An Impulsive Decision...

"It is not planning that takes you places, it is sheer destiny"

Sometimes being impulsive and taking the most impromptu decisions land you in paradise. This is what me and Ashish found out last Sunday.

Scene 1
Time: Sunday Evening 4.30 PM
Place: My Home

Me - Chal be ashi, ghar chalte koi movie dekhenge.
Ashi - Kaunsi?
Me- Abe koi bhi dekh lenge, ghar me 3-4 hai.
Ashi - Thik hai chal.

Then Ashish and me start from my place on my bike to his for watching a movie and then maybe find something to pass our time after the movie is over. Im driving on Karve road toward's ashi's place. I suddenly become aware of the beautiful sky in front of us.

Me - Ashi kya matlab hai kya be, apan kya kar rahe hai? Koi point hai kya? Kya weather hai be aur apan ghar ja rahe hai.Aisa mood ho raha hai ki kahi door udte chale.
Ashi - Kidhar ja sakte hai abhi?
Me - Kya farak padta hai, kahi bhi chal.Lonavla chalte kya? 60 km hi to hai. 1 ghante me lonavla pahunch jaenge ghum firke wapas aa jaenge. Raste me naake ke bahar petrol dal denge 200 ka aur bas gadi bhagaenge. Kya bolta maadel?
Ashi - Chal.

Scene 2
Time: Sunday Evening 4.50 PM
Place: Ashish's parking.

Me and Ashi - Chal.

We leave the beautiful paud road behind and hit the Bombay Bangalore bypass highway. Without any plan we start towards Lonavla. Im so excited that I touch 90 kmph right away. We fill petrol just after Hinjewadi and without much ado, mint those miles. The highway is absolute bliss to ride and I invariably push my CBZ to its limits and start enjoying the highway speed. The weather is picture perfect and im just loving it. We see a sign saying, Lonavla 60 kms.I maintain a speed of above 80 throughout the beautiful road and at times go beyond that too. I also reach my personal fastest on my bike while competing with a Pulsar, a cool 102 kmph. The wind is moist, the air is cool, roads are smooth and we are excited. Ashish points out a serious problem. We have no camera. I decide to buy in the next salary (hopefully..) but we keep moving on.

Scene 3
Time : Sunday Evening 5.35 PM
Place: A Signboard saying Lonavla 6 kms.

Ashi - Aa gaye lonavla.
Me - Abe abhi to sirf 5.35 hi hue hai. Apan kya adhe ghante me hi aa gaye kya?
Ashi - Abe haa. 35 ya max 40 mins me apan Pahuch gaye.
Me - Kya baat hai maadal. Maza aa gaya. Chal saale Kamine Maganlal ki chikkich kha lete hai.

We drive through the Lonavla main road and I tell ashi about a beautiful spot where I had gone with Tatya some 2 years back and he also likes the idea of visiting it.We move ahead. Something catches Ashi's eye. It is a board that says, Aamby Valley turn left. Ashish suggests we visit Aamby valley. Although Im a bit reluctant initially, I decide to take the left turn.


Scene 4
Time: Sunday Evening 5.50 PM
Place: Toll Naka of Lonavla Municipal Corporation

We reach a place that looks like a hangout of local goons. It actually is. We are supposed to pay 10 bucks for travelling on the road ahead. With a little unhappiness, we shell out the sum and move on. The road is smooth and the surrounding is terrific. As we move ahead, we see the best of the views one can imagine. The road is clean, people are almost nowhere in sight and the air is moist and cool. What a way to chill out. On our way we see the very sought after Bhushi Dam, but the number of people and the vehicles around it discourage us to go there. We move on as the road starts to take sharp turns. We realize that we are climbing up. Suddenly we see that we are being covered in fog. Fog so think that we cannot even see more than 10 metres ahed. The situation is dreamlike and has to be felt. I just cannot remember how many times both of us must have shouted "Ek Number". We seriously miss the camera that I havent yet bought.We are literally living a dream or a movie scene. We stop at a place and enjoy the beautiful greenery and the cool moist breeze. The hair is wet but there is no rain. Everythig is just fantastic. We move ahead.


Scene 5
Time: Sunday Evening 6.15 PM
Place: Aamby Valley Main Gate.

We reach Aamby valley. One thing amuses both of us. This sahara guy has built an airport for Aamby valley residents and visitors. We are overawed by the sheer size of everything there. The scene is fantastic. Aamby valley is truly majestic. Everything is spic and span. We try to manage a tour inside the huge gates, but the guards show us exit immediately. We dont feel bad but as tru Nagpurites,

Me - Saala Subroto Sahara haramkhor.
Ashi - Hao na be kiti bhikarchot manus asel be ha, APAN ko aane se roka.
Me - Thik hai na be asu, wo nahi chahta hai ki tereko dekhne ke liye andar bheed khadi ho jae.
Ashi - Wo bhi sahi hai..

With nowhere to go, we decide to go back.

Scene 6
Time: Sunday Evening 7.00 PM
Place: Bhagwan and Baban's Pakode and Chai.

We are coming back by the same beautiful road. While coming, we see a playground like open space and some Pakode and Bhutta shops. We are a bit hungry and decide to munch on a few Pakodas and have some tea.

Me - Asu chai pina padta bawaaaa..
Asu - Yak number bat kardi chatu. Chai bhi marenge aur pakode bhi khaenge.

Trust me, somebody invented Kanda Bhaji for this place. You cannot resist eating hot bhajiya in such a weather. We go to a small shop owned by one Mr. Bhagwan and Mr. Baban. They offer us tea and make the most wonderful pakodas. Ashish as usual comes to terms with him immediately and starts phunde pheking on life and manuski.

Ashi - Kaka manuskich sagda raite. Paisa pani aaj hai kal nai...
Bhagwan kaka - Barabar hai pan manuski sobat majhe bees rupaye pan dyal saheb..
Ashi(in his mind) - Saala plan fail ho gaya..

Ashis dialogues truly depict the decades of village life that he has lived and centuries of hardships he has faced. Everything seems normal to me. We wind up in 20 odd mins and decide to leave. Ashi wants to ride now. I dont mind being the pillion after riding for almost 110 kms at a strech. The weather is still picture perfect although a bit dark. We stop over at Maganlal's shop to buy some chikki. Then we leave for pune.

Scene 7
Time: Sunday Evening 7.50 PM
Place: NH4

The highway is dry and smooth. Ashish also touches some 90-95 kmph mark during the journey back to Pune. Although quite uneventful, the journey is awesome. We come back to pune sometime near 9 pm.


The gist of this whole narrative is that it doesnt require a lot of planning to make plans successful. All it requires is a bit of enthusiasm and a bit of help from the weather. I just wish my entire life could be lived in the same way. But i can just wish....