On a November Sunday morning, with cool breeze kissing me amidst the chirping of the birds, mist covered grass and destitute roads, my romantic affair with my cheetah (Pulsar 180) was at the helm. Yes, this was my first long ride (450 km.) ever since I found my love (bike). Always on job, this was the first time we both set out together in a recreative mood in pursuit of some unknown excitement.
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| Long ride with my love |
Clueless about the distance or the place, I set out with my Cheetah (my bike's pet name) on a ride of about 450kms along with 3 other friends of mine. First time ever I filled up my macho's belly (9 lts of petrol), an apparent elastic bag. The fuel guage in its full limit was smiling at me coz I never gave him a such a feast (maximum 2lts of petrol I fill). My enthusiasm surpassed my reasoning of the purpose of the ride, I blindly followed my friends as a child following his mother, enjoying the beauty around.
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| That's my Cheetah (Pulsar 180) |
After about 2hrs of journey, I had breakfast (1 idli, 1 vada). My first reaction after tasting the sambar of that small roadside motel was AYYO! (oh God!-tamil). I hope in place of salt these people use sugar in sambhar coz. both are similar in appearance, but may be possibly forgot that they taste different. Confirmation came immediately when my sugarless tea arrived. (all the sugar is dissolved in Sambhar, probably nothing left for tea). With this peculiar new tasting breakfast my ride on my cheetah resumed.
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| Thank you for this beautiful planet my Lord |
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| DAM on the Way |
Now 3 hours just flew off in no time before I could recognise that it is time to provide some fuel to my stomach if this body has to go any further. Worst kind of roads I have ever rode in my life. Thank to my dear transport officials. Photography was an added package on this ride. Snaping everything from grass to girl who come my way was always my forte. This time no different. Then decent lunch in a small dhaba (motel) quenched my hunger.
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| My shutter bug avatar |
Now the most unexpected thing happened during this phase of the ride. My darling cheetah who was so long fortunate to roll on the cushion bushes of the well maintained city roads, for the first time had to pull himself on a rugged terrain which hurt him. Consequently the back tyre got punctured. By this time we have crossed the small village and about 10-15kms on the mountain ride. Succumbing to fate we hade to make our way down back to get the treatment done. In the process we almost had to forsake another one to one and half hour.
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| My friend Punit - all photos shown here are his |
Once plastered on the wound , there is no turning back for my cheetah, he kept gliding through the curves of the mountains so elegantly that everybody stood mesmerised. Back wheel brake started functioning weakly and with time it almost died out. Now I was left with only the option of front wheel brakes. Though I could manage with successfully and at times lived dangerously though.
Going through all this drama I finally reached the intended destination "LAVASA", a hill station (near Pune) , first one of its kind in Independent India. I started my journey from Navi Mumbai at around 7am. "Heaven on Earth" is the phrase I would give to describe this place. Be it asymmetric appartements, or the elegant villas, or the tranquil green gardens, or the enthusiastic water sports, or just the very sight of the nature from a high altitude or the smiling joyfull faces, each and everything shone with resplendence. Living close to nature is always an unfulfilled dream for mankind these days. To be frank I enjoyed the scene of some beautiful girls who were hot and eye-catching. Least to mention, I become professional photographer once I am in such a place forgetting who we actually are, clicking shutters all over the place. Hot girls, cool picks were the final take aways by me.
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| LAVASA - A bird's eye view |
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| Water sports and Apartments inside LAVASA |
Flying back with a speed of about 100kmp I reached home from Pune at about 10.30 pm. The planet was draped with black cloth of the night hardly revealing anything. At times I had to beleive that my cheetah will take me home safely as nothing was visible to me. Adventerous and equally dangerous.
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| Villas inside LAVASA costing atleast one crore |
My maiden journey filled me with whole new excitment with a bit of fear at times which cannot be explained by the extent of words."Words die out when real experiences take birth" - my philosophy from this journey.
