A WALK IN THE HILLS
WHERE
WERE WE ? !!! We were at LONAVALA.
The hubby and
I were due for a long awaited complimentary welcome holiday from Sterling
Holidays Resorts Ltd. After hemming and
hawing for months together, we decided to take the well earned break during the
first week of September. It was not the ideal month to travel to Lonavala but
our dates were running out.
Since it was
going to be a short weekend break for 2 nights / 3 days, I zeroed onto Hotel
Mayur Sterling, 3 kms from the main town area. It’s a lovely hotel located
between Khandala and Lonavala’s market area.
Lonavala is a
popular hill station beautifully located amongst the hills and valleys of the
Sahyadri range in Maharashtra, India, about 100 kms from Mumbai and 69 kms from
Pune and is located at a height of 625 meters above sea level. Lonavala, located by Sir Elphinstone, the
then Governor of Bombay Presidency in 1871, derived its name from a Sanskrit
word Lonavli means caves.
Khandala is 5
km before Lonavala and gifted with abundant natural beauty, set at a height of
625 m.
Both hill
stations are great for a honeymoon or a family vacation during the weekend and
is bestowed with many historical forts, ancient caves and wonderful serene
lakes.
WHEN TO
GO
Summers
(April and May) are quite mild while Winters
i.e. November-February, are cool. It
rains heavily during the monsoon especially between June and September. The
best time to visit Khandala or Lonavala is between October and May. It is not
advisable to visit during the Monsoon.
HOW DID
WE GET THERE
By Air :
Khandala / Lonavala does not have an in-town airport. To reach the place by air
one has to fly either to Mumbai or Pune Airports.
There are
plenty of buses from Mumbai and Pune.
We took a bus
from Chembur Naka (Mumbai) at around 7 am. It takes around 2 ½ hours to
Lonavala. I enquired earlier and did a
thorough research on where to board the bus, disembark, how to get to the
hotel, how far was the main shopping area .
The hotel
advised us to alight at Khandala exit on the Expressway. We walked down a little slope to Hotel Kamath
where we had breakfast after which we
hopped onto an auto for the hotel. The auto charged us Rs 70. I am not sure how
many kms it was but it took us around 10 mins.
There is a
green Dargah along the Old Mumbai Pune Highway and a little stony path sloping
down from the side of the Dargah which leads to the Hotel. The staff welcomed
us warmly and were very gracious during the entire stay.
Our room was
clean with a little balcony overlooking a picturesque view of the neighbouring
hillside dotted with homes. Everything was green as it was during the monsoons
and clean washed fresh with the rain.
DAY 1
We stepped
out for lunch which was at Kumar Resort , Lonavala market. The auto charged us
Rs 50.
I must add
that the auto fares are pretty steep in Lonavala. Most of our expense was in
commuting between the hotel and main town. What might have been only Rs 12
(minimum fare) in Mumbai was costing us Rs. 50-60. It was Rs. 60 till the Lonavala station.
The road branches
off from Kumar Resort winds its way to the Lonavala station and is lined with lots
of shops, MacDonald’s, etc.
We walked
down from Kumar Resort to St. Joseph’s Church. We passed a shopping complex,
National Chikki Mart, Rupam Chikki, Cooper’s , shops selling toys, expresso coffee,
a small takeaway (the Uttapam and Sheera is good there), swimming costumes etc.
There is a
roundabout midway which turns right to Bushi Dam and Amby Valley. The road
straight ahead leads to the church and station.
St. Joseph’s
Church is a very old church, built in 1867. It is a small church but with a
beautiful interior, high wooden arched ceiling, golden chandeliers, wall lamps,
a beautiful Tabernacle and Sanctuary. The altar is circular similar to Mount Mary,
Bandra, Mumbai.
The ambience
is prayerful and peaceful. The congregation is lively. The Mass we attended was
during the Novena of the Nativity of Our Lady. It was a lovely spiritual experience
.
Dinner was
back at the hotel . This time the hotel advised us to take the Masti Package
which was for Rs 480 (for 2 meals per day, per person). When we went down for
dinner, we found the entire hotel at the buffet table !!! Everyone had opted for the same.
The buffet
was wholesome with unlimited food , good service and a colourful spread !!!
DAY 2
We decided to
spend our second day relaxing by the swimming pool. My little son and hubby
enjoyed themselves splashing around .
After all that swimming , we were hungry !!
We had signed
in for breakfast and dinner in the Masti Package. So we hopped into an auto
again and got off Radha Krishna Restaurant for lunch.
The evening
was spent in our balcony sipping tea and
taking in the lovely view across. It was so peaceful, relaxing. It was also
raining heavily throughout out stay but it was a different feeling. Hill
stations during the light monsoons …
Well !!! One has to experience that for themselves.
DAY 3
Time to
return to Mumbai and home. We took a bus from Neeta’s Inn where Neeta Volvo
buses stop by on their way from Mahabaleshwar, Pune etc.
WHAT TO
SEE
Tourists
travelling to Lonavala can visit a lot of caves, parks, dams, lakes. Please
visit http://lonavala.mumbaigetaways.com/places-to-see.html
But the
scenery and greenery is to die for.
WHAT TO BUY
Fudge - This old-fashioned silky smooth fudge
that's dotted with just the right amount of nuts is sure to appeal to sweet
tooth of all ages. Cooper’s (a Paris establishment close to the church) is
associated with the most delicious fudge especially the the CHOCOLATE ALMOND
was much better I felt. Far more silky. Strawberry fudge wasn’t so bad either.
Cooper's, a
hole-in-the-wall shop near Lonavla station is responsible for a whole
population of travellers taking a detour to the hill station.taking a detour to
the hill station while on their way to Pune or beyond. Their products high on
taste but don't expect a swanky store that dishes out dessert in fancy
packaging. In fact, it's nothing more than a counter guarded by staff and the
lady owner.
For more
information please click on links below ..
Chikki –
Energy bars made from jaggery, glucose and sugar which provides nourishment and
energy to the human body. Therefore it is a highly nutritious food, easily digestible,
chewable and gives instant energy. Chikki does not contain synthetic agents like
preservatives or food colours and is suitable for all ages; even children and
expectant mothers.
There are a
lot of varieties; the most popular being Peanut Chikki , Groundnut Chikki.
Peanut Brittle/Chikki is a healthy, delicious
traditional candy made from peanuts and jaggery. It can be eaten alone or with
snacks and is a perfect replacement for chocolates.
The Chocolate
Butterscotch chikki was tasty too !!! My
little son loved it.
Maganlal – They
are an old establishement and well
established. In fact they are celebrating 125 yrs. http//maganlal.com
They sell a
lot of things besides chikki and fudge in Mango , Strawberry and a lot of other
flavours. Their Chocolate Bites - Mango, Litchi, Orange. Strawberry, Pineapple.
They have pre
packed Gift packs .
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