'Lets get out of it for a while, go into the Country, explore and get some fresh air', what could possibly go wrong?The Monsoon seemed to have stalled again so I thought it would be a great idea to get out of the hustle and bustle of the City and go and see one of the hill stations we'd heard so much about. I even had support for this idea, with our friend Teri saying she would come with us. Arranged the car for 9am, plenty of water on board and emergency biscuits just in case the rain came and we had to hang around. Getting out felt good, the sun was shinning and we were in high spirits as we left Mumbai behind us and headed out on the Pune Express Way. Even felt good to be able to drive at more normal speeds, 60mph never felt so good! Reassured by the fact that you wouldn't suddenly come across a 3 wheeler or an ox and cart (there was a big sign prohibiting them from using the Express Way)
Destination 'Lonavala' - although I did notice on the way that it was spelt a few different ways, this was the most popular. The closest of the hill station at only 65 miles away, some of it flat plains and the rest uphill winding road through tunnels and hairpin bends - squint and you could be in the Alps....alright close your eyes completely and just imagine you are in the Alps!
As we start to climb the traffic slows, mainly due to the ultra slow lorries (people walking faster) which brings me onto the number of people walking on the hard shoulder who would walk up to the slow smaller trucks and climb aboard for a free ride up - the driver started out with an empty truck and by half way up the hill it was completely full of men getting a free ride, which puts the UK car sharing idea to shame! As we rounded the next corner we could see miles of traffic stopped ahead and a raging fire some way ahead high above us. After sitting without moving for 20 minutes people started turning round, impressive as there was no room so you ended up with cars pointed in all directions, some the way we were travelling some at right angles to the road some who had made the turn but were stuck by others trying to turn and motorists who had got out of their cars to direct traffic. Then unexpectedly, the traffic ahead starts to move forward so the turned cars now try and turn once more! Funny to watch and thankfully we hadn't started to turn so were then in prime position to carry on. This was short lived as we stopped again round the corner. No problem, there was a damaged part of the central barrier so the simple solution
is to bridge the gap and drive up the wrong side - naturally! Then we hit the traffic coming down the hill! No problem, just all drive up the slip road onto the higher road which misses the blazing lorry but unfortunately blocks the slip road well and truly. Throw in vehicles with burnt out clutches (they don't use handbrakes, why would you when you can slip the clutch for a few hours until the air is acrid with the smell of a breakdown) which in turn blocks the road. No problem simply unload one of the lorries now carrying 50 men it has picked up along the way and push the stranded vehicles into the ditch, reload and drive on into the space left by the car now sitting in a ditch. God only knows how they get their car sorted so more importantly when? I am getting a much better sense of just how screwed you would be if anything did go wrong out here! Bloody hope the Capita health insurance includes a helicopter rescue option!Been on the go for 3 hours and not made it yet, stop off at a viewing point, complete with health trap toilets, death trap fairground rides although you could get your name written on a grain of rice so not all bad. We have existed so far on emergency biscuits, water and strawberry shoelaces, kids are getting bored and restless, next stop Lonavala. More traffic jams, shall we turn round, shall we carry on? Carry on, we are within touching distance. Drive past the signs for the Kalpol Sanitorium start to think that this might be just the place to spend some time....finally make it to Lonavala 5hours after leaving Mumbai. Reminds me of a sad seaside town in UK, every seems to sell Chikki, which we are told are the local nuts. A1 Chikki, King's Chikki, Malgol Chikki, Chikki shops everywhere. Didn't stop, so much more to see, on to the Dam, although in the end we give up and just ask to go home!
One last treat having now driven past the burnt out lorry on the way back down is our Sunday lunch (4.00pm) at the Moto equivalent, not sure what it was called but semi open air complete with flies and usual chaos. Settle for a McDonalds which we ate quickly and joylessly, dodge the stray dogs and back to the car. Home by 5.30pm, just in time for the F1 and the football.Are we put off? Nope, all part of the fun of living here although next time might get the train or fly!!
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