Would you believe me if I told you there lies a bundle of serenity and peace in the bustling city of Lonavala?
What if I say that you can enjoy an experience quite similar to being in a forest reserve just a 100 kms from Mumbai? Would you bat your eyes and think that pandemic blues have driven me crazy? Well, bat not and allow me to present my case!
It was when months of being locked in our respective homes for under our skin and we, a bunch of girl friends, decided to break our travel inertia. Since taking a flight was still being considered risky in November 2020, we agreed to taking a trip, which is small enough to be covered by road and within a weekend.
We booked two rooms Captan's resort in Lonavala and it proved to be catalyst to a spectacular trip. As our cab reached the property, we were greeted by our lovely hostess and shown way to our supremely comfortable rooms with a jungle view.
(I'll be posting the booking link for this amazing property in the end)
The rustic vibes of the property, the rustling of leaves in the Autumn winds and the pinkish sunlight pouring warmth onto us made us fall instantly in love!
After a few hours when the sun started lazying around, we stepped out on a little expedition. Google maps showed a large water-body on a walking distance and we headed in the direction. An uneven path amidst small houses and shrieking children running behind chicks (ahem ahem, I mean baby chicken), lose gravel and yellowish green flora led us to a lake. It was nestling peacefully between mid heighted trees and being relatively unbothered by frequenting gentry the lake appeared to be having a time of its life.
We sat beside the lake, yapping about the meaning of life, purpose of one's existence and all other fluky thoughts which couped up our minds after being stuck in our homes for months! We spotted a few people on the other bank of the lake, who could safely be assumed to be talking about similar stuff.
Soft breeze patted on our cheeks, carefree birds zoomed over the still waters and slowly the sky grew ombre at the edges. We headed back to our property.
Sumptuous meal in cozy dining room donned our night. The meals were cooked under the diligent supervision of the hostess and it tasted divine. As night progressed, so did the winds and so did the chirpy (and a little spooky) noises of the jungle!
The next morning brought in a treat for our lungs as we hiked upwards of the property. We were up before the sun and started foraging our way through bushes, gravel and lots of gushing fresh air!
We hiked one way for about two hours (which was filled with lots of ascents and descents) and when our feet could no longer take it, we perched ourselves on a (very) windy spot. The morning was catching up with the sleepy valley and we witnessed the moment in awe. We sat there in hopes of absorbing all the pureness the place had to offer; and in the process we almost forgot about a looming pandemic in the world. It felt as we were in a tiny cocoon, which was filled with fresh breeze, yawning trees and golden sunshine...one, which was free from any virus!
(Booking link for Captan's resort - https://abnb.me/gKpnA6gTcfb)