This weekend we decided to explore Matheran, a small hill station near Mumbai that our friends had told us about for long.
To reach here one can take a train from Dadar to Neral and then get onto a narrow gauge toy-train up into the hills. However, we went via Pune collecting a bunch of old friends driving all the way around Lonavla, Khandala etc.
It was a short two hour drive on the Old Pune Highway which I loved. This route is much scenic in contrast to the mundane Expressway, ofcourse if you have enough time on hand.
Once you reach Matheran, you leave your car at the huge car parking at the entrance. We reached here by afternoon. Unlike the northern hills in India, these hills never get excessively, unbearably cold. The weather here in winters is just perfect for a vacation. We did not have any bookings and am glad about it as the hotels on the internet show a very dreamy picture. Its best to go there and see what suits you and your pocket.
Walking can be a pain for someone who is looking for a luxurious vacation on the hills. But we loved every bit of it. Incase one tires out there is either the horseback or a hand-cart. After a lot of exploration we finally got a place to stay close to the main market. (FYI, the train would drop us at the market itself.) The market has several footwear shops and mini eateries to spend time at.
At the end of the day when you've had your fill all you care for is a goodnight sleep. Mornings are beautiful I suppose like the others said as I spent it getting that extra doze which I can hardly get back home in the city.
We walked around more, exploring the various points mentioned in the guidemap. If one likes spooky settings there are way too many here. Abandoned lodges, hollow tree trunks and the likes. Little nicknacks on the way. Kokam soda, a red colured, sweet and sour drink was interesting and instantly refreshing. There were little games for entertainment like loop the gift, target etc. Almost like a mini fair.
It was time to head back to the car parking before dark. This time we walked along the tracks, taking the train route and this was even more pretty.
Matheran, I say is a breath of fresh air. Almost literally!
