Dec 7, 2007. Friday
In the office, there was chaos about the time to meet everybody @ the VT station, even though everything was clear on "meetup.com". In the chaos 10.45pm was supposed to be the train departure (according to us). I left for home, Vinay, Kulkarni, Neeraj were supposed to come directly. Sudani and Ashok too went home. I was @ VT around 10.15 pm when I met Vinay, Kulkarni and Neeraj. Rajoba had called that he had just left Andheri with Sudani. But we saw nobody below the Big clock, were we there on the wrong day ? :P ? Vinay called Mallik, he said the train departed around 11.20pm, and we were early. So we headed out into VT's night. Amazingly the shops we banked on to get a torch, all had shut. Just a few remained. We went to Sterling got some snaps of the Deutche Bank and then into McDonalds. Enjoying burger, tea, coffee , Vinays' phone rang, it was Mallik

किधर हो भाइ?

बस पहुंच रहे हें

We saw a big group standing with a lot of big backpacks lying below. Met the familiar faces. Sanjay Bhutani, the one who never missed any trek, Janki, Bertram, Amey, Anupama, Pali, Mallik and more. Sanjay had got a german friend of his. '11.20pm S' was scheduled, Karjat. Train ride as always after Kalyan was more of monkeys jumping here and there. Vinay even managed to get on the luggage rack!

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Not always I'm a part of a picnic, probably people around me are afraid to get me into one. So this one started as a trek, and changed into a picnic/hike by the time we were about to start it :P.

The album is titled as 'HostwayCartoons', not just because we work in Hostway but also for the souls that we possess.

7 soldiers, myself, Mukti, Vj, Zuber, Amols(2) and the infamous Sudaani on march to seize Lohagad.

Health Warning: Not everyone reading this content is gonna enjoy it, You probably could be dizzy half the way through.

15 Dec, 07, 3.45AM:
Trring Trring ...

Rutu: Hello..
Mukti: Hello Good morning, (I don't know how can a morning be good if someone is awake @ 3.45 in the morning!)
Rutu: उठी?
Mukti: Ya!
Rutu: Vj को फोन किया ?
Mukti: Ya already did, ur'e late.
Rutu: whatever.. ( :D Mukti hates that word ! )

I had a long break from Trekking, thanks to some mosquito that seemed to have better of me at Malshej Ghat. I was yearning for a great outing, and Tringalwadi proved to be one. It began with Vj's buzz about the hiking group, MoRonz AdEventUrz. Although being a programmer in India, I'm generally off from Orkut, and other social meetup groups, donno why, perhaps I'm shy ! Vj had spread the word in the office about the trek to Tringalwadi on 17th and 18th Nov 2007. Few other chaps, Amol[s] and Vinay were interested, so was I. The group as always was buzzing with meetups, with one just 2-3 days prior to the trek, as always I missed that one.

The time was set 8:00 PM IST, CST. The plan was to get on a N 8:47 PM local (Kasara) and there on towards the trek. I reached VT around 8.15, I had forgotten to take a Kasara return @ Khar and so hurried towards the booking counter to see long tails. I called Vj just to let him know where I was. He came back with Vinay, my office colleage and Kulkarni, one of the Amols that had managed to make it successfully. Soon I saw the AC Milan player MallikaArjun with a huge backpack, seemed like he was planning for a full month long weekend. A check on the no. of guys needing a ticket made us change our plan to get a Debit Card (for Western and Central Railways). A quick print of around 4-5 tickets and I was lucky to get off the long line.

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As I listen to "Hard as a Rock" by ACDC, my mind swirls back to our "hardcore adventure" trip, waterfall rappelling the Kondana caves!!

Vj again, our PRO !!! had subscribed to a meetup group, which now has been christened as MoRonz AdvEntUrez. He'd asked me to subscribe as well. And these like minded individuals had finally got another meet organized at "Cafe Sea Side", Bandra. I and Vj had managed to get there late eve, almost 8.30pm :P after office, where we were surprised to see a big group already chit-chatting and headed by our Maadu organizer, Kalpessbhai. Guess what had they been discussing !!! Plans for the movie "Sivaji" starring Rajni :D The meetup group had managed to find a star, or I don't know if it was other way round. But the group had Rahul Barve, Well ... a star 'cause he was into trekking, camping and adventures for the last 16yrs and was a pro. Another reason why he is a star, u'll know soon. The group full of enthusiasts, who were kind of first-timers, hobbyists in this field of adventure. And they didn't want just trekking, they wanted more... Waterfall Rappelling.

I don't remember if there were any members apart from Rahul himself and Kalpesh who'd done rappelling before, but all were keen on "waterfall" rappelling. The plan that was cooking was to trek Rajmachi in the night to the Rajmachi village, stay there till the early morn, and then climb up and back down to the Kondana caves, where we'd have our rappelling session. And then head down to Kondivade village. Rahul was quick to warn/notify members about a night trek in rains and mud, a wet sleepless night and then a rappelling event. But the buzzing group couldn't be tranquilized. They wanted it. So rendezvous at 7.30pm, Chandu Halwai, Dadar TT, 14th Jul 2007. The week between, Kalpesh had organized for a bus which would take us straight to Rajamachi trail, Lonavala and then move back towards the Kondivade village waiting for the tired सवारीs.

