Mumbai-Pune

How can the alarm bell ring so early?  Anyhow, today the alarm has to win as I have to leave Mumbai and reach Pune by 1 pm. I felt sad to leave my friends back and head to Pune, because for the last 4 days we did enjoy a lot. All these memories made me to recreate the best moments from the weekend in my mind but suddenly, I was rattled by a call from Avinash (Avinash and Akshay accompanied me to Pune). He yelled at me, “get ready within 5 minutes”, as we had to catch the train from Kalyan at 8:57 am and already it was already 6:50 am and still, we were in the NITIE hostel, in Powai.

With 30+ kg (measured last at airport 30kg) of luggage, it was a bad idea to experiment going to Kalyan, by local from Kanjurmarg. Dragging the luggage from hostel to NITIE main gate were signs of what we might face. Next we booked an auto for Kanjurmarg and then surfaced the real physical challenges. Walking upstairs with the luggage to go to platform number 2 made me realise that, sometimes when free cab is offered by your company, one should never say no to it.

Next to our horrors we found that Akshay had stamped the tickets for Thane instead of Kalyan and it was already 8am. Wow! Our journey is definitely going to be adventurous. He hurried to counter to take tickets, while I and Avinash started munching Vadapaws realizing it’s better to enjoy something that’s in hand. By 8:10am, Akshay came back with tickets and by 8:48am we were nearing Kalyan. As we were nearing Kalyan, regular commuters advised us to step back from the door for our safety (but why) and reluctantly we heeded.  To my surprise, people jumped on to the running train in Kalyan; elbowing, shoving and pushing to enter an empty train. With 7 minutes for Udyan Express to leave, we with an average of 3 luggages somehow forced our way out.

Next, we ran to a TTE and enquired which platform we should go. Platform 5 from platform 2, in 5 minutes was the next challenge. Is it some kind of strong man contest? We somehow reached at the nick of time and after settling in bogie S4 the satisfaction was similar to completion of the BRM project (many people in Shillong know how it feels).

It was good to leave behind the crowd and pollution of Mumbai, but not the people.  The first station where we got down was Karjat (ht. above sea level  51m), where we ate Vadapaws . Then came the tunnels that deserved to be clicked. After that the valleys, small lakes, mountains were better than the concrete jungle of Mumbai.

By 10:05 am, Khandala followed by Lonawala (ht. above sea level 61m) passed. I got down at Lonawala to buy Chikki; but trains never wait for me. Disheartened and hungry, I was returning to my seat, but train stopped. Someone had pulled the chain. I got down and had some Chikki (a sweet dish), which was really good.

Then, I had the first glimpse of the Expressway, which crossed the rail tracks many times after that. Siddarth Valley, which seemed a housing project near Madgaon came around 11am. After this it seemed, we were at sea level and the mountains have left us. Talegaon where one of my friends frequently visited for his supply chain project was a big town and by 11:10am it had been left far behind. Within minutes we saw a huge Ganesh idol on a hillock, which was tried to be captured by 3 camera man (including myself), but Gods are elusive.

Within 5 minutes we were in the outskirts of Pune and the climate now was similar to Bhubaneswar i.e. non-humid and mercury definitely exceeding 39 degrees C. Barren Mountains seemed to distance themselves from the apartments and brick kilns. Barren lands grazed by goats and cows were followed by high rise apartments and now definitely I’m in Pune.

Akurdi, Chinchwad , Pimpi, Tapodi, Shivaji nagar and now we get down at Pune station at 11:55am. By 12:30pm, we were at our reporting venue near the airport.

Definitely, this journey was tiring in the initial stage but the natural beauty, as soon  we leave Mumbai was soothing to the eyes and mind. The next time (I don’t know when it’s going to happen) to Mumbai from Pune, is going to be the Expressway, and I know it will be a great time with my friends in Mumbai.