Kalsubai - 8th Feb 2014

We left Pune at 545 pm and after picking up the last member at Chakan, it was a long frustrating drive negotiating the narrow, busy Nasik highway. After a quick dinner at Daulat, we reached Sangamner at around 930'ish. Took a left towards immediately after Sangamner bus stand to Akole --> Rajur --> Shendi. The last part was really lonely, no one to ask for directions and no GPS. Reached Shendi at 1130. Stayed at Yash resorts which we had booked a day before. Decent clean place.

8th morning: Started off with cold, probably stale kande-pohe in the morning. While driving towards Bari village the terrain keeps you guessing which one is Kalsubai. While driving in the previous night we didn't realise that we are gaining height. Once the pinnacle is spotted, it doesn't look like 1646 m at all because of the fact that Bari itself would be at approx. 500 m.

An enthusiastic guide Kiran caught hold of us even before we parked the vehicle. School-going sharp kid. The other Kalsubai temple you reach almost immediately after starting is in a nice location. We met an English speaking gentleman who was a sort of care-taker at the temple.

It is an easy climb up.

Pic 1: The steel ladders are something different that help you navigate some difficult patches. Total of 4 of them. The 3rd and 4th one nearest to the peak is steep. It must be fun when its raining.

The 2 camping spots are one each near both the temples. There is a well just before the peak so one good itinerary could be reaching up there, almost up to the peak in the evening. Pegging your tents there. Summit the peak next day morning, hardly 10 mins climb. Pack up and leave by 9 am.

Pic 2: A clear day that it was, the view is 'Top of the world'. Bhandardara reservoir, the AMK range and far-away in the horizon, Harishchandragad.

The small pinnacle gives you a summit feel. 2 hours 20 minutes was the time taken.

 Pic 3

Pic 4

Some uncalled for histrionics make the descent interesting. Pic 3 and Pic 4.

Lunch at Hotel Anandwan was good. The local fish was different. We took the other route via Bota avoiding Sangamner. Dont think we saved on distance. Definitely didn't save on time..Took 5 hours to reach home in Pune. Total odo was 420 kms. How apt.

Korigad - Jan 18th/19th, 2014

Giving the kids a taste of camping was the simple purpose of this trip. So here we were, 2 families off to Korigad accompanied by Mama-Mami from Mumbai. Korigad is an easy trek for kids, not far from Pune, not remote in case of emergency, ample water up there etc. Just ideal for the purpose. The winter chill is gone but it is cold enough to enjoy a camp fire.

We had to discourage the youngest one (3.5 years) out of the plan by describing the place with exaggerated details but the elder two cousins (10 years old) were all enthusiastic.

Route

Pune --> Lonavla --> INS Shivaji --> Bhushi dam --> Amby valley --> Peth Shahpur. Our total odo from home to Korigad and back was 177, so not very far as you can imagine. After a little confusion the 2 cars took separate routes, old highway and the expressway. We reached exactly the same time, so no value in paying extra for the Expressway. Lesson No. 1.

Pic 1 - Getting ready. The white structure you see on the left is amby-valley. The heaviest bag seen in the boot is left for the guy not seen in the picture. Seriously considering an alternate career.

Pic 2 - Initial portion is a bullock-cart road (gaadi rasta). This was followed by a jungle patch and finally the last portion was about 500 plus steps. Simple and easy. 60 minutes approx. The kids started picking up firewood as soon as we started and when it got too much to hold in the hand, we emptied a bag for the purpose. Anvit started feeling like an early man for whom firewood was the most important asset. And we haven't changed at all. Have we? Even today for the modern man, fuel is the reason to wage wars, albeit we have hopelessly complicated things.

Pic 3 - It was my turn to feel like an early man now. We had the whole fort-top for ourselves and it was a problem of plenty. Selecting the best spot to peg our tents. No constraints at all. I am sure it was the same question that haunted early settlers. And possibly like early man again, we had to get the ladies to approve the location. We pegged our tents on a flat area a bit away from the main darwaza to stay as far as possible from nuisance of others on the fort if at all. But not far from the pond.

Pic 4 - The kids were super excited once we were all set up. We trekked downhill a little to pick up a ready pack of unutilized firewood left back by a previous group. They were kind enough to point it out to us. The last batch of 3 reached while we were going down. Its a good feeling when all sheep is home.

Pic 5 - The sun went out. The toil of climbing up and setting up the camp ensured that the puri's and paratha's were quickly consumed. The kids were asked a question that had an obvious answer. Maggi?? YES. Came out the stove and flame-O. Thanks Ameya. It was for the first time I learnt maggi tastes so delicious when sipped from a funneled paper dish. No fork or spoons. Some really juicy black grapes made a perfect desert.

Pic 6 - It gets chillier when your stomach is full. After wasting a few newspapers to stoke the fire, a small piece of leftover flame-O from the stove came to our rescue. It was almost full moon. Some star gazing, some chit-chat kept the fire raging. There were no takers for the ghost stories I was trying to bring in for the kids. There were spectacular fireworks blazing from amby valley. And it was fun watching them way below us. We retired to bed at 915 pm but I couldn't sleep well. The tent started fluttering vigorously after midnight and the it was too bright moonlight piercing through the tent. Till 4 am we had the whole of fort all for ourselves until a noisy group appeared. I couldn't but help compare the civilized troop of curious monkeys who bothered us a little while setting up the earlier evening but disappeared into their homes leaving us to ours as soon as it was dark.

Pic 7 - Some tea in the morning. We used the natural stove this time and the tea was yum.

Pic 8 - Packed up. The only trace of a camp left behind was a bunch of leftover unused firewood for the next group. Don't want to get philosophical but hope you get the point. I kind of gained perfection in folding sleeping bags (seven of them) and a tent (twice).

Pic 9 - We started our descent at around 9'ish followed by high drama.

Two of us lost their way and ended up in an unintentional security breach for Amby valley. Thanks to cellular network, we got a frantic call by the lost party of having reached a place that has tar roads and bungalows around but no soul in sight whom they could ask where they are. Turning back was ruled out. We asked them to stay where they are until further instructions. After painfully explaining the situation to a zapped security apparatus at Amby valley and a going thru a meticulous SOP to resolve the crisis, they finally let our car inside accompanied by a security guard. One hour lost in the bargain but happy reunion. Last lesson: Though you are in a group, remember landmarks and names of places. 

Some chikki shopping and late breakfast at Ramakrishna, we were off to Pune. This time the old Mumbai Pune highway and it wasn't bad.