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Kamandurg is a quiet and quite an unknown destination when it comes to trekking. Most of the enthusiasts prefer venturing in the Igatpuri and the Malshej ghats. The Mumbai-ite with the trouble of extra travel in the crowded locals before he can set his foot on the some of the lovely mountains.

Kamandurg, close to Vasai, Mumbai, is however quite an experience for a trekker. The information about Kamandurg too is not easily found on the net :) However Vj did manage to find and make the best use of Google. The trek was set for 9^th Jun 2007. Vj getting his trekking meetup's gang as well.

Travelling Directions

The trek was finalized !!! phew !!! After endless discussions to pick a peculiar destination. Karnala that was, a bird sanctuary. Why ? 'cause it was an easy one ! well... that was one of the points that contributed towards its vote, another one was its easy accessibility, only 15 mins from Panvel bus depot. Panvel bus depot itself being only 1.30 hrs from Dadar station by ST bus.

Excited !!! Mukti able to make it this time, even Saurabh. Other participants being the regulars, Vijay, Sudani and Neeraj. Good, always need some TP during treks, and Mukti assures that. She is best at it, with Saurabh to add some spice. The Junagadh king, Mr. Ashok Sudani adding the gujrati flavour to our recipe. Vijay and me relishing every moment of it.

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Karnala Fort Trek, Photos

Standing at the top of hill, looking down the crevice between the two mountains, there was nothing I could see but the vast valley ahead hugged by other mountains, one of them the Rajmachi. Down there I could see no terrain. The valley dropping more than 2000 feet or so. And that is where we'd to climb down ! Sounds like a nightmare, but unfortunately was not. That precisely coincided with the talks, blogs, info that I and Vj had been reading all long the week.

The excitement kept mounting as the Thursday night turned into the Friday morn. I'd to ensure that everything is ready for the trek, for which we'd start in the night towards Karjat. As the day progressed in the office, there were few talks with Vj and other colleagues about the talk, but much of the passed with a normally hectic work schedule (that was a bit exaggerated!). And it was almost 7.00pm, Vj called Ankush to confirm where we shall be joining our journey. There was one more friend of Vj, Vikrant कोर्डे (who is never dry on jokes). They both were supposed to meet us at Thane stn.

Traveling Directions

It all started with our incessant talks of treks. Me and Vijay always trying to find a Saturday, Sunday home amongst the lovely Sahyadris. And fortunately those who were interested in our talks and plans were the HR. From HR, Gauri who is an experienced climber was assited with Mukti, the ever excited, chirppy girl. All leading only to one result, a big unofficial company trek.

The first aim after 4 of us were in the plan were to gather more guys for the trek, and astonishingly most of the Engg. guys agreed with a few exceptions. Almost 12 guys from the company and another friend of ours Ankush raised the roster count to 13. Now that the enthusiasts were ready, what about the venue, the location, ... ? Since most of us were first-timers, it was decided by HR that the trek must be for a beginner. There was a lot of chat, contradictions, etc after visiting http://deepabhi.tripod.com , a very helpful site for as#$% like us. finally the plan was pointing towards Sudhagad, Pali. Gauri had been there once, and said it was a straight-forward trek, good for beginners. !!! HR's word is final.

While we were trying to figure out the transportation, Gauri had an idea,

Why not hire a tempo-traveller or bus like that.

The idea didn't go well with Vijay, which made us feel we were planning a picnic, instead of a trek. Official trek transportation is State Transport(S.T.) and Local Trains, and Bus #11. But then finally most of us managed to get Vijay on the Tempo-traveller plan. Gauri, resourcefully arranged for the vehicle and the plan was set, Sat 6 January, 2007, 0500 hrs, Andheri station, the bus shall start for Pali.

Had been to this trek in the Malshej ghat region, to Naneghat. This ghat was extensively used in pre-British rule as a trade-route between the Deccan plateau and the Konkan Strip.

A special tax was also levied, and nane (Coins) were collected as tax, Any type of good was eligible as tax, from gold coins to cereals and grains.

... Traveling directions and more ...

Its almost the end of Monsoon, and the weather is just right for a trek, So I call Kapil @ 4.00 pm, 2^nd if we can leave for a trek at night, and ask him if one more friend of ours can come along...

Luckily enough 3 of us gather at Dadar at 9.30pm the SAME day!. We board the Kalyan fast local train at around 10.30, to reach there at Kalyan's S.T. stop around 11:45pm, to miss the second last bus of 11:30pm. Thanks to Kapil who couldn't come in time at Dadar station, and blaming the Ganesh festival's traffic.

Travelling Directions