A Trip that wasn't

Chapter 1: The driver that wasn’t

The name implies that a driver must know how to drive but driving alone doesn’t help, if a driver doesn’t know how to drive to a given location. In our case, the location was Mulshi Dam-near Pune. Our trip to Pune via Mulshi Dam was spoiled when the driver started asking us the directions to Mulshi.

Chapter 2: The Chevrolet Tavera that wasn’t

Of all the Taveras present in this world, we were the chosen ones to have the black smoke coughing, powerless, pickup-less, Chevrolet Tavera. After somehow reaching Lonavala, when we headed towards Mulshi, we came across a steep hill. We all were excited, but our Tavera had different plans. It didn’t seem to like the steep hill so much, and it gave up. So our trip and the Tavera took a U-turn back to Lonavala.

Interval: The License that wasn’t

We experienced God in Lonavala. As though we didn’t know that our driver wasn’t driver enough, Almighty God himself sent us a cherub in khaki pants and white shirt, a whistle in mouth and a stick in hand just to prove the point once again. Our driver didn’t have the original license. He had the colour copy of the license. It’s funny how life puts in some jokes even though the script you are living is just so annoying.

Chapter 3: The Mulshi that wasnt

When Tavera refused to go up, Mulshi was damned and we changed our plan. Now our trip was called Pune via Bhushi. Bhushi is another Dam which is near Lonavala. We reached Bhushi successfully! Bhushi was so crowded that it seemed an overcrowded Mumbai Local was just emptied there. There were people selling candy floss, tea in the middle of the watercourse which was in full vigor. We spent some time here in Bhushi by the time our Tavera and the driver were resting in peace in the parking area.

Chapter 4: The Booking that wasn’t

After Bhushi we reached Pune. Our puneri friend and his better half arranged finger licking and heavenly delicious hyderabadi biryani followed by Sujata Mastani (a mixed breed between milkshakes and faloodas and ice-creams developed over years available in diverse authentic flavours) .

Next day we did eating, shopping and booking(return tickets). The time to leave Pune and get back to Mumbai was nearing. We tried to act smart this time and decided to travel back by a government bus which has a qualified driver. We boarded our bus at 5.15 pm and found that a man was already sitting on the seat reserved by us. When we approached him, he told us that the seat was booked by him and showed us the ticket. After inspecting our ticket we found out that our puneri friend booked a ticket at 15.15 hrs and mistook 15.15 to 5.15. Life has a splendid sense of humour; so do we; luckily there were enough seats that we could book for ourselves! That’s how we reached Mumbai with a bagful of memories–sweet and sour but which were to be relished throughout our lives.