Mumbai Travel Trip

Recently I happen to visit Mumbai.
Started early in the morning, took the normal highway till Lonavala. It was really nice to start early in the morning, nowadays the old Mumbai Pune highway is really free of traffic. I remember 10-15 years back when I used to travel by Asiad bus it took round about 6-12 hours to reach Pune or sometimes never reach. Both the ends would have serpentine queues of trucks, buses and cars. It was chaos all over.

Now it’s easy to reach both the ends. While reaching Wakad there was traffic jam as a cyclewala was knocked down and he was lying in the middle of road, a cop trying to manage the traffic. He took the guy in a six seater, I think he had passed off since his cycle was kept aside in a scrambled state. Poor guy, sometimes its their fault cause in a quick of second they show their hand to turn and get goofed up / ride in the middle of the road. Have to take a extra precaution while driving in Pune city.

Reached lonavala in a flash, stopped at a snack joint. It was really chilly in Lonavala I had to wear my overcoat to get myself warm. Had a vadapav of 15 bucks..phew that costing dude, we used to have it for Rs 2.50/- few years back on the same highway. Started on express way after Lonavala it was a smooth ride, though my car has little less power we reached chembur in another few hours.

Well here we are hot and sweating. We reached relatives apartment so as usual the fan was running at its full capacity, he was trying to keep us cool. Never mind he cannot help the situation. Cause Mumbai afternoon was like a summer one with heat at its peak. Later had a nice lunch and a little nap.

So it was time to go ahead few stations, and there I was stuck in the traffic since some tube railway work was on, the traffic was moving at snail pace.I quickly upped my a/c and was feeling little better. Near the International airport the traffic was little better. I reached my good old place where I was born and brought up. Recollected all the good old memories, still not crowded might be because of a weekend. Very much people waiting for bus with less patience. Cause in Pune people have lot of patience on the bustop. Probably I suggest the authorities to keep some recreation activities on the bus-station, so that they can have some nice time around. I have stopped travelling or rather do not travel in Pune's city bus. By the time the bus comes I make two trips to my destination on my vehicle. But if you see faces of people waiting for the bus on Pune bus-stop they are really quite and clam, even though a pack bus comes up they do not make any hurry to catch it, but in Mumbai people clamped to the bus whether they are old or young. (BEST- Bomb Errr Still Travelling) (PMT - Permanent Mental Torture). My wife still travels in Pune city bus, how is a big question, cause she reaches the destination perfectly. I keep wondering how on earth she does it. A big round of a plause to her.

Going ahead the flyover city is still struggling with traffic, cause by the time they finish with flyover build, another lakhs of monster vehicle are ready to have their jabb.I was near a location where a famous theatre was located which is demolished and it is replaced with a commercial cement block. We used to visit this theater frequently so had a good memory of it. Those were the good times with less ticket and snacks rates. We guys could afford the tickets with our pocket money and had a cheekful of snack. Now I do not dare to visit a nearby Multiplex.

Next had a overnight halt and it was still very hot and fans trying to take over the heat. I tried to pip out of the window to have some fresh air in the middle of the night but it was worse cause in the middle of the night the traffic was flowing at full and pollution at its peak. Phew guess what happens in year 2018.Had a good night sleep.

Morning 10am it started burning again, as we had destination to reach in middle of the city. Started my journey the flyovers are great in some areas so good to get rid of traffic snarls. On the highway had a glimpse of my childhood place and reached the old Airport where the Centaur Hotel was located. Its demolish now, I don’t know what its replaced with, but the Centaur Hotel had its real glory with a nice architecture, the small windows really impressed me and had huge structure, authorities should have made a monument of it, can't help cash hungry guys cannot wait to put it down. There were lot of cops on the highway in wake of the shootout at CST and Taj Mahal Hotel. Good atleast they woke up for few days.... they will be back to their old routine once things calm down. They are busy holding up poor guys and the real guys are planning their next activities with a feel free spree. Intelligence please be more intelligent to skip the politicians and reach the action guys directly.

Reached the destination for a marriage ceremony, had to encircle many a times to reach it, since there were lot of one way's coming, but people of Mumbai are enthusiastic to give proper direction for a new person who has lost his way. In Pune ask a way, you are lost what he said or it’s a blunt reply do not waste my time or it’s a reply you are mad to ask a way, puneties have lot of time to encircle the city whole day. Finally got the ceremony Hall, so it’s packed with millions of people inside, noisy, hot, music playing at its top of the voice and top of it huge hot lights. Well Pune has advantage as it has lot of Garden and open air locations for occasions, also very good location for pinic with close vicinity. Mumbaikars are not so lucky for it. Due to very hot conditions I had to take lot of cold beverages and thirsty drinks. Had a good lunch and pushed out for Pune.

I was in a hurry to reach Pune since was missing the fresh air and Chilly winter, phew at last reached Pune and gasped for fresh air and back to winter proofs. Had a nice hot vapor shot and slipped into warm blanket wear.