My friends came to Pune for a 3 day visit.It is just a litte get together we do once in every year. This year my friends wanted to do a Trekking activity.So the places i decided to take them for trek are Rajgad.
Rajgad is a nice place for trek. I have trekked this place two times before.One time along with my roomie anand via Pali base village.next time with my buddy Siva Balan via Gunjavane village base.
So i wanted to take my friends to this place which i am well aware.
There are two routes to this place.One is via Ghat roads,and full of scenary views ,the one through Sinhagad road. But it is little shorter route,still you cannot ride fast,due to steep roads and many hair pin bends and the cloudy atmosphere during the monsoon.
The other route is via Katraj take the NH4 Pune to Bangalore road.You can ride fast since it is a NH,around 30kms need to take right exit to Rajgad,which takes you to Gunjanvane.
We initially thought of hiring a Scorpio for this trip,but friends are more interested in bike ride.At that time,we had only two bikes,one is mine and other is Rajesh bike.
At the final minute came to know about bike rental available in Rastapet,and hired a motorbike from giving a refundable deposit of 15000 rupees and a daily rent of Rs.250 which is very much affordable.
We started at 9 am at Magarpatta city,Pune.We are six members in 3 bikes.
Sadeesh,Dharma,Ganesh,Rajiv ,Rajesh and me.
Pune to Rajgad distance is around 65 kms. We went to Katraj via the kondwa,and then took the NH4 Pune - Bangalore toad. Around 30 kms we had the breakfast in the highway wadapav the maharashtra special food.
Then took the Rajgad road and reached the base village Gunjanvane.We parked our bikes here . Came to know public bus facility is available till this place from swargate pune. Lot of people were there for the trek.There was one petty shop,where we had some refreshment before starting the trek, handed over our helmets and stuff to them.
My friend Sadeesh was having fever and by looking at the Rajgad,he lost his hope and then stayed back in the petty shop.Once we returned back,we came to know that he had a nice day in petty shop taking chai,poha etc etc, and the conversations he had with the girl in the shop in English ,and the marathi conversations he had with the old uncle in the shop without knowing a little bit of Marathi.
It was raining like hell when we started climbing the hill. Still we were going strong without stopping at any place.
Ganesh my friend who usually has a strong will,lost his hope reaching the top.This was his first trek,he found it very tough initially. Infact he started giving dialogues showing his reluctance to take next step. Dharma didn't tell anything although he was also in discomfort and Rajiv being the leanest person,he was little quick and eager to move.
But it was very cloudy so the top of the hill was never visible,and i bluffed them every 20 minutes that the top is very near by and there is a short cut ,a cave with foot steps that takes us directly to the top.They all got motivated by that it is very near and started moving ahead.
But thanks to the rain and fresh atmosphere which powered us with energy all the time.Had it been a sunny day,we would have lost our energy in sweat and thirst.
After all reached the top,it was amazing experience you feel it in heart,that you have achieved something very great,as if you have won a wimbledon medal,i feel it everytime whenever i reach the hill top.
My friends to felt very good. Then we roamed at the hill top quiet a few places,had chaas(butter milk) and it made us more energetic.
Sky was turning dark,Rajesh was in little hurry to reach the base fast and return back,since he had to attend a function in pune.So we started at top of hill at around 3:30 pm and reached the base around 5pm . It took 1 and 1/2 hours since it was bit slippery and rainy.
Had lot of photos in that rain,i was little afraid,since my camera got fully wet.But it is taking good snaps till now very well.Once we reached the base,sadeesh was very relaxed and he expressed his interest to take the driving till pune,but in kondwa,he again felt discomfort due to koraklee(nerve get stuck in hand) and handed the bike to me.I took him to Noble hospital near magarpatta city,doctor just examined him and said it is nothing,just a discomfort signs due to seasonal change,but sadeesh was very curious to get a injection,but the doctor was reluctant,it was another funny interactions between the doctor and Sadeesh.
Overall the first trek of my friends was really a nice experience,every one said ,it was great experience and our next plan is to trek himalayas ;-) ,but one little thing we have to find there is a petty shop to leave my friend Sadeesh safely,since he always gets affected by fever during a trip.
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