vaibhav_arora
Well-Known Member
In an obscure corner of my mind, when cobwebs of depressive thoughts form slowly during long periods of lassitude, sometimes there’s the proverbial ray of hope – a desire to escape, to go to places unseen - that a change of place will ''start me up'' over again.
Travel anywhere in this great country of ours is like turning pages of a picture book - sight after sight treats the eye. Colors vibrant, practices curios, and sometimes it’s all a blur when you turn pages entirely too fast.
Seven months without a trip anywhere is long enough – I was itching to turn the pages again, to feel like a five year old once more – a mixture of curiosity and joy at every turn.
Sensible people plan trips several months in advance. They read up on the places to be visited, construct an itinerary, sometimes multiple; posts comments on forums such as these and invite comments and take the bouquets and brickbats in their stride. Itineraries are then refined, tickets booked, family and well-wishers informed, essentials for the journey gathered. The much anticipated hour of departure arrives after a prolonged, agonizing wait.
I too plan my vacations this way, usually.
This time around I completed my bookings around five pm in the evening of a rainy Wednesday in August. The same Wednesday that I had to leave, at eight pm.
Mundane detail such as clothes and carrying enough cash didn’t cross my mind, until after I had booked non-refundable tickets. The base for starting this journey was Hyderabad, where I was living then due to my work location.
I couldn’t get much time off from work, just couple days, that’d make it an extended weekend break. I could probably wing Monday too – so five then. I called up a few friends and discussed some possibilities – Bhutan, Goa and even the Andamans, but all of these required more time – and I did not have that luxury.
I love trekking and walking a lot during my vacations, but the plantar fasciitis, that troubled the right foot for the last seven months, also ruled out any dedicated walk-a-thons on these few days. So a short escape to the Kolhapur region it will have to be – Maratha land and a place I’ve never visited but was always very curious about.
It’s amazing how easy (availability wise) off season travel can be. It’s also amazing what a disaster it can be for photography (think diffused light and grey skies).
Anyways, before I start this virtual journey with you, my two readers who refused to be scared away, despite the length of the previous adventures, here’s a glimpse that it wasn’t a complete washout (pun totally intended).
For example, you could get street scenes, since everyone else is as troubled by the rain as you are (seen in Kolhapur) –
Eat glorious street food (a vada pao)
Window shop (Kolhapuri chappals)
Go to the beach when it stops raining (Malgund) - and of course it will be deserted
Or a fort (Panhala off Kolhapur)
Admire the stunning greenery (view from a moving bus, shortly after Amba Ghat, between Kolhapur and Ratnagiri)
And the spectacular color (Jotiba Dongar, Near Panhala)
Ride a train (Warli paintings decorate Ratnagiri station)
And be thankful to God that there are jobs far riskier than your own
Must get food, Mikarwada –
But that people never ever give up
Catch of the day, Velneshwar -
I will start writing soon, hopefully.
Travel anywhere in this great country of ours is like turning pages of a picture book - sight after sight treats the eye. Colors vibrant, practices curios, and sometimes it’s all a blur when you turn pages entirely too fast.
Seven months without a trip anywhere is long enough – I was itching to turn the pages again, to feel like a five year old once more – a mixture of curiosity and joy at every turn.
Sensible people plan trips several months in advance. They read up on the places to be visited, construct an itinerary, sometimes multiple; posts comments on forums such as these and invite comments and take the bouquets and brickbats in their stride. Itineraries are then refined, tickets booked, family and well-wishers informed, essentials for the journey gathered. The much anticipated hour of departure arrives after a prolonged, agonizing wait.
I too plan my vacations this way, usually.
This time around I completed my bookings around five pm in the evening of a rainy Wednesday in August. The same Wednesday that I had to leave, at eight pm.
Mundane detail such as clothes and carrying enough cash didn’t cross my mind, until after I had booked non-refundable tickets. The base for starting this journey was Hyderabad, where I was living then due to my work location.
I couldn’t get much time off from work, just couple days, that’d make it an extended weekend break. I could probably wing Monday too – so five then. I called up a few friends and discussed some possibilities – Bhutan, Goa and even the Andamans, but all of these required more time – and I did not have that luxury.
I love trekking and walking a lot during my vacations, but the plantar fasciitis, that troubled the right foot for the last seven months, also ruled out any dedicated walk-a-thons on these few days. So a short escape to the Kolhapur region it will have to be – Maratha land and a place I’ve never visited but was always very curious about.
It’s amazing how easy (availability wise) off season travel can be. It’s also amazing what a disaster it can be for photography (think diffused light and grey skies).
Anyways, before I start this virtual journey with you, my two readers who refused to be scared away, despite the length of the previous adventures, here’s a glimpse that it wasn’t a complete washout (pun totally intended).
For example, you could get street scenes, since everyone else is as troubled by the rain as you are (seen in Kolhapur) –

Eat glorious street food (a vada pao)

Window shop (Kolhapuri chappals)

Go to the beach when it stops raining (Malgund) - and of course it will be deserted

Or a fort (Panhala off Kolhapur)

Admire the stunning greenery (view from a moving bus, shortly after Amba Ghat, between Kolhapur and Ratnagiri)

And the spectacular color (Jotiba Dongar, Near Panhala)

Ride a train (Warli paintings decorate Ratnagiri station)

And be thankful to God that there are jobs far riskier than your own
Must get food, Mikarwada –

But that people never ever give up
Catch of the day, Velneshwar -

I will start writing soon, hopefully.
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