’t stop smiling, even while i’m writing this.
Good; now i can guess how much is ur salary… 🙂
So, next time we meet u taking me out to a 5 star restaurant… 🙂
Hitesha
September 12, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I should say, there won’t be too many people out there with so much patience. Koi aur hota to he/she would have dropped Hemant at first place (instead of getting down at Lonavala, anyone would have continued journey with others).
But tu jitna bhi count kar le… your assets would still be less than me 🙂
Piyush
September 13, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I must say Swapneel has so much patience to write the whole journey on four pages. He has got excellent writing skills, that it made me read the whole topic in one sitting (though I don’t like reading at all).
Amazing writing Swapneel keep it up.
I want to write some more but will write some other time.
Rohan
September 14, 2008 at 3:03 am
Hey, that was an elaborate post 😛 You should write more its very nice to read (also because I miss the place so much!) Cheers
priyank
September 14, 2008 at 5:45 pm
@Hitesha: Hey, writer n all!!! nah… Just happy that to record these memories to atmost details… So even when I grow old, I can remember how we friends lived these moments… 🙂
@Piyush: True, a bit of patience was always there… But it was friendship too… How could I left Hemant in the way??? Yes, if Hemant could have volunteered to drop himself, then I would have promptly gone ahead… 😉
@Rohan Rao Baramatikar: Thanks for reading all the 4 pages… Waiting for your writings now…
@Priyank: Sure, Cheers!!!
Swapneel Shah
September 15, 2008 at 8:07 am
An adventurous trek…
The moral of the story, you should plan first and then start 😉
Gururaj
September 16, 2008 at 7:14 pm
hi!!!
This is really awesome Blog!!! It was as interesting as ‘Harry Potter’.
Great going 🙂
Mrudula Shah
September 18, 2008 at 7:56 pm
@Gururaj: Yeah, join in next time for a outing… and we will ‘plan’ an adventure… 😉
@Mrudula: U comparing this with Harry Potter??? then I must say, I deserve a pat on the back!!! 🙂
Swapneel Shah
September 18, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Lets see man… I’m very much interested in trekking and wish I can join your group.
Otherwise, ‘m willing to visit dandeli (wildlife sanctuary) which is also a good outing spot in North Karnataka (480 kms from Bengaluru)
Gururaj
September 20, 2008 at 12:34 am
Reached here via Priyank’s blog. I was close by in Lonavala last month.
I should thank you, for I enjoyed reading this post. Now over to part 2. 🙂
Celine
September 21, 2008 at 5:46 pm
@Gururaj: Anytime!!! I am ready to visit Dandeli… Add me in!
@Celine: Thanks for visiting… Am glad that you enjoyed reading this post, as much as we enjoyed those moments…
Swapneel Shah
September 22, 2008 at 10:34 am
its v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
saahil shah
October 8, 2008 at 1:10 pm
@Sahil: Hey thanks!!! 🙂
Swapneel Shah
October 8, 2008 at 4:24 pm
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