The Road Trip : Phase 01 : Pune-Goa.

The fact that I have finally started out on the road trip i had been planning for months doesnt sink in till we hit the katraj ghat, around 1.30 on Friday, 4th March 2011. The one hour we take to leave Pune is forgettable now. I think it is a right of passage for everyone who wants to take the bangalore highway. "you deserve the highway only if you can survive the mindlessness that is the pune traffic".

The mere sight of the neat, pit less highway that stretches in front of my eyes is enough to get me into high gear. The car likes it too, i guess, as it took me little effort to get it to 140. My joy is short lived though, as some truck wala decides to change lanes without notice, or some uncle I have over-taken before has decided to come back with a vengeance. It is amusing to see how irritated some people get if they realize a woman driver has left them behind. I leave most of them to their fate, while some are more determined to zoom past. Very amusing indeed. 

But eventually is it easy to tune out all the buggers on the road and think about nothing but the drive itself. Being on the road makes you tune into a lot of other things you would not otherwise. You start noticing the life around you on the Highway. The villages along the highway, neat houses amongst the fields, weird sign-ages like a picture of a cow (still dont know what that means), the overloaded trucks and bullock carts carrying sugarcanes, the fearless cycle-walas driving head on towards you and their unpredictable travel plans. The toll booths keep popping up from time to time, as if determined to break the rhythm.

We continue on the Highway for about 4 hours, till we reach Nippani. After a pit stop/tea break, it is Vikram's turn to take the wheel. Here we take a diversion from the 4 lane highway to an almost one way country road. I am quite glad to sit in the passenger seat as i think i would be able to click some snaps of the first sunset of the drive. But it is a fairly bumpy ride, making it almost impossible to keep clicking. I think i managed a couple :

This road is a total contrast to the highway, with the road cutting through small villages that dotted the way till amboli. Got to see some really beautiful houses, with simple thatch roofs and mud plastered walls, painted i pink and yellow and orange all at once. The beauty of vernacular architecture surprises me every time. Maybe we need to unlearn a few things when it comes to building.

It is almost nightfall when we reach amboli; the roads are nice and the ghat i have heard about is about to start. the next time i go to Goa, i am going to make sure i reach this place during light. the curves are sharp and steep and with little or no traffic we are zooming at great speed. This is one of the best ghats i have been through, i think. the road is surrounded by tall trees and a forest that is quite intimidating. we reach the top of the mountain and stop to look into the valley. Its quite dark to see anything at all, but its just too silent. I think i would have heard myself breathing too, had i tried a bit.

We eventually reach Sawantwadi, where the roads get narrower and the traffic has significantly increased. for some reason Vikram points out the Sawantwadi Jail amongst other things. We cross the border to Goa around 8.00. The roads become even better, making the transition into Goa apparent. We reach Baga to join our friends for dinner. Nothing like fresh fish and cool beer to take  away all the stress of the drive. Sangeetha and Arun and Swapnil are here and the rest of the Collage Gang, who start off my road trip with a blast.

The next 3 days would make up for another blog: the most unbelievable fish and crab, the dance-till-you-drop evenings, The Carnival, Palolem, some more of amazing fish and beer, the discovery that i am left-handed at Pool, the truth or dare sessions(which will not be spoken of ever), the photo-sessions, the kayaking, and most significantly: the importance of being with friends and making new ones.

Cant believe i have to write about leaving Goa too.. 

But.. i have to leave so that i can come back, right?? 

Its bye bye Goa for now, and another amazing ride to Bangalore coming soon!